A lot of people go into HR because you enjoy working with people and want to make a difference. But some employees make this task far more difficult than it needs to be. Knowing what you’re dealing with can help you figure out the best way to handle these situations before they escalate.

  1. The ‘That’s Not My Job’ Employee

Some employees are rigid in their interpretation of job descriptions, refusing to take on even the most minor additional tasks. While job boundaries are important, flexibility is key in any workplace. During a busy period, everyone pitching in to help can make all the difference. If employees refuse to budge on even minor responsibilities, it creates a toxic atmosphere and resentment among colleagues.

What to do: Have clearly defined job descriptions that set out the core duties and expectations for employees and communicate these expectations from the outset. You should also include something like this in job descriptions: Employees may be required to carry out other tasks as necessary for the business. These tasks will be appropriate to their skills and experience and will not be unreasonable.

  1. The After-Hours Caller

It’s 7pm on a Friday, and your mobile rings.  It’s a work call.  You brace yourself for an emergency, only to find it’s an employee asking about annual leave entitlement or pension contributions. These employees do not hesitate to contact HR at all hours for non-urgent queries. Worse, they will mark an email about a minor issue as ‘urgent,’ clogging up inboxes and delaying your response to genuinely pressing matters. A particularly persistent example is the employee who leaves multiple voicemails, follows up with a text, and then emails to ask if HR has received their voicemail.

What to do: Set clear boundaries and office hours. Turn off your work phone or set it to “Do Not Disturb” mode outside of your working hours. If possible, enable call forwarding to voicemail with a message indicating when you will be available. Set an automatic email reply at the end of each workday to manage expectations about when you’ll respond.

  1. The Overambitious Underachiever

Aspiration is a great quality, and as an HR Professional, you’ll actively support professional growth. But some employees expect rapid promotions without demonstrating the necessary skills or experience. They demand a managerial role despite struggling to meet deadlines, or having performance warnings, in their current position. When asked to improve performance first, they complain that they are being unfairly held back. Some even submit job applications for senior roles within the organisation, assuming ‘ambition’ will make up for their lack of competence.

What to do: Implement a robust performance management process and keep clear records documenting any underperformance.  If an employee applies for a promotion they are not yet ready for, have an honest but supportive conversation. It may mean some difficult conversations but don’t shy away from them, even if the employee pushes back. Explain the specific reasons why they do not currently meet the required standard and provide actionable steps for improvement. Put together a clear development plan to help track an employee’s progress and suitability for promotion.

  1. The Serial Complainer

It’s important that employees feel they can raise genuine workplace concerns and have a clear channel for raising a grievance. However, some employees report every minor issue, expecting HR to intervene in every trivial matter. They complain that a colleague has a ‘louder than average’ typing style, that the temperature in the office is a degree too high, or that someone took the last biscuit from the communal kitchen. They expect you to act as a referee in personal disputes that should be resolved between colleagues or handled by a line manager. If someone being five minutes late is truly impacting someone’s ability to work, that’s (at least, initially) a discussion for their manager – not HR.

What to do: Introduce a structured complaints process where employees can document concerns and specify how they have attempted to resolve the issue before HR intervenes. This helps filter out trivial complaints and encourages employees to take responsibility for low-level workplace issues. Ensure line managers are equipped with the confidence and skills to manage minor disputes within their teams. If employees try to bypass their manager and go straight to HR, redirect them back unless the matter is serious. You should always keep an eye out for any patterns and make sure to address the root causes. If an employee is repeatedly dissatisfied, consider whether there’s an underlying issue (e.g., poor team dynamics, stress, or role dissatisfaction).