by Louise Fletcher

Are you feeling burned out, overworked and under-appreciated? Do you have more work than ever and fewer people to get it done? The corporate downsizings of the last few years have hit hard, but some HR professionals are feeling more energised than ever. See what you can learn from their examples and apply to your own career.

Jean Orrison has been a field HR director for a software developer for the last nine years. Until 2001, she was a member of a 14-person corporate HR team and supervised a recruiter and an HR administrator. Her corporate team has now shrunk to three people, and Orrison is working harder than ever, but she's having the time of her life.

Strategic Partnerships

"I'm doing work that matters, and in the process, I have become a real strategic partner," explains Orrison. Before the company restructured, she worked for a vice president whose company-wide HR initiatives usually met with a lukewarm reception. But after the downsizing, Orrison returned to what she calls grassroots HR work, and as a result, she was able to build strong partnerships with line management. "In the past, we were told we must be strategic business partners, but we hadn't earned the trust of managers," she says.

Jackie Gaillard is the chief human resources executive for the International Securities Exchange, and she believes there has been a fundamental shift in human resources management since the dotcom bubble burst in 2000. "It's all about value-added," Gaillard says. "Everyone is overworked right now, and no one has time to waste."

Gaillard doesn't believe HR professionals should give up on the idea of strategic partnerships -- just approach them differently. "If you want to make sweeping changes with a view to the long-term, you first have to deal with managers' day-to-day problems," she says.

That's exactly how Orrison built such a strong relationship with the managers in Texas. She saw that many of her employees were overworked, stressed and taking on new responsibilities without adequate training, so she suggested an employee-training program. Although sceptical, her general manager agreed, as long as she didn't spend money.

Orrison started with public speaking, since many of her employees frequently present new product prototypes to corporate executives and media representatives. She arranged for a speaker to give a free two-hour training session for all 150 employees. Next, she worked to arrange workshops on stress management, time management and change management.

Orrison says that employees have been extremely appreciative, and her general manager says he would have implemented similar training years ago, had he realised its value. But her success can also be measured in more concrete terms; her location has experienced very little turnover, even though many employees are worried about the company's future and competitors are recruiting aggressively.

Likewise, Gaillard has focused on activities that add value for managers. She is currently working on several major long-term HR initiatives and says she has been able to gain buy-in from managers because of the support she provides in areas such as employee relations, training and CV screening. "Managers remember that you lightened their load, and they are more likely to welcome your ideas," Gaillard says.

Go for the Low-Hanging Fruit

Both women are enjoying their work immensely; despite the last few years' added pressures. What advice do they have for those feeling the strain? "Look for the low-hanging fruit," offers Gaillard. "Accept that you can't do everything. Find one or two high-profile opportunities, and then do a great job. Before you know it, people will have time for your priorities."

Orrison concurs. "Lean times present a great opportunity to be creative, which is something we don't always get to do." She advises HR professionals to use their networks, search the Web and tap into their own organisations for resources and ideas.

It's easy to become discouraged when your workload is overwhelming, budgets are lean and there are not enough hours in the day, but as these two experienced professionals show, the challenge can bring out the best in you and your department.

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