Reframing Overwhelm: From firefighting to focus
Overwhelm is a signal that prioritisation, governance and resourcing need to catch up with reality.
The most effective HR teams heading into 2026 are doing three things differently:
1. Actively managing pay and reward trade-offs
They accept that budgets are finite and make conscious, transparent decisions about where spend will, and will not, be focused. They separate pay progression from performance where necessary, link progression to skills and contribution, and use alternative reward tools to maintain motivation.
2. Strengthening line manager capability
They invest in coaching managers to have real-time, proportionate conversations, intervene early in ER issues, and manage performance consistently. Managers are repositioned as coaches, not rule-enforcers.
3. Designing HR around employees, not processes
Performance frameworks are becoming more flexible. Objectives for agile workforces need to be able to shift. Feedback flows both ways: employees understand how they’re assessed; and how managers are assessed too.
Building the Business Case: Seven steps to support HR teams
One of the biggest barriers HR professionals face is limited budget or staffing, even when the need is obvious. A strong, evidence-based business case makes all the difference. Lucilla outlined the key components required to make a robust business case:
1. Start with the problem
Use data to clearly evidence where current HR capacity is creating risk, cost or delay, such as rising ER case volumes, slow hiring or high turnover. This shows leaders the issue is not anecdotal, but already affecting performance, compliance or spend.
2. Align with business strategy
Link HR capacity directly to business priorities like growth, transformation, risk management or culture. This reframes HR support as an enabler of strategic outcomes, not a standalone function.
3. Present the solution
Define exactly what is needed, whether a permanent hire, specialist role, interim support, technology or outsourcing, and why this option fits the problem. Specificity builds confidence that the request is proportionate and well thought through.
4. Quantify costs and benefits
Set out the financial impact, including ROI from reduced turnover, faster hiring, lower legal exposure or improved productivity. Balance this with critical non-financial gains such as engagement, leadership effectiveness and organisational resilience.
5. Address risks
Acknowledge potential risks and show how they will be managed through clear scope, prioritisation, KPIs and governance. This reassures decision-makers that investment will be controlled and outcomes monitored.
6. Set success metrics
Define how success will be measured, using clear indicators such as time-to-hire, ER resolution times, engagement scores or delivery milestones. This makes progress visible and holds the investment accountable.
7. Provide an implementation plan
Outline a phased approach covering approval, onboarding, delivery and formal review at 6 and 12 months. This demonstrates readiness to execute and creates natural checkpoints for course correction.
This approach shifts the conversation to justifying measurable returns from investment by the organisation.
Key HR priorities for 2026
Looking ahead, the most common priorities for HR teams are:
- Upskilling line managers
- Preparing for legislative change
- Improving employee engagement and experience
- Organisational design and restructures
- HR systems and automation
Beyond 2026, challenges will intensify: a misaligned labour market, increased M&A activity, AI-augmented roles, erosion of traditional career ladders, and a workforce increasingly seeking supplementary income. Career development will become a critical deciding factor in retention rates.
Get in touch
Being in HR today is demanding, but is also uniquely impactful. HR professionals build relationships, shape culture and drive meaningful change. Overwhelm is the result of rising expectations and insufficient support.
Our webinar [link to catch up] hopefully helped in explaining how HR and Reward professionals can prioritise, use data confidently and make the case for the right tools and resources; helping HR teams move from constant firefighting to purposeful progress – and bring clarity to their objectives in 2026.
