The job market for HR managers has been fairly static for some time, with many people staying put in their jobs during the economic downturn.
But the
Hays Quarterly Report shows that managers are finally on the move and creating vacancies, although employers may have trouble finding candidates who have the right industry experience and are the right fit with the organisation.
“Demand is greatest for commercially focused HR managers and employers are being very particular about this – HR now has to be driven by numeric indicators and has to show how much value or return can be gained from employees by the actions of the HR department,” said Hays human resources senior regional director Lisa Morris.
“This might include identifying skill gaps in the workforce and providing solutions around this or developing a valuable talent pool of potential employees so time to hire is reduced. Gone are the days of reactive HR – now HR needs to be on the front foot adding value. As a result, the type of candidate in demand has shifted. However, there are a number of more traditional HR managers seeking work. So although employers seem to get a healthy number of applicants for a role, those with the skills now in demand are in short supply.”
She said there is more confidence in the job market and some sectors are predicting growth, which has led to employers recruiting skilled HR managers to cope with the potential upswing in their business.
There’s also a rise in vacancies for HR advisors and business partners.
Morris said there were several reasons behind employers looking to hire advisors and business partners rather than managers.
“Firstly, employers want to achieve the same results but cut costs. Secondly, there has been a push for HR to become closer to the business and provide hands-on support – traditionally HR managers were slightly removed from the business.
“In addition, many larger businesses have moved to shared services with centres of excellence. This has reduced the number of HR managers but increased the need for HR business partners.”
Have you noticed more movement in the job market?
