More than half of UK HR directors do not expect to increase their budgets in the forthcoming year, according to research.
About 54% of the 280 HR directors questioned by Richmond Events said they would not be receiving a financial boost in 2007.
However, one-third (34%) of respondents were optimistic about their prospects and expected to raise their budget in the next 12 months.
Most HR directors (67%) said they would spend their resources at management level, with management development, learning and training as the most sought-after service, followed by employee-related services (46%) and recruitment (41%).
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IT and e-HR also rated higher than HR consultancy services at 26% and 23% respectively.
Mark Rayner, chief executive of Richmond Events, said: “While Gordon Brown is blowing the trumpet for the UK economy, HR directors are showing much more caution.”
