“Be reasonable” sounds lovely, doesn’t it?

Until you are the one who has to make the call.

Because in real life, “be reasonable” often translates to “just say yes and feel bad if you don’t.”

In this episode of Buzzing About HR, I unpack what reasonableness actually means at work, and more importantly, what it looks like in a small business where you do not have endless cover, five managers, or a full HR team sitting in the background.

We strip it right back. Reasonableness is not about being soft, avoiding conflict, or saying yes to everything. It is about making decisions that fit your business, thinking them through properly, and being able to explain them calmly afterwards without sounding defensive or vague.

I share a simple six-question check you can use when something lands on your desk, plus one of my favourite tests. If you cannot explain your decision clearly in one calm paragraph, there is a good chance you are winging it.

Then we get into the real-life stuff.

Flexible working requests, and how to say no without sounding like the villain.

Performance issues, and why early conversations with clear standards are so much better than suddenly launching into formality when everyone is already fed up.

Investigations too, because a lot of small businesses still slide into what I call corridor justice. Half a conversation, someone’s version of events, and a decision made before anyone has properly looked at the facts.

We also talk about the thing that causes more trouble than people realise. Inconsistency. When two similar situations get two different responses and nobody can really explain why. That is where resentment starts, and where grievances are born.

The thread running through all of this is simple.

• Think clearly.
• Respond calmly.
• Keep a few notes.
• Be consistent.

That is what protects you.

If you are tired of hearing “just be reasonable” with absolutely no clue what that means in practice, this episode will help.

Have a listen, send it to the manager who needs it, and let me know what people call is doing your head in right now.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 1st April 2026, you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

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If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

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Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.