Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Latest NewsHR practice

UK HR managers concerned with office politics and influence

by Mike Berry 8 Dec 2004
by Mike Berry 8 Dec 2004


A new study shows that HR managers in the UK are most troubled by office politics and the struggle for influence, while their counterparts in Norway feel that empathy and listening skills are far more important.



The findings come from a detailed comparison of the state of the HR profession carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) in association with HR Norge. A similar comparative study was also carried out in Poland.



When asked what the most important competencies were for HR professionals, influence and political skills were chosen by 61 per cent of UK HR professionals, compared with just 25 per cent in Norway.



Norwegian HR professionals also felt the need for empathy, communication and listening skills far more keenly than their UK counterparts.



The importance of HR as a strategic player across all countries was clear. More than half of all the respondents in the three countries rank the time spent on business strategy as ‘most important’ in terms of their contribution to the organisation Ð and the most popular desired role in all countries was ‘strategic business partner’.



When it came to describing their current role, some differences were evident. While HR business professionals in the UK are most likely to see their role as ‘strategic business partners’ (33 per cent), in Norway and Poland, they are more likely to see themselves as ‘administrative experts’ (37 per cent).



There was broad agreement on the key priorities for the HR functions across the three countries. Notably more emphasis is placed on securing compliance with employment regulations in the UK.



The UK was also more likely to view diversity as an issue, with 29 per cent of respondents highlighting this factor compared with 13 per cent in Norway and 9 per cent in Poland.



Rebecca Clake, CIPD adviser, organisation and resourcing, said: “This survey shows that we [people managers] have much in common, but also that there are differences in the contexts in which we work.”


Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


Even Bolstad of HR Norge, a national HR organisation in Norway, said: “Norwegian HR professionals have always benchmarked themselves against colleagues in other companies. As the companies we work for become globally oriented, benchmarking against HR professionals in other countries is a natural consequence.”

Mike Berry

previous post
Socpo urges members to conduct equal pay audits
next post
TUC encourages government backing of temps directive

You may also like

Gregg Wallace sacked amid fresh misconduct allegations

9 Jul 2025

Doctors vote for return to strike action

8 Jul 2025

‘Frustrating’ that NHS Plan has overlooked OH, warns...

8 Jul 2025

Employment Rights Bill set to ban employer NDAs

8 Jul 2025

Young people unprepared for world of work, says...

8 Jul 2025

Empower and engage for the future: A revolution...

7 Jul 2025

Bereavement leave to extend to miscarriages before 24...

7 Jul 2025

One in seven ‘revenge quit’ in latest employee...

7 Jul 2025

Skills shortfall in construction threatens housing target

4 Jul 2025

Company director wins £15k after being told to...

4 Jul 2025

  • Empowering working parents and productivity during the summer holidays SPONSORED | Businesses play a...Read more
  • AI is here. Your workforce should be ready. SPONSORED | From content creation...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+