In a survey published earlier this year by Workvivo, an employee experience technology solution, it was revealed that as a result of the impact of COVID-19, ongoing workplace transformations and the Great Resignation, 98% of HR professionals experienced job-related burnout in the prior six months. Additionally, that same survey reported that 78% of HR professionals were open to leaving their current jobs for something new and 71% feel that the HR function is not appropriately valued in the organization. These are eye-opening data points and revealing of potential short- and long-term problems for many HR organizations.
Discussions about engagement, wellbeing and burnout at work don’t usually center on HR professionals. Perhaps this is because HR is charged with looking after employee engagement and wellbeing for the entire organization, which they focus on instead of their own concerns. However, HR people are actual employees too, and the myriad challenges facing all employees in the workplace also face members of the HR team. And while better-informed and prepared to recognize and counteract problems like burnout, they also often have less time and willingness to confront them. After all, they are the stewards charged with working against these issues at work. To admit to feeling stress and burnout is a kind of tacit admission of failure as an HR function, to some extent.
But just like having modern, more capable and more user-friendly workplace technology solutions in place is of great benefit to employees, it can also be of great importance to the HR organization itself. According to the recently published The Pulse of HR 2022: A Comprehensive View of the State of HR in U.S. Businesses from Paychex, nearly 40% of HR leaders say that HR technology is helping them reach their objectives, such as increasing employee productivity, having more efficient payroll and benefits management, and fostering greater employee engagement. Additionally, according to the report, nearly half of HR leaders say that having modern HR technology tools helps them to support business goals such as increased company efficiency, better customer service and increased profitability.
This enhanced ability to support employees and meet business objectives can play a part in helping HR combat stress and burnout among their own team members. With the increased workloads for HR organizations—from managing new ways of working, including remote and hybrid; working against the impacts of the Great Resignation; and creating a compliant and safe workplace in a complex, changing regulatory environment—having the best technology solutions has become not just nice to have, but necessary for HR success. And most HR leaders will agree that having the “right” set of technology solutions can contribute to the wellbeing of everyone—including HR.
So, if your HR team can use some stress reduction in the coming months, maybe it’s time to upgrade your HR technology—and there is no better way to get started than by coming to the HR Technology Conference next month. I hope to see you there!
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