New report underscores need to better support HR leaders
Workload pressures have emerged as the leading cause of stress for HR leaders across the United Kingdom, according to a new poll.
A recent survey by Ciphr, which gathered insights from 247 HR decision-makers, found that 94% of respondents experienced work-related stress.
Notably, more than two-thirds (68%) indicated they are grappling with at least three distinct sources of workplace stress.
Topping the list of stressors is workload, cited by 29% of HR professionals as their primary concern.
HR professionals who work for organisations with more than 1,500 employees are more likely to cite workload as the top reason for their stress (34%). This is also the case for HR professionals who are above 65 years of age (50%).
These findings come in the wake of the evolving role of HR leaders across the world. Previous findings from Hays ANZ revealed that HR leaders are now more heavily involved in business strategy, culture, and operational decision-making.
Meanwhile, the other top causes of stress for HR leaders are:
Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, said their research underscores the critical need for organisations to ensure better support for those in HR.
"Now more than ever, HR teams are often being asked to achieve more with less budget, despite rising costs, and navigate increasingly complex – and changing – employment laws and reforms, all while doing what they can to meet the needs of the wider workforce," Williams said in a statement.
According to Williams, conversations surrounding this huge pressure on HR leaders are rare, and even fewer organisations offer tailored support to their HR teams.
"HR professionals often spend so much time focusing on the rest of the business that their needs aren't always prioritised. There may also be an assumption that, because they work in HR, they know how to deal with work stresses better than other employees," she said.
To address stress among HR professionals, Williams said organisations need to proactively work with their HR teams.
They also need to give HR professionals resources and strategies to cope with prolonged or negative stress in a more targeted and positive way.
"Embracing new technologies and harnessing efficiency gains from advances in AI, automation, and employee self-service across integrated HR systems, payroll, benefits platforms, recruitment, engagement, and workforce management tools, for example, will also help reduce a raft of workload pressures for HR professionals," Williams said.
