Demand for Experienced HR Professionals to Continue in 2024
With 90% of CIPD survey respondents experiencing skills shortages, HR's importance will grow over 2024. The year will see recruitment focused on junior to mid-level talent, with some demand for Senior Generalists and HR Managers. The demand will be for operational rather than strategic talent, with activity in the service industry, healthcare, manufacturing, and FMCG space. Salary expectations will remain high. Candidates favour permanent opportunities over temp, as they are concerned about job security.
HR is Growing in Importance and Influence
HR's role is more important than ever as organisations look to tackle outside challenges and adopt new ways of working. CIPD's research shows that 84% of respondents said that the HR's visibility has grown in the past year. The increase is from HR's ability to, influence strategy and direction (67%), work closely with the business (51%), and put a focus on adding value (49%).
Similar to 2023, roles dedicated to well-being, diversity and inclusion will remain a focus within HR departments. To attract and retain talent, organisations need to promote inclusive cultures that embrace diversity, as this will remain a high priority for candidates.
In 2023, we saw a slowdown in the demand for Talent Acquisition (TA) talent. Redundancies in the tech industry have provided a strong talent pool of high-quality TA professionals, very keen and interested in diversifying their industry experience. However, this new talent pool has very high remuneration expectations, which non-tech sector organisations may struggle to match.
Contract and temporary roles will be in high demand in Q1 and Q2, but as the year progresses, organisations are likely to get a better sense of hiring needs, which should lead to more permanent vacancies on offer.
HR is Evolving into the Digital Space
We anticipate a continued demand for general HR roles, including HR Administrators, Senior HR Generalists, and Operational HR Managers. Employers looking to grow and expand their teams value candidates with experience, covering all aspects of HR including recruitment, reward, learning and development, employee relations, and Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS). There is a preference for talent who is not only comfortable incorporating HR administrative responsibilities, but can also, adopt a adaptable hands-on approach.
There is also a demand for more project-focused roles, particularly in the contract/temporary recruitment market. New initiatives and HR projects require additional support, including experienced candidates with relevant skills to help organisations ramp up and quickly adapt to business needs.
Clients will continue to work on their employer branding, ensuring they are an 'employer of choice' for future and existing staff. This focus has created a demand for candidates with experience in organisational change and development, employee well-being, and diversity and inclusion.
Also, the mass adoption of HRIS, or Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), has led to a demand for more specialist HRIS skills, including HR analytical and reporting.
To remain competitive in the HR space, employers generally need to meet the minimum expectations of Healthcare, Pension Contribution, Annual Bonus, Life Assurance, and Maternity Leave. This can vary across industries and, as HR careers progress, they become more important as they add a sense of value and a sense of job security. Candidates also appreciate some provision for educational support or Learning and Development (L&D) initiatives to demonstrate an employer’s interest in their career development.
Larger, multinational employers often offer additional benefits including Dental coverage, Share Options (RSUs), onsite meals, wellness allowances, unlimited annual leave, and income protection. These benefits are important to candidates moving organisations that offer similar packages, as they recognise and understand the added value they bring.
Candidates prioritise hybrid working with an expectation of at least two days of work from home. Organisations looking for candidates to be on-site for four or more days per week are finding it challenging to attract talent, especially when competing with their current employment and other potential employers.
The demand for fully remote roles in HR has decreased as candidates adapt to organisations preference for some office-based presence.
Depending on the role and past or current expectations, candidates tend to look for 23-25 days of annual leave.
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