Written by: Anna Cramer, HX professional at Rvdb

In this case study, you’ll learn how Anne, as an interim HR staff member at Eye Care, helped ensure stability within the HR team during a period of understaffing. With a hands-on approach, broad versatility, and a focus on collaboration, she helped create a calmer atmosphere within the team, reduced backlogs, and brought structure to a Learning & Development project.

The Challenge

The reason for the assignment at EyeCare was very specific: the HR team needed extra help because one employee had left and another colleague was on vacation for a month. In an organization with approximately 1,200 employees, HR work never stops, especially when staffing levels are temporarily lower.

What made it especially challenging was that EyeCare didn’t (yet) have an HR system. As a result, a lot of work had to be processed and recorded manually, and the workload piles up more quickly during busy periods. The team needed someone who could hit the ground running, take over tasks, and keep things running smoothly.

Role and Approach

My assignment was considered a success if I could take on as much of the work as possible, thereby lightening the team’s load and ensuring that processes could continue to run smoothly. I mainly assisted with HR administration, which meant I was exposed to many different topics in a short period of time. This was a valuable learning experience, especially since I had very little HR experience at the time.

I also mentioned that I’m interested in Learning & Development. Because I spoke up, I was able to take on a project to bring some structure to the process and create an overview of which students have earned which degrees.

My approach was to show right from the start that I was versatile and eager to learn. I actively offered to help, jumped in as soon as I saw an opportunity to contribute to a topic, and let people know when I found something interesting, so that I could pitch in as soon as there was an opening.

That was a good fit for EyeCare: there’s always a lot going on, there’s always work to be done, and extra support is welcome in many areas. By proactively taking on tasks and coordinating closely with the team, I was able to add value quickly.

HX in Practice – A People-Centered Approach

Even in a support role within HR, Human Experience is an integral part of our day-to-day collaboration. For me, that mainly meant being approachable, listening, and providing clear feedback. During periods of high workload, it helps when colleagues know where they stand—what I’m working on, what’s been completed, and what’s still to come.

In addition, I tried to align myself as much as possible with what the team needed: not taking over just for the sake of it, but ensuring that my efforts brought calm and clarity.

Results Achieved

In 2.5 months, I accomplished the following:

1. Ensuring continuity in HR administration during periods of understaffing (including contracts, sick leave reports, employer statements, and support for long-term absences).
2. More peace of mind and fewer backlogs within the HR team by actively taking on work and proactively adapting to what was needed.
3. Structure and overview for the L&D team: provided clarity on which students have which diplomas and required documents, and where further action was needed.
4. A concrete action plan for systematically maintaining this L&D overview in the future.

Insights and Impact

This assignment showed me how quickly you can get the hang of a role if you take a hands-on approach and are willing to learn on the job. Since EyeCare doesn’t (yet) have an HR system, administrative work isn’t just “an extra task”—it’s the foundation on which everything rests. That’s precisely why I realized how important it is to establish an overview, set priorities, and provide clear feedback from day one. That gave not only me, but especially the team, a sense of direction.

In terms of impact, I ensured stability and alleviated the workload during a busy period: HR processes were able to continue as usual, and there was a noticeable increase in calm and a reduction in backlog. In addition, the L&D project yielded lasting results: not only a streamlined overview, but also a systematic way to maintain it so that colleagues can continue using it after I leave.