22% of HR Professionals do not feel HR is valued in their business

Co-Founder, Natural HR, Sarah Dowzell

A recent survey undertaken by HR tech platform Natural HR has revealed only 78% of HR professionals feel that HR is valued within their business, leaving nearly a quarter of those surveyed feeling as though it is not

The revelation, uncovered by a survey which asked 219 HR professionals in the UK a series of questions to shed light on the current state of the HR profession, comes not long after a REED HR survey found that a quarter of UK HR professionals do not feel included in strategic business decisions.

The emerging reasons for the 22% of the respondents not feeling as though HR is valued reflects the findings of the REED HR survey. Not having a seat in board meetings, as well as not being considered as part of the ‘senior team’ in organisations is leaving a significant proportion of HR professionals feeling a lack of respect for their profession. From the survey, it seems many believe this is because of a misconception about the role HR plays in an organisation, with people still feeling they are viewed an a ‘purely administrative function’.

HR Specialist and Co-Founder of Natural HR, Sarah Dowzell says: “The core tasks of HR professionals cover an array of activities from hiring the right talent, ensuring meaningful professional development, considering staff well-being, to acting as an internal coach. With recruitment and retention of people increasingly a top priority for businesses, it is shocking that so many HR professionals still don’t feel included in top level strategic decision making. An HR strategy must be aligned with the overarching business strategy. The more the administrative elements of HR roles can be undertaken by tech solutions, the more time can be spent on the important strategic role of HR – and hopefully the old-fashioned perception of the profession can become a thing of the past.”

The survey also explored issues of pay, gender and top HR priorities. To read the report in full, visit: https://resources.naturalhr.com/future-of-hr

 

SME Publications/ SME XPO 2024
SME Publications/ SME XPO 2024