In my last company, when I began leading People Operations, we were busy all the time (but not in a way that felt purposeful).
Requests were constant, context-switching was relentless, and yet we couldnât clearly articulate how all that activity connected to impact.
I realised: It wasnât a performance problem. It was an operating model problem.
We needed to create space to think, not just react. So we redesigned how the team worked.
We split our function into two streams:
Operations, and
Product.
The Operations team handled the critical service layer:
Onboarding,
Offboarding,
Help desk tickets (issues people couldn't self service),
Policy updates and so on
All the high-frequency, high-trust tasks that kept the business running.
These were the processes that couldnât be automated (yet), but needed to be done consistently and well.
Meanwhile, the Product team focused on building the experiences that would reduce that operational load over time. Think; tools, templates, and automations that made it easier for employees to navigate their journey without always needing us.
They worked in cycles, with roadmaps, backlog reviews, and measurable outcomes.
(Operating very much with product-led principles that you can read deeply about from incredible people like Jessica Zwaan and Luke O'Mahoney)
We could suddenly see where our time was going and how it was paying off.
We had data to show how many requests came through Operations, what patterns were emerging, and where our biggest leverage points were. That visibility gave the Product team focus: their goal wasnât to build shiny things, but to reduce repeat work on the Operations side.
Every workflow improved, every automation shipped, created more capacity for deeper, more strategic work.
Within a few months, weâd gone from a team buried in âbusyâ to one that could point to its impact with clarity and confidence.
We stopped being order-takers and started acting like builders. Builders of systems, of experiences, and of time.
I'm curious. Are you feeling the same pressure in your team, and would a shift like this work for you?