People teams are struggling to meet colleagues’ needs and feel less able to cope; but most HRs still believe they’re a force for good, says new Culture Amp research
HR professionals are struggling with wellbeing and work-life balance challenges in 2024 as the continuing need to do ‘more with less’ in fast-changing hybrid workplaces hits home, according to new analysis by employee experience platform Culture Amp.
The study reveals that fewer than half (47 percent) of HR professionals globally feel that their team is equipped to balance the needs of their organisation’s People function. By contrast, in the UK, only just over one third (36 per cent) of HR practitioners felt the same way – an even lower percentage than the profession scored globally during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 (both 38 percent), and 42 percent in 2023.
Additionally, despite a striking 11 percent post-pandemic surge in global HR practitioners’ perceived resilience from 46 to 57 percent from 2022 to 2023, the research found a surprising one percent fall to 45 percent globally in 2024. This suggests that the pressures on People teams have not let up globally, despite perceptions that their fire-fighting role in their organisation had ended, post pandemic.
However, UK HR professionals managed to buck the general trend on resilience, with their resilience level climbing to 64 percent in 2024 from 58% in 2023.
The findings emerge from a four-year global comparative research project by Culture Amp and behaviour change platform Thrive Global, with data gathered from 9,900 HR professionals worldwide, including 304 in the UK, between 2020 and 2024.
Researchers also found that fewer than half (48 percent) of People professionals say they can switch off effectively from work to make time for rest. In the UK, only around four in ten (41 percent) HR practitioners agreed, despite a very clear majority (73 percent) agreeing they are supported effectively by the people around them.
Amid these challenges, the survey also found that HR professionals’ employee experience remains below global benchmarks for their peers in other management roles. But the research nevertheless showed HR practitioners’ underlying faith in their mission: six in ten People professionals globally believe they are making a positive difference to their company. This experience was closely reflected in the UK (59%) with almost six in ten agreeing.
Arne Sjőstrőm, Lead People Scientist, Culture Amp, said: “After several years in fire-fighting mode, HR professionals have had to continue navigating a challenging and volatile market with job layoffs, return-to-office mandates, and greater scrutiny of people initiatives. It’s not surprising to see these demands ramp up pressures on People teams that are caught between limited resources and the growing demands from executives and employees alike.
“It’s essential that organisations support HR teams’ wellbeing to help deliver positive work environments, engage employees and strategies for enhanced productivity. Compromising HRs’ resilience will only hurt organizational cultures, workforce engagement, and ultimately the profitability of companies.”
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