Research from Ciphr finds that just two in five people working in HR would vouch for their employer with job seekers.
By Maggie Mancini
Only two in five (42%) people working in HR say they would recommend their employer to others, according to new research by HR software provider Ciphr. The survey of 300 HR decision-makers reveals a raft of less-than-positive findings about how they view their role at many U.K. organisations, with 37% claiming to be overworked most or all the time. Around a quarter (28%) also regularly consider leaving their current positions.
Notably, less than half (48%) say they receive regular or ongoing training and development for their role. Merely a third (34%) are satisfied with their salary, and just one in four (27%) think there are career progression opportunities available to them at their organisations.
And yet, despite the dissatisfaction with certain aspects of their role, the survey also finds that most HR professionals do appear to enjoy the important work they do. When asked how often they found their job fulfilling and engaging during a typical working week, nearly two-thirds (64%) say most or all the time. Another quarter (28%) say their job is fulfilling and engaging some of the time. However, 9% report rarely or ever feeling fulfilled or engaged.
While the survey doesn’t delve into the reasons why people would or wouldn’t recommend their employer, Ciphr’s data shows that their opinions on this are clearly influenced by how valued, fulfilled, trained and well-paid they feel. Work-life balance and workload are also factors. Among those who said they would recommend their employers to others, 79% feel fulfilled and engaged by their work and 71% feel valued and appreciated for their work all or most of the time.
In contrast, 53% of HR professionals who didn’t say they would recommend their employer to others report finding their job fulfilling or engaging all or most of the time. And just 45% of this group feel appreciated for their work all or most of the time. These workers are also less likely to say that they receive regular training for their roles (40% compared to 60%), have a good work-life balance (34% compared to 58%), or be satisfied with their salary (28% compared to 42%).
Other survey findings show that HR professionals who aren’t overworked, and those who are satisfied with their pay, are among the least likely to be planning a job switch. The people who look most likely to leave their current HR job (if they haven’t already) are those who rarely or never feel valued or appreciated for their work.
