Advances in technology and evolving employee needs present HR with new challenges every day, but there is good news, according to a survey of 300 HR decision-makers at U.S. companies with between 50 and 500 employees.
Today’s HR leaders continue to have strategic influence with their organization’s C-suite, suggests the 2018 Paychex Pulse of HR Survey. Between 2017 and 2018, the same number (80 percent) of HR leaders said they feel they are a strategic partner within their organization — and nearly half (44 percent) report meeting with their CEO, CFO or both on a weekly basis in 2018.
The Paychex report also showed a commitment to talent management, as 85 percent of respondents said they’re focusing on company culture to drive results, and 77 percent feel their current HR technology solution is improving overall employee experience.
“Between the U.S. reaching full employment, significant shifts in societal trends and priorities, and a new generation entering the workforce, HR is uniquely positioned to manage talent in a way that drives higher engagement and better business results,” said Leah Machado, Paychex senior director of HR services. “For that reason, attracting, engaging, and retaining high-quality talent is more important today than perhaps ever before.”
Employee engagement is a hot topic for both CHROs and workers. In 2018, 65 percent of HR leaders reported that at least half of their workforce is engaged, up from 48 percent in 2017. Furthermore, of those surveyed, 62 percent of HR leaders are measuring employee engagement via pulse surveys throughout the year rather than on an annual basis.
“Staying in touch with the ever-changing needs of your workforce is mandatory in an increasingly competitive human capital landscape,” said Pamela Lacy, Paychex HR consultant. “Many employees today want to work for an employer who has developed a culture of inclusion and diversity, as well as one that offers ample opportunities for career advancement. Supplementing the human touch that is inherent to the HR function with tools and technologies that help to connect the employees to their work in a way they’ve become accustomed to in their personal lives can help HR professionals create an employee experience that rivals top competitors and ultimately improves overall employee engagement.”
To see the full survey results, click here.
