Remember when environmental, health, and safety (EHS) departments were neatly divided? The environmental specialist handled air permits and stormwater regulations. The health professional focused on chemical exposures and ergonomics. And the safety expert managed confined spaces and fall protection programs.
Those days are long gone.
Now, an EHS professional is expected to be a renaissance figure with expertise spanning a dizzying array of responsibilities. This is especially true in small organizations, where EHS teams—often just one or two people—must wear countless hats and juggle multiple roles. While larger companies benefit from bigger budgets and resources to hire specialized teams, small companies face unique challenges as employees must cover many functions simultaneously, which could lead to knowledge gaps and potentially costly compliance mistakes. This consolidation of responsibilities has significantly changed the perception and scope of EHS. What was initially created to be three distinct roles has morphed into a single position requiring knowledge of literally dozens of specialties, all while maintaining regulatory compliance and contributing to the company's bottom line.
From specialist to “super generalist”
This transformation didn't happen overnight. In the early 2000s, companies began shifting away from specialized teams toward generalists who could handle multiple aspects of EHS work. Since then, the scope has expanded even further:
- Global expertise: With businesses operating internationally, you're now expected to understand regulatory requirements across multiple countries and continents.
- Sustainability champion: Climate initiatives, carbon footprints, and corporate social responsibility reports—those have been added to your portfolio too.
- Business partner: EHS no longer operates in its own silo. Today, you need strong business acumen to explain how EHS initiatives impact overall business operations and assets.
- Human resources (HR) collaborator: Many EHS professionals now manage workers’ compensation cases, coordinate return-to-work programs, and justify claim decisions, which was not typically EHS territory previously.
- Well-being advocate: The newest addition? Employee well-being and psychosocial risk management often land on the EHS team calendar too.
And don't forget, you're still responsible for every regulation, inspection, and audit that comes your way!
Impossible standard
This breadth of responsibility creates a dangerous paradox: no one, not even the most experienced person, can cover all of this safely or successfully. When a single person or small team is expected to master everything from waste management to workers’ comp, from carbon capture to crisis counseling, something has to give.
The result? EHS departments are working in a constantly reactive mode, bouncing from urgent need to urgent need without the time or space for any sort of planning, let alone strategic, intentional planning. You're left guessing which aspect of EHS will get attention today based on which audit, report, or emergency lands on your desk.
It's no wonder we're seeing increased turnover in the field and fewer new professionals choosing EHS as a career path. What was once an opportunity to develop deep expertise has become, in some organizations, the “drop zone” for policies and programs that don't have a clear departmental home.
The consulting lifeline
This is precisely where onsite advisors (also known as outsourced support) can provide relief. There are typically two different scenarios where an onsite advisor can be high impact. First, they can serve as partners. When you're too busy putting out fires to think about fire prevention, bringing in a consultant to focus exclusively on strategy creates breathing room.
Second and perhaps most valuable for many overwhelmed EHS teams, consultants can provide the daily “boots on the ground” support that frees you to focus on other priorities. These onsite advisors become indistinguishable from your internal team, handling day-to-day implementation while you focus on the bigger picture. Best of all, onsite advisor services scale to fit your exact budget, program needs, and timeframe.
Make no mistake—the unbelievable and unsustainable scope of EHS responsibilities isn't a temporary trend. As regulatory requirements fluctuate, sustainability initiatives hold a strong position on corporate agendas, and worker safety and overall well-being call for more attention, the demands on EHS professionals will only continue to multiply.
This new reality is a recipe for burnout, compliance gaps, and missed opportunities. The question isn't whether you need support, it's what type of support you need.
Read Danielle’s previous columns, Cost center to value driver: The hidden ROI of EHS and EHS consultants: Your secret (and strategic) weapon. Also check out The strategic value of focused audits in EHS programs from Chad Mathews, Associate Director, to learn to reduce EHS audit overload.
