I’ve worked in HR for some years now (not saying how long!!) and I am no longer convinced that summertime is the easy time – even more so now than ever before.
 
I usually get a little busier around now when our reward clients start thinking about the things they need to do to meet their objectives, and start planning for next year’s workload too.  High on that list is usually pay review;  the need to sort the budget, get finance to agree the figures, write the exec paper(s) and get it planned in, all while still doing business as usual.   
 
But this year BAU is of course something completely different and we have been busy doing proposals for far more fundamental reward reviews - re-writing the whole reward strategy from job evaluation to EVP.  Fingers crossed some of these proposals will be accepted, and the learning curve will continue for the one’s that failed.  If we are doing proposals for this work, this means that HR and Finance are planning big changes.  I am not completely surprised as the work we have been doing with the Senior HR Network shows that workforce planning and the respective changes are high on the list of issues keeping senior leadership awake at night.
 
Some organisations are moving quickly, determined to be ahead of the game, and get everything sorted so that staff know where they stand.  The finite detail in the planning will fall out of the project.  Other’s are taking time to plan up front what the end product will look like in their mind before they tell their provider what they want.  Either way, it’s change all round and decisions taken in the next few weeks will be crucial.   
 
It may feel like a heavy burden but remember that you are not alone in this.  There’s a whole community out here ready to help.  The HR community is nothing if not supportive of eachother.   And of course, there are people like me, who would be delighted to help you scope your project and think about what you need to get in place.  Take heart, grab the bull by the horns (whatever metaphor you like) and reach out – A problem shared………