CIPD people profession survey: tech advances not having a large impact in UK

HR professionals in the UK and Ireland are less likely than their global counterparts to say their role and practices are changing because of advances in technology, suggesting that the ‘maturity’ of their people functions could fall behind.

This is according to the CIPD’s People profession 2023: UK and Ireland survey report, which found that only 46% of UK and Ireland-based HR professionals agreed that the way their people function operates is being reviewed or is changing significantly, compared with 54% in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region and 58% in Asia Pacific (Apac).

Fifty-five per cent of UK and Ireland HR professionals said advancing technology was transforming the way their team operates (59% in Mena and 69% in Apac), while 42% said their own role as a people professional is changing significantly (52% in Mena and 57% in Apac).

The CIPD surveyed 1,620 HR professionals in the UK and Ireland, 525 in Mena countries and 812 in Apac.

“Given the maturity of the HR profession within the UK, it’s interesting that digital HR and the way the function operates and evolves is slow to change,” the report says.

“We found the impact of digital transformation on HR functions was significantly higher in larger businesses (63%, compared with 47% in SMEs), with no significant differences across UK sectors.”

CIPD chief executive Peter Cheese said: “People professionals continue to play a pivotal role in every organisation especially as they navigate the complex and changing world of work. Rapidly evolving technology and the continued adoption of hybrid and flexible working practices are critical areas of focus, and present significant opportunities for the profession to be at the heart of business and change, supporting people and organisations to adapt and thrive.”

Hybrid working has made people management practices more challenging in the UK and Ireland, the research found. Practices such as leaveism and presenteeism are more likely to go unnoticed for longer, given the limited visibility of employees, it suggested.

Forty-one per cent of UK HR professionals said supporting employees’ mental health and wellbeing had become more challenging in the hybrid workplace, while 40% said building organisational culture and values was more difficult.

In Ireland, attracting, recruiting and retaining talent was perceived as the most difficult aspect of hybrid work (41%, compared with 37% of UK-based HR professionals).

Personal wellbeing

Asked about their own personal wellbeing, the number of respondents stating that work positively affects their physical and mental health has risen in 2023. Thirty-four per cent of HR in the UK and 44% in Ireland agreed that work had a positive impact on their mental health, compared with 27% and 22% respectively in 2022.

The CIPD people profession 2023 survey also asked about how they were improving their HR capabilities. Twenty-two per cent in the UK and 20% in Ireland said they were focused on organisational development and change management. Nineteen per cent in the UK and 16% in Ireland were prioritising building people analytics skills.

The proportion of professionals saying they have had to upskill remained relatively consistent in the UK in the last year (62%). However, in Ireland, fewer respondents have upskilled in the past year (60%, compared with 72% in 2022).

Cheese said: “This year’s report shows that people professionals are learning, innovating and adapting quicker than ever and understand the benefits and risks for both employees and organisations alike when driving changes forward. The strategic importance of people teams and the central role they play is being increasingly recognised.”

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