Five ways your job in HR – and other people’s perceptions of it – have changed

If it feels like expectations on you and your team are evolving rapidly, you might just be right. New research from Sage has highlighted key changes the HR function has undergone during the pandemic. From shifting priorities to bigger workloads, we look at some of the top takeaways.The challenges of the past year have made it the most difficult of many people’s working lives, and HR is no exception. The pressure to keep pace with an uncertain economic climate and adapt to changing priorities, while faced with an increased workload, has left many in the function yet to catch a breath. A new report by business solutions firm Sage, HR in the moment: Changing expectations and perceptions of HR, has laid bare the extent to which the working lives of people professionals have changed during the crisis – and how the way they’re viewed within the company is shifting, too. Read on for some key findings, from the role of technology and changing skillsets to how HR leaders are seen by the C-suite.1. You’re seen to play a more influential role by your peers – and they’re not wrong!More than half of HR leaders (59 per cent) now feel they are more influential within their company, with 72 per cent believing the pandemic has helped them demonstrate their value and increase understanding of the function. This is backed up by how HR is viewed by the wider workforce, too: 60 per cent of employees have noticed changes in HR’s role, such as being more strategic and people-focussed. A quarter see this change as substantial, while 57 per cent believe the pandemic has been a catalyst for HR driving more people-related decisions across the business.Ruth Cornish, co-founder and director of HRi, agrees: “Never has the role of the HR professional been so well respected and, indeed, highly sought after. For all the tragedy the pandemic has brought and continues to bring, the HR industry has grasped the opportunity to prove its' worth. When the dust settles (which it will), and we start to move to a brighter future, I believe that effort must be made to ensure HR’s critical voice continues to be heard.”2. You’re more strategy-focussed...Over the past year, more time has been spent on flexible working policies (for 60 per cent of HR leaders), workplace safety (59 per cent) and the management of workplace policies (56 per cent).Also high on the agenda is developing company culture (60 percent) and creating great employee experiences (57 per cent). As Sage’s recent research demonstrates, “The pandemic has acted as a catalyst, creating a new, more strategically focussed agenda for HR.” 3. ...But that’s contributed to your never-ending To Do list The increase in influence and responsibility has, however, come with an increased workload – and there’s still a mismatch in how that workload is perceived by the C-suite. Over a third (34 per cent) of HR leaders said they had too much work to do, but three quarters (76 per cent) of C-suite leaders feel HR’s workload wasn’t unmanageable.4. You’re driving the digital transformation of your organisation like never before The majority of respondents (59 per cent) said HR was now doing more work related to driving digital transformation than previously, with 67 per cent of HR leaders planning to invest more in the area. Nearly a third (31 per cent), however, said a lack of HR tech was holding them back from entering the new world of work, while 36 per cent cited a lack of HR investment.Grainne Shaughnessy, HR & payroll product lead at Sage, comments: “New investment in HR technology – like cloud, mobile, self-service and automation – means not just being able to manage and engage workforces significantly better today, but being better prepared for the future challenges of tomorrow.”5. Your newly bolstered reputation is still far from set in stone Despite HR really stepping up, a chasm still remains between what they actually do, and how the function is perceived. Director of Epic HR Gary Cookson says: “HR has played a vital role in the response to the pandemic, and will continue to do so. In the early days I suspect much of this took almost everyone by surprise, but many HR teams have come into their own during this time, and have proved themselves invaluable to their organisations.”Yet despite expecting HR teams to pick up more strategic work, 57 per cent of the C-suite still see HR as largely an administrative function. So as Shaughnessy warns, “HR and People leaders need to fiercely protect this hard-won ground as we look forward.” Read the full report, part of a new series of Sage resources on HR in the Moment, at sage.com/en-gb/human-resources/hr-agility

Five ways your job in HR – and other people’s perceptions of it – have changed

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