SALARY IS the number one issue that would attract HR professionals to another employer, according to recent research conducted by Human Resources magazine
SALARY IS the number-one issue that would attract HR professionals to another employer, according to recent research conducted by Human Resources magazine.
In addition to salary/remuneration (59 per cent), HR professionals were also interested in career progression opportunities (49 per cent) and a company’s reputation (32 per cent), according to the survey of more than 700 HR professionals.
Respondents also indicated that they were interested in a company’s take on HR, as a potential indication of the influence they could wield and the difference they could make with a new employer.
Thirty-eight per cent, for example, said a potential employer’s approach to HR practices would be of interest in sizing up a potential new employer, while a further 12 per cent said they would like to know about the perception of HR within the business.
Most HR professionals indicated they were relatively happy in their current roles, however a significant proportion were interested in other opportunities that might be suitable.
For example, 33 per cent said they were content with their current job, but interested in seeing what other opportunities were available, while a further 19 per cent said they would consider changing roles if the right position came up.
A third of survey respondents said they were happy in their current role and not looking to move.
When considering a career move, HR professionals also indicated they were very open to using a recruitment firm. In the past, 68 per cent had used recruitment agencies in looking for HR roles.
In using recruitment firms to explore career opportunities, 56 per cent of HR professionals said that a consultant’s professionalism was an important factor in looking for another job.
Other points of importance were a consultant’s reputation (49 per cent), the quality of jobs that a firm had to offer (44 per cent), the service offered (34 per cent) and quality of follow-up (23 per cent).
The survey also revealed a mixed bag when it came to where to look for HR jobs. Forty-seven per cent of HR professionals said they used online job boards, in addition to recruitment agencies (28 per cent), network groups or word of mouth (16 per cent) and newspapers (5 per cent).
The survey found that most HR professionals had been in their current role for a moderate amount of time, with 41 per cent employed for between six months and two years. A further 18 per cent had been employed in their current job for less than 6 months, while 16 per cent had been on the job for two to three years.
Interestingly, a third of HR professionals said they would consider working overseas in the next one or two years. The top overseas destinations to work in were listed as the US (77 per cent), Hong Kong (65 per cent), London (59 per cent), France(52 per cent), Canada (39 per cent) and Singapore (28 per cent).
Less-popular working destinations included Malaysia at 10 per cent and Portugal at 3 per cent.
The survey also polled HR professionals on their top HR issues for the coming year. Retention was listed as the number-one issue at 52 per cent, in addition to attraction (36 per cent), recruitment (27 per cent) and talent management (24 per cent).
Other issues for HR professionals over the coming year included leadership development (22 per cent), culture change (19 per cent) and learning and development (18 per cent).
The research was based on responses from 710 HR professionals: 55 per cent at the HR professional level (HR advisor, business partner, officer or administrator); 27 per cent HR leaders (HR director, HR general manager or equivalent); and 8 per cent business leaders (managing director, general manger, C-level or equivalent).
For more information on the HR recruitment market, see our news report on page 11.
