Employers are increasingly falling short in delivering timely HR support, leaving employees’ calls for help unanswered and highlighting the urgent need for clear, trustworthy HR channels at work.
According to a new report by Applaud, about 79% employees seek HR help at least once a month, with an average of 3.6 HR needs per person monthly. In a 2,000-employee organisation, this equates to roughly 86,500 HR-related requests per year, and more than two million requests annually in a 50,000-employee enterprise.
Yet, much of this demand remains “invisible” to HR systems. Only 26% of employees turn to an HR portal, system, or digital tool first when seeking help. Just 24% email, call, or message HR, while only 17% speak to HR in person. 15% rely on knowledge resources or FAQs, and 17% ask a colleague or manager.
“Despite the vast volume of HR demand, most organisations only see the tip of the iceberg,” the report notes. “The majority of effort, confusion, and rework occurs silently in the background: repeated questions, managers improvising answers, employees digging through outdated documents or chasing HR for help.”
Fragmentation of HR services slows support
Fragmented HR tools are at the heart of the problem. Only 6% of employees reported receiving instant help via AI or chat, while 36% wait at least a full day. Nearly a quarter (22%) often wait several days, or even a week or more, for a response.
“This fragmentation leads to slow service, inconsistent experiences, and repeated effort for both employees and HR,” the report said.
Beyond frustration, the inefficiency carries a significant financial cost: in a typical 1,000-employee organisation, routine HR queries consume roughly 12,800 hours annually, equivalent to $385,000 in lost productivity.
Toward clear, joined-up HR services
Ivan Harding, CEO – Applaud, said these findings underline the importance of creating “clear, fast, trustworthy support” across every channel. “The organisations that win in 2026 will make service feel joined-up, with governed knowledge and AI that can both answer and act,” he said.
The report recommends that employees should be able to start any HR request in the tools they already use, web, chat, mobile, email, or collaboration platforms, and receive the same high-quality support. It also highlights the potential of agentic AI tools that not only provide accurate information but can complete tasks, update records, trigger workflows, or start cases under clear governance.
“Leading organisations are moving toward employee-first service delivery, with experiences built around how employees actually work, not how systems were historically structured,” the report concluded.
As workforce expectations rise and HR demands multiply, experts say that investing in cohesive, accessible HR channels is no longer optional—it’s essential for engagement, productivity, and organisational efficiency.