HR prospects survey: the state of the profession

More than 500 human resources directors and senior managers talk about their hopes, fears and biggest challenges in IRS Employment Review's third annual HR prospects survey.

Based on a survey of 519 public and private sector UK organisations, the research finds that organisational restructuring has been, by some margin, the most challenging issue of the past year for HR practitioners in the UK.

Respondents ranked restructuring higher than other priorities that have topped the list in previous years, such as recruitment, retention and absence management. Respondents also predicted that restructuring would be their most pressing priority for the coming 12 months.

The research also found that HR practitioners believe that they are being inundated with a flood of new laws that are too complex and impractical to implement, and which emphasise employee rights over responsibilities. On the whole, however, respondents felt that the effect of this deluge of legislation on their business had been neutral.

  • Part 1 - Overview   An executive summary of the key findings, together with details of research methodologies.

  • Part 2 - Organisational priorities: The three Rs (recruitment, retention and restructuring)    Overall, the survey suggests that this has been a year of upheaval for employers, with restructuring representing the most challenging priority for HR practitioners.

  • Part 3 - Pay and benefits: Pay the strategic way   Organisations are pulling the strands of reward together - from starting salaries and pay progression to pension and benefits provision - to develop an overall strategy to meet business needs.

  • Part 4 - Recruitment and retention: HR makes retention a priority   Retention is coming to represent a key priority area for HR. The survey also reveals a more general pessimism that current recruitment difficulties can be overcome.

  • Part 5 - Attendance: Managing absence is key   There is a strong consensus that tried-and-tested methods provide the best means of managing absence, so much so that HR now hopes to reduce the priority given to this issue.

  • Part 6 - Collective bargaining: All quiet on the union front?   A generally positive relationship exists with unions where they are recognised - with many respondents claiming that unions can help them make better business decisions.

  • Part 7 - Employment law: Overwhelmed by legislative deluge   HR professionals are faced with massive challenges in keeping up to date with changing employment law, a situation that is not helped by the complex and often impractical nature of new legislation.

  • Part 8 - 2003 compared: HR buffeted by external forces?   More than 100 respondents also participated in the 2003 survey. The change in their views over the past 12 months is revealing, with many now believing that they underestimated the challenge posed by legal compliance.

  • Case studies: BACB Bank ; Budgens Stores ; Home Service ; Ofgem; Reigate and Banstead Borough Council   A series of mini case studies, focusing on how survey respondents have dealt with the challenges of the past 12 months.

    Also

    HR prospects survey 2003 and HR prospects survey 2002 Read the results of the previous two annual HR prospects surveys.