Title: Wearing Multiple Hats Isn’t the Hard Part — Switching Between Them Is Author: Nikki Dulas Date: May 18, 2026 Category: Operations / Team Culture
People talk a lot about “wearing multiple hats” like that’s the challenge. It’s not. You get used to that part. The harder part is switching between them… constantly.
In a single morning, I can go from payroll to an onboarding meeting with a new client to figuring out why two tools aren’t talking to each other, to a vendor call, to jumping in on a project that’s stuck. And that’s just a snapshot — there’s a lot more behind the scenes, along with the occasional “do you know where this document is?” message.
None of those things are unusual on their own. It’s the shift between them that’s hard. Each one requires something different from you.
- Payroll needs accuracy — there’s no room for error. One small mistake impacts someone directly.
- Onboarding and offboarding take different kinds of attention. Whether it’s a new employee or a new client, you’re shaping their first impression of how things run. Offboarding needs to be just as thoughtful — making sure nothing gets missed, access is handled correctly, and the experience still feels professional all the way through.
- Working across our software and solutions takes problem-solving (and a lot of context). These are the tools that run the business, and when something doesn’t connect the way it should, you’re the one figuring out where it broke down and how to fix it.
- Vendor calls are about relationships and reading the room. You’re balancing partnership, expectations, and long-term value.
You don’t get to stay in one mode for long. There’s no real buffer between them either. You just move from one to the next and figure it out as you go.
And the shift isn’t just about the task — it’s about how you think, how you communicate, and what level of detail matters in that moment. You might go from something that requires total focus and precision straight into a conversation where you need to be present, collaborative, and thinking more long-term. Then right back into something tactical again.
A lot of advice focuses on prioritization or time management, but this kind of role is different. It’s less about deciding what matters most, and more about being able to change gears quickly without dropping anything.
It’s also knowing that everything you’re working on does matter to someone. Payroll matters to employees. Onboarding matters to new hires and new clients. Offboarding matters just as much, even if it gets less attention. Our software matters because it’s how the work gets done. Vendors matter because they support how your business runs.
You’re constantly shifting between those perspectives. That’s also why roles like this are hard to define. They sit in the middle of everything: people, software, processes — and you end up seeing how it all connects (or doesn’t).
Over time, you naturally become a go-to for a lot of things, not because you own all of them, but because you have a sense of how everything fits together and where to go when something needs to get figured out. You see where things slow down. You see where something small creates a bigger issue later. You see the gaps between teams, tools, or expectations. And a lot of the time, you’re the one filling those gaps — whether it’s officially part of your role or not.
Most of the work isn’t very visible. But if it’s not done well, it shows up quickly. Employees don’t get paid on time. New hires feel lost. Clients start off on the wrong foot. Access doesn’t get shut down when it should. Projects stall. And somehow, it all becomes urgent at the same time.
When things are working, though, it’s quiet. Things just move.
It’s not just doing a lot. It’s doing a lot of very different things, back-to-back, and keeping it all moving. If you’re in a role like this, you probably know exactly what I mean. Some days are smoother than others. That’s just part of it.