Risk Triage: when something feels off and you need to decide what to do next
Most people don’t come looking for HR support when things are calm.
They come when something feels off.
A situation is escalating. A decision feels loaded. Managers are giving different accounts. Someone has hinted at legal action. Or you can see the risk forming, but you’re not sure where it actually sits.
This is the messy middle. And it’s where most people issues either get contained — or quietly turn into legal, cultural, and reputational damage.
That’s where Risk Triage comes in.
This isn’t “normal HR”
Let’s be clear about what Risk Triage is not.
It’s not:
policy interpretation
advice-by-email
an HR helpline
a slow, exploratory diagnostic
And it’s not about doing more HR.
Risk Triage exists to do one thing well:
stabilise a high-stakes people situation and enable a defensible decision.
Most HR reacts. I design decisions that stand up later.
When Risk Triage is the right move
Risk Triage is usually needed when at least one of these is true:
A people issue feels emotionally charged or politically sensitive
A decision is being delayed because the consequences feel unclear
You’re worried about legal exposure, even if nothing formal has landed yet
Managers are escalating inconsistently or saying different things
You know acting too quickly could make things worse — but waiting feels risky too
This is often before lawyers are involved.
Sometimes it’s the point where you’re trying to avoid that escalation altogether.
What usually goes wrong without it
Most tribunal claims and formal disputes don’t start with bad intent.
They start with:
rushed decisions made under pressure
mixed messages from different managers
evidence gathered after the fact
emotional responses that become part of the record
By the time legal advice is taken, the damage is often already embedded in emails, notes, and conversations.
Risk Triage is about intervening before that happens.
What Risk Triage actually does
Risk Triage is a short, focused intervention that answers five critical questions.
1. What is actually happening?
We separate facts from emotion, assumptions, and noise.
This creates a shared, accurate picture and stops parallel narratives forming.
2. Where does the real risk sit?
Not all risk is legal. Some is procedural. Some is cultural. Some is reputational.
Understanding which risk matters prevents overreaction or dangerous underestimation.
3. What are your defensible options?
We identify what you can do, what you shouldn’t do, and what would quietly increase exposure later.
4. What needs tightening before action is taken?
This might be evidence gaps, messaging inconsistencies, sequencing issues, or manager capability.
Fixing these before acting is what prevents escalation.
5. What is the safest next move?
You leave with a clear recommendation, not a menu of possibilities.
What you leave with
After Risk Triage, clients typically leave with:
clarity on the real level of risk
confidence in their next decision
alignment across leadership
a plan that reduces exposure rather than amplifying it
For some organisations, that’s enough to contain the issue internally.
For others, Risk Triage naturally leads into a Case-Ready Pack or more structured support — but only where it’s genuinely needed.
Who Risk Triage is for
Risk Triage is for leaders who:
don’t want to firefight people issues
understand that early decisions matter
want control, not reassurance
need clarity under pressure
It’s not about being cautious.
It’s about being intentional.
Is Risk Triage right for you?
Ask yourself:
Does this situation feel risky, but unclear?
Are you hesitating because the decision feels loaded?
Are you trying to avoid making things worse while you work out the next step?
If so, Risk Triage is the place to start.
