Much of our work at Occupational Health Assessment Ltd is undertaken in conjunction with UK Human Resources (HR) professionals. Yet two recent research findings suggest that those same Human Resources experts are under severe pressure in 2025.
Growing pressure
The first indication was provided via Employment Hero’s press release in early June.
The platform provider analysed the absence data of 105,000 UK workers. Their aim was to find the highest incidence of absence by job role. In particular they looked at absence with reference to the Bradford Factor. The Bradford Factor is a measure often used to identify any repeated periods of short-term absence.
Their findings indicate that HR professionals had one of the highest absence scores across all the specified job roles. This immediately suggests that Human Resources experts are under severe pressure. It should however be noted that the Bradford Factor is not considered a particularly robust monitoring system. This issue was looked at by Occupational Health Assessment’s post in 2023.
Further findings
Yet the above findings do not exist in a vacuum. Just a few days later Benefits Expert Magazine reported further evidence of HR pressures.
The HR Mental Wellbeing Report published by Towergate Employee Benefits and Ultimate Resilience surveyed 1,400 HR professionals. The report found that almost 9 In 10 did not feel sufficiently supported in their work, and 78% were at risk of burnout.
A difficult half-decade
When these two reports are taken together it suggests that Human Resources experts are under severe pressure in their daily roles.
This should be of no surprise. The business of people management has been a difficult one in the 2020s. HR professionals have been on the sharp end of all the challenges that the half-decade to date has thrown at UK business. These challenges include Brexit, Covid-19, furlough, mental health, the cost-of-living and a candidate crisis.
Human Resources experts are under severe pressure
The reality is that the limited HR headcount at UK employers has been facing a significant increase in workload. And those pressures are not yet easing given continued economic uncertainty.
It is therefore unsurprising – yet worrying – that the very people tasked with defending the health and wellbeing of the workforce are themselves suffering under this barrage of major issues.
Taking your own advice
But what can HR do to protect their own health and wellbeing?
Human Resources professionals should already be aware that there is no one silver bullet to improve wellbeing. Indeed, Occupational Health Assessment Ltd often encourage our corporate clients to envisage the “Wellbeing Triangle” incorporating physical, mental, and financial health. As we wrote in this recent post overall wellbeing is dependent on the strength of all three sides of the triangle.
We would therefore strongly encourage all those in HR to follow the advice they provide to employees in other departments. Human Resources teams should look to use every facet of the employee benefits offering to maintain their own health alongside that of other workers.
The simple reality is that HR is a pivotal function for so many employers in the 21st Century. It follows that keeping the Human Resources team fit, healthy and (importantly) at work is vital if overall worker absence is to be better controlled.
About Occupational Health Assessment Ltd – a nationwide occupational health provider
Occupational Health Assessment Ltd provides rapid access to expert occupational health support for businesses across the UK. Appointments are available nationwide within two days.
With a unique occupational health assessment service, night worker health assessments, fitness certifications and access to clinics in Belfast, Birmingham, Bradford, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Northampton, Nottingham, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Reading, Sheffield, Southampton, Stoke, Surrey and more, the business provides high quality, expert medical advice.
Please contact us for further information or assistance.