For many years, HR has typically operated in what could be described as an ‘ambulance model’. Something goes wrong, pressure builds, emotions rise, and HR is brought in to help resolve the issue. As a profession, HR has become well-prepared for this kind of response.
Perhaps a little too good…
Workplaces now move faster than ever. Change is often constant, workloads are heavier, and employee expectations are high. When HR only steps in once an issue has snowballed, the opportunity to prevent harm in the situation has usually already passed.
That’s why we’re seeing a shift towards a more proactive, real-time approach to HR. Not in a cold or automated way, but in a far more human and preventative one. As they say, prevention is better than cure!
What does real-time HR actually mean?
Real-time HR is about having better visibility of how people are working and coping day–to–day. With the right insight into how your teams are genuinely doing at present (as opposed to drawing on historical data), people leaders can start to spot patterns emerging much earlier.
It becomes easier to pinpoint potential problems before they arise, such as:
- Teams gradually edging towards burnout
- An overloaded manager
- Tension building between colleagues long before a grievance is raised
- Early signs of disengagement that would not yet show up in performance metrics
It’s similar to noticing someone has gone quiet in a meeting and choosing to check in, as you know they don’t seem their usual self. The difference with real-time HR is being able to do this consistently and at scale.
💡Practical takeaway for HR leaders
Schedule regular, structured check-ins that cover topics beyond performance. Simple conversations about workload, possible pressure points and support requirements can bring issues to the table long before they escalate and become a wider organisational problem.
Why early signals through real-time HR matter
The key benefit of harnessing real-time HR is the ability to action data-driven changes or initiatives much sooner than if you maintain a traditional, reactive approach to people management. When potential issues are identified early, responses can be lighter, more supportive and, in turn, far more effective. In fact, data-driven organisations report 32% better business outcomes.
The growing need for a more timely, preventative approach to HR is clear with the number of managers who, after receiving outsourced HR support to help navigate an escalated issue, have said, “I wish I’d come to you sooner.” Real-time HR is about creating an environment where managers no longer need to say that.
What’s more, earlier involvement can tend to shift the tone of conversations. There is more space for honesty with less defensiveness, and greater flexibility to adjust before situations and resulting scenarios become fixed.
💡Practical takeaway for HR leaders
Reassure your managers that bringing HR in early is not a sign of failure – as some may seem to think. Make it clear that having those early conversations is encouraged and often prevents more serious problems (and headaches!) later down the line.
Focusing on the wider environment, not just the individual(s)
By the time HR is called in to deal with a situation, attention often turns to behaviour or conflict between individuals. But in many cases, the root issue sits within the working environment for one reason or another – and this goes wider than the physical workplace.
Being faced with unclear expectations, sustained pressure, a constant lack of support, or competing priorities can all contribute to problems that later appear personal.
When you can access early signals of attitude or engagement change through real-time HR – even the tiny ones – you have an opportunity to review and, if necessary, address the underlying factors before they impact your team.
💡Practical takeaway for HR leaders
When concerns arise, remember to look at what may have changed around the person or team from a working environment perspective. Making small adjustments to workload, providing more clarity, or increasing support can make a huge difference.
The positive impact of stepping in sooner
Early intervention can be transformative for businesses. Teams that appear stuck or struggling can turn around simply because effective people support arrives earlier than it normally would.
But championing real-time HR is not only helpful to managers and the individuals reporting to them.
Consider the sheer time and resource required from you or your wider HR team to step in and resolve a top-level escalation, compared to if that issue had been flagged and prevented before it came to a head?
In the majority of cases, making proactive, efficient improvements (guided by real-time people data) is much more time and cost-efficient for your organisation in the long run than holding multiple investigations, grievance hearings, and following up with outcome letters.
And for what it’s worth, most HR professionals don’t enjoy undertaking clean-up operations after the fact. The real value lies in helping people before problems take hold.
💡Practical takeaway for HR leaders
Make space within your HR schedules to review trends, not just looking at individual firefighting incidents. For example, patterns in absence, engagement, or employee feedback often provide the earliest warning signs to steer you in the right direction.
A more sustainable future for HR
The shift to real-time HR is about giving managers the confidence to act earlier, have better conversations, and check in before situations reach breaking point. By supporting people sooner and creating healthier working environments, you can help your teams thrive.
At the Omny Group, our real-time HR support offerings enable you to see issues before they become formal problems, with our hands-on guidance and coaching equipping your managers to act early, not late.
If you’d like support in moving towards a more preventative, people-centred approach to HR, discover which level of our HR support packages is best for you, or get in touch with us for an initial conversation.