More than three-quarters of HR professionals are confident about their career prospects over the next five years, according to XpertHR’s 2022 HR careers survey.
Some 76.9% of HR professionals – the same proportion as recorded in 2017’s HR careers research – felt the profession would still offer them good job opportunities over the medium term, suggesting the pandemic has not had an effect on HR’s overall positive outlook.
Nearly two in five (38.8%) said the pandemic has had a positive impact on their career, with many suggesting that HR has become more agile and influential within their organisation as it dealt with issues including the implementation of remote working during lockdowns.
Some suggested the pandemic had widened the HR jobs market, with organisations now more willing to take on HR talent from outside their geographical region, as well as those with a variety of working patterns.
However, one in three felt the pandemic had no impact on their HR career and one in five had experienced a negative impact. Many of those reporting a negative impact cited increased workload.
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XpertHR calculated the net promoter score for HR at +13.5, which it said was “good but not great”. Male HR professionals were less likely than their female counterparts to recommend a career in HR.
XpertHR’s benchmarking editor Michael Carty said: “For many HR professionals the last two years have been among the most eventful and testing times in their careers. People management issues – such as implementing remote work models and creating safe office environments for returning employees – have topped the corporate agenda for many organisations during the pandemic, creating both challenges and opportunities for HR.
“As we slowly emerge from the pandemic, now is a particularly lively and vibrant time for people to embark on a career within HR. A strong emphasis on people issues – like recruiting and retaining key talent, ensuring a strong organisational commitment to diversity and inclusion, and a focus on the employee experience – means that HR has a key role to play now and in the future.”
Asked about the main skills they used in their roles, the 263 HR professionals polled said:
- employee relations (58.2%)
- business awareness (57.8%)
- knowledge of employment law (46.4%)
- people analytics (26.6%)
- HR and data management (24.7%).
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