After a Reed HR survey found that a quarter of UK HR professionals do not feel included in strategic business decisions, a poll by Natural HR - a UK software company - of 219 HR professionals, found that 22 per cent of those professionals did not think their role was valued.

The reasons given by the 22 per cent of the respondents not feeling as though they are valued are not having a seat in board meetings and not being considered as part of the senior team in organisations - leaving them with a lack of respect for their profession. It also appears that many HR professionals believe that they are viewed as merely an administrative function.

Recruitment and retention of staff was found to have been seen as a priority for next year by 68 per cent of the HR respondents, whilst 42 per cent cited recruitment as the area of their work they found most challenging. A third of those surveyed found employee retention a challenge, with 36 per cent saying they struggled with engagement and experience. 

Tom Hadley - Director of Policy and Campaigns at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation - said:

“Good recruitment helps employers find the right person for the right job and actively ensures they settle in well. This involves advertising to a wide and diverse pool of candidates and selecting people based on skills. Recruitment professionals can help businesses get the hiring and on-boarding process right and this can make all the difference when it comes to employee retention and productivity.”

Sarah Dowzell - HR Specialist and Co-Founder of Natural HR - said:

“A recent survey undertaken by HR tech platform Natural HR has revealed only 78 per cent of HR professionals feel that HR is valued within their business, leaving nearly a quarter of those surveyed feeling as though it is not. The core tasks of HR professionals cover an array of activities from hiring the right talent; ensuring meaningful professional development; considering staff well-being, to acting as an internal coach. With recruitment and retention of people increasingly a top priority for businesses, it is shocking that so many HR professionals still don’t feel included in top level strategic decision making. A HR strategy must be aligned with the overarching business strategy. The more the administrative elements of HR roles can be undertaken by tech solutions, the more time can be spent on the important strategic role of HR – and hopefully, the old-fashioned perception of the profession can become a thing of the past.”