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The changing face of HR

91% of HR leaders think they have the skills to be CEOs but only 13% are prioritizing financial performance, our research reveals. 

Research reveals how HR and c-suite really feel

HR leaders love working in HR, but the enormous challenges they’re facing today are coming at a severe personal cost. Our polling of over 1000 HR and c-suite execs reveals the secret thoughts they have about the sector. 

The future of HR: Exhilarating v daunting

91% of HR leaders are excited about the future of HR—but 66% are also concerned about what the future holds

Loving what you do vs HR burn out

57% of HR leaders say they love working in HR, yet 62% are considering leaving HR 

How the role of HR is changing

91% of HR leaders say the profession has changed dramatically over the last five years; but only 32% believe changes will continue

HR's temperature check: Is working in HR stressful?

The last year or so has been challenging to say the least. HR leaders told us they feel stressed, burnt out, and are considering leaving the profession. 95% of HR leaders say working in HR is simply too much work and stress.

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From CPO to CEO?

HR leaders told us that, in the future, their experience makes them the perfect candidate to be future CEOs—and current business leaders agree. HR leaders today, however, told us they're stuck on admin and process—preventing them from becoming more strategic.

HR technology adoption rates

Despite acknowledging that automation and analytics free up HR teams' time to focus on the more strategic things, many HR leaders told us they're not where they want to be when it comes to reaping the rewards of HR technology investment. Just 59% are currently using HR analytics and 54% automation.

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The changing face of HR

The speed of change in HR in recent years has been eye-watering, thanks to the pandemic and seismic shifts in the workplace–and the world itself. 91% of HR and c-suite leaders say HR’s role has changed dramatically over the past five years. 

Download the report

The changing face of HR in 2024 research report

Excitement and worry—HR leaders told us they feel both about the future.

The new "Changing face of HR research report from Sage reveals the secret thoughts of over 1000 HR and c-suite leaders about the sector, and what’s keeping HR professionals up at night.

The future of HR in 2024 | Infographic

HR leaders want to prioritise agility, but are being held back by excessive workloads, being pigeon-holed as administrative, and a lack of the right work tech. 

Jam-packed with stats, surprising findings and advice for HR leaders looking to get ahead, our infographic on the report findings reveals a snapshot of the changing role of HR today.

Want a high-level overview what HR teams need to know?

Research top findings | Factsheet

Download our one page overview of the key findings from the report, and what this means for HR leaders.

How can HR leaders respond in times of stress and burnout?

How is HR changing? | Panel discussion

Join our panel of experts to discuss the research findings and what they mean for HR.

Previous HR research reports from Sage

HR in 2030

Get insights from 17 HR and People experts on what HR will look like in 2030 and what HR leaders need to do to prepare today.

HR in the moment: What next for HR?

Get the last research report in the ‘HR in the moment’ series to learn how HR can get ahead in the new working world.

HR in the moment research report: Impact through insights

New research reveals how HR can create more value and increase business impact through actionable insights. 

Get started with the best HR solution that fits your business

Take care of all your HR and People needs with one of our HR solutions. Nurture talent, encourage collaboration, and engage your workforce with Sage. 

Sage HR

Solve your HR challenges. Onboard your employees, automate your HR process and get meaningful insights.

  • Achieve full visibility of your remote workforce, with an online employee database that’s your single source of truth.
  • Give your employees instant and remote self-service access to everything they need, like payslips, company policies, updates, absence to time-off requests, schedules, and more.
  • Enable your people to request time off, check vacation balance and see who’s away, any time, anywhere.
  • Share goals and priorities to unite team efforts while you can’t be in the office. Align with your company vision, and keep track of progress.
  • Easily handle receipts without unnecessary trips to the office. Employees submit expenses simply by photographing the receipt directly from the mobile app.

 

Sage People

The cloud-based HR and people system for medium-sized companies.

  • Multilingual HCM system with information and communication platform
  • Extensive people analytics and controlling functions
  • Comprehensive recruiting and onboarding
  • Performance and talent management
  • Configurable integration of third-party systems
  • Building on the world's leading Salesforce Cloud platform