"Work can be a life-draining affair." Joseph Campbell
Effective time management is essential if you wish to be a successful HR executive and have a life at the same time. When HR professionals focus most of their time on administrative and compliance duties, companies often stop seeing them as strategic partners.
On average, HR executives spend only about 25% of their time on strategic activities. From both a career and company perspective, allowing administrative tasks to dominate your schedule undermines your long-term impact.
Common reasons HR executives give
- This simply has to get done.
- Somebody has to do it.
- I don't have the time to delegate this right now.
- There's nobody else here to do it.
- I'm not sure I would know how to delegate it properly.
- I can't manage the person to whom I delegated it.
These are all poor excuses that can block your career success.
Consider the numbers. If you spend 10 hours a week on payroll and administrative tasks and your time is worth $40 per hour, that's work that could be done by someone paid $20 per hour. Every hour you spend on low-value work costs the company $20, which adds up quickly.
If you waste 10 hours a week for the next three years, that's roughly 1,500 hours you won't get back, and the waste can cost the company at least $30,000. For help addressing the broader impact of staffing and market issues, see Employee Turnover and Market Challenges.
If you label tasks as "A", "B," and "C" work, aim to spend 80% of your time on A work, 20% on B work, and zero time on C work. Anything labeled C should be stopped; B work should be delegated or outsourced; A work is where you add strategic value.
A-Level Activities
- Meeting with the executive team to understand vision, mission, values and goals.
- Studying the company's strategic plans, financials, succession plan, markets, branding, and operations.
- Identifying critical human resource needs through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and observation.
- Providing input into the company's compensation plan, including pay rates, incentives, bonuses, and rewards programs.
- Creating strategic plans and processes to carry out top objectives.
- Developing training plans to support implementation.
- Helping shape the company's risk-management plan, including benefits and relevant coverages.
- Creating systems for hiring, performance, retention and compliance.
- Facilitating creativity, branding, and suggestion systems.
- Implementing other strategic objectives where HR can provide input.
B-Level Activities
- Payroll and benefits administration.
- Implementation of hiring, performance, retention and compliance systems.
- HRIS management.
- Delivery of training.
- Creation of employee handbook and executive contracts.
- Personnel files management.
- Attendance, vacation, and leave management.
- COBRA administration.
- Compliance posters and handouts.
C-Level Activities
- Employee dramas.
- Meetings that go nowhere.
- Doing any $10–$20/hour work.
A classic example of A work is developing training aligned with technological or strategic goals. For guidance on effective onboarding and ongoing HR practices, see The Importance of Effective Employee Orientation and HR Practices.
If your organization needs outside support to move administrative tasks off your plate, consider professional options such as Human Resource Consulting Services Insurance that can help bridge capability gaps, reduce risk, and free your time for strategy.
If you'd like help reviewing coverage or next steps, you can talk to an agent about available options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I decide what is A, B, or C work?
Assess each task by its strategic impact and whether it requires your expertise; A work advances company strategy, B work supports operations and can be delegated, and C work should be stopped.
What are practical steps to delegate B-level tasks?
Document procedures, train a backup, set clear expectations and metrics, and follow up regularly to build confidence in delegation.
How much time should HR spend on strategic activities?
Aim for roughly 70–80% of your time on A-level strategic work, with the remainder on delegated or necessary B-level tasks.
What if my organization lacks staff to delegate to?
Consider outsourcing administrative functions or using shared services and consultants to handle transactional work while you focus on strategy.