Lately, we’ve seen a trend that hits close to home…
HR teams being cut, roles consolidated, and people operations reduced to a few checkboxes and compliance docs.
The problem? You can scale back a department, but you can’t scale back human needs.
Even without a formal HR team, organizations are still made of people. People who need support, clarity, belonging, and structure. So what happens when Human Resources disappears but the work of “Human Relations” doesn’t?
At Greater Human Capital, we’ve stepped into this gap more times than we can count:
- When a COO suddenly had to lead people strategy solo
- When onboarding had to happen the same week an HR director was let go
- When a founder was juggling a remote team across eleven states and didn’t know what laws still applied
These moments are messy. But they’re also manageable.
➡️ Yes, we’re here to help when you need it. But what if you can’t bring on a consultant right now?
Here are four ways to keep your humanity intact when your HR department is gone:
1. Designate a People Point Person
Even if it’s not their full-time job, someone should be clearly responsible for people-related questions, onboarding, and communication. Ideally, this person has decision-making support from leadership. Without someone “holding” the people function, things fall through the cracks—fast.
Tip: Give this person a defined title (even temporarily), and make sure the team knows who they are and how to reach them.
2. Document the Basics
You don’t need an elaborate system. You do need clarity. Create a simple, accessible hub where employees can find:
- Time off policies
- Reporting lines
- Workplace expectations (like remote work norms, work hours, communication channels)
Even a shared Google/Word Doc is better than a scatter of verbal agreements and email threads.
3. Communicate Like a Human
Without HR, it’s easy for communication to become purely operational or reactive. ➡️ Flip the script. ⬅️ Build empathy into your culture by modeling it:
- Use plain language
- Hold space for people to ask questions
- Avoid over-automating sensitive moments (like exits, onboarding, or feedback)
Leadership sets the tone—even (especially) when HR isn’t present.
4. Prioritize Psychological Safety
When there’s no HR, people often stay silent. That doesn’t mean all is well. It means they don’t feel safe speaking up.
Create regular, low-pressure feedback loops. A quarterly anonymous form. A standing invitation to 1:1s. A feedback channel that’s actually read (and responded to).
Then act on what you hear—even if it’s small.
Human Relations doesn’t require a big department—just consistent care.
If you find yourself managing people without a People team, know this: you’re not alone and you don’t have to figure it out alone, either.
We’re Greater Human Capital. When HR disappears, we show up.Want to know more? Schedule with us!