Executive Summary A strong HR Operations service catalogue makes HR delivery predictable, measurable, and scalable. It should list “what is available, who requests it, timelines/SLAs, required inputs, access/approvals, and where the request lives,” while clearly separating responsibilities between HR (service delivery/compliance/governance), managers (people decisions and first-line execution), and employees (self-service and timely inputs).

Key Recommendations

1. What the HR Operations service catalogue should include

Build it around service categories that match how work actually flows in your organization:

A. Employee lifecycle services (core HR operations)

• Hire & onboarding
• Offer letter/process support (if HR-owned), onboarding checklist, system setup, document collection, account access, probation setup
• Employment changes (joiners/movers/leavers)
• Transfers, role changes, reporting line changes, contract changes, salary/pay changes request routing (as applicable)
• HR documentation & record management
• HRIS data maintenance requests, employee file management, audit readiness support
• Offboarding
• Resignation/termination workflow, final settlement checklist coordination (as applicable), exit interviews routing, asset return coordination support

B. Policy, compliance & employee relations operations

• HR policy helpdesk (answers + interpretation guidance)
• Employee relations case management support (intake, documentation, meeting scheduling, escalation paths)
• Grievance/complaint workflow support (triage, tracking, governance)
• Workplace investigations coordination (where HR operations supports logistics; HRBP/Legal may own outcomes)
• Compliance reporting support (mandatory notices/records—ensure you verify local requirements)

C. Time, attendance & workforce administration (if in scope)

• Timesheet governance support (training, troubleshooting)
• Leave administration (creation, validation rules, approvals routing)
• Attendance exceptions handling (escalation path to managers/HR)

D. Benefits, compensation & rewards operations (operational layer)

• Benefits administration (enrollment/changes, eligibility checks, documentation)
• Payroll inputs support (document validation, change request completeness)
• Compensation cycle operations support (data preparation, workflow management)
• Rewards/recognition administration (program execution, nomination processing)

E. Learning & talent administration (administrative layer)

• L&D enrollment management and schedules
• Training compliance tracking (e.g., mandatory trainings)
• Tuition assistance / training reimbursement workflow admin (if applicable)

F. HR systems & employee self-service support (HR ops “product”)

• HRIS helpdesk / case management
• Workflow & ticketing operations
• User provisioning (accounts/access) and system fixes coordination
• Data quality governance requests (e.g., “update bank details,” “change emergency contact”)

G. Employee experience & engagement operations (administration + measurement)

• Engagement survey operations (launch, reminders, reporting packs)
• Recognition events/program execution
• HR communications calendar support (admin and distribution)

1. What each catalogue line item should specify (minimum standard)

For every service, define in a consistent template:

• Service name (plain language)
• Service owner (HR / Manager / Employee / Shared)
• Purpose (why it exists)
• Eligibility (who can request)
• Request channel (self-service portal, email, ticket)
• Required inputs (documents/templates)
• Steps & approvals (who must approve at which stage)
• SLAs / timelines (e.g., “acknowledge within 1 business day; complete within 5 business days”)
• Output (what employee/manager receives)
• Recordkeeping (where it’s stored)
• Dependencies/escalations (payroll, legal, IT, procurement)
• Exceptions handling (what happens if inputs are missing or policy constraints apply)

1. How ownership should be divided (HR vs managers vs employees)

Use a “RACI-like” clarity at service level, but keep it simple in practice:

A. HR Operations owns (typically end-to-end delivery or governance)

• Service delivery execution
• Administering the workflow: intake → validation → processing → confirmation
• Policy interpretation at operations level
• “How the process works” and “what inputs are required” (while legal/HRBP handles complex interpretation)
• Compliance and audit readiness for HR records and process
• HRIS/workflow administration and data governance rules (not necessarily every data change)
• Case management logistics
• Ticketing, documentation standards, meeting scheduling, tracking, reporting
• Quality control
• Ensuring requests are complete and within policy/workflow constraints before approvals

B. Managers own (first-line people leadership and timely decisioning)

• People decisions and approval actions
• Approving/denying leave (where manager approval is required), approving job change needs, initiating transfers/role changes
• Accurate workforce inputs
• Submitting org updates, confirming role/reporting line changes, validating training needs for their teams
• Employee follow-through
• Coaching employees on next steps, ensuring timely submission of required documentation
• Feedback loop
• Raising service gaps (e.g., “this process is breaking”) through HR ops feedback/ticket mechanisms

C. Employees own (self-service and responsiveness)

• Self-service where available
• Updating personal data (emergency contacts), requesting leave, submitting onboarding forms, booking/confirming training enrollments
• Timely provision of required information
• Uploading documents, correcting HRIS entries promptly when asked
• Using channels correctly
• Submitting through the portal/ticket system (not informal email for operational workflows)

D. Shared ownership model (common “handoffs”)

• Onboarding:
• HR ops prepares onboarding pack and system setup
• Manager confirms role details, team integration plan
• Employee completes forms and scheduling tasks
• HR change requests (job/comp/contract):
• Employee submits request with documentation (or system forms)
• Manager approves the business need/intent
• HR ops validates policy/process and processes the change workflow
• Offboarding:
• HR ops runs checklist workflow and documentation
• Manager handles team knowledge transfer and final work allocation
• Employee returns assets/clearances and completes exit steps

Business Impact

• Faster cycle times and fewer HR escalations through clear SLAs and required inputs
• Reduced compliance risk via standardized recordkeeping and workflow governance
• Better employee trust because requests have predictable outcomes and transparent timelines
• Easier scaling because HR ops can be systematized (tickets, workflows, self-service)

Risks (and how to mitigate them)

• Risk: “HR is the owner of everything” → leads to bottlenecks
• Mitigation: enforce approval boundaries and shift data updates to self-service where possible
• Risk: unclear exceptions process → inconsistent employee experience
• Mitigation: define “standard vs exception” rules and escalation criteria
• Risk: SLAs not achievable due to missing inputs or dependencies
• Mitigation: measure request completeness rate; add pre-checks and required fields in the portal

Immediate Next Steps

1. Draft the service catalogue structure

• Create 10–20 initial service lines across the lifecycle, policy/compliance ops, leave/benefits (as applicable), and HRIS helpdesk.

1. Define a standard “service card” template

• Include owner, inputs, approvals, SLA, and output for each service line.

1. Run a 2-week “process mapping sprint”

• Map top 15 request types (by volume) end-to-end.
• Identify which steps are HR-delivery vs manager approval vs employee self-service.

1. Publish a first version to stakeholders

• HR, managers, and employee comms should explicitly show:
• “Where to request”
• “What you need to provide”
• “What you can expect (timeline)”

If you want, I can also provide a ready-to-use service catalogue “service card” template (one page) and a sample RACI for the top 15 HR request types.

If you need help implementing these recommendations or would like expert guidance tailored to your organization, the team at Zunavish would be happy to assist.