Like many in the HR and talent world, I read with great interest The Sunday Times piece this weekend claiming there are now “too many HR people.”
The article was in-depth and covered lots of interesting, if not controversial points. It opened with a summary of a high-profile HR legal case, an informing read, but not the main focus of my attention, as it was the second part that really caught my eye – and the one I want to reflect on here.
It pointed to statistics suggesting there are now more HR professionals in the UK than lawyers or doctors. The numbers are difficult to dispute, but the commentary that followed raised an eyebrow. The writer implied this was somehow excessive – even undesirable – questioning whether the workplace really needs so many people in HR.
That critique, however headline-grabbing, misses the bigger picture and overlooks the reality of what HR professionals actually do, why their role has evolved, and why their contribution is not only indispensable but increasingly vital in today’s workplace.
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More than making the workplace “friendlier”
The article goes onto portray HR as a function that exists largely to make the workplace “friendlier and more inclusive.” While inclusion and wellbeing policies are certainly a core part of modern HR, reducing the entire profession to this one function is both unfair and inaccurate.
HR has become a strategic driver of organisational success, and today’s HR directors and People Leaders are responsible for much more than engagement initiatives – they are the architects of workforce planning, apprenticeship schemes, upskilling programmes, and leadership pipelines. They help organisations adapt to seismic changes in the economy and society, from demographic shifts to digitalisation and automation.
Without them, many industries would struggle to attract the right people, retain them, or equip them with the skills to meet future challenges.
On the frontline of the skills crisis
Far from being surplus, HR professionals are playing an absolutely vital role in today’s business world – on the frontline of addressing one of the biggest issues facing the UK: skills shortages.
Construction and housing is my own area of focus at PfP Thrive, and it perhaps illustrates the point brilliantly. We work closely with HR leaders across our sector to deliver training programmes that upskill new entrants and bring people into roles where demand is outstripping supply. The government’s ambition to deliver 1.5 million new homes cannot be met without a major expansion of the construction workforce – and HR professionals are pivotal in making that happen.
But it’s not just construction. Health and social care, logistics, education, technology, and manufacturing are all grappling with acute shortages. Across these industries, HR professionals are the ones creating recruitment strategies, designing training frameworks, and ensuring new recruits are supported once in post.
In other words, they are solving the very problems that hold back our economic growth.
Beyond recruitment: retention and wellbeing
Even if we solved the recruitment challenge tomorrow, we’d still face the equally important issue of retention. Recruiting new talent is expensive and time-consuming – losing that talent quickly is even more costly.
That’s why HR’s role in employee motivation, wellbeing, and engagement is so critical. Creating workplaces where people feel valued and supported reduces churn, improves productivity, and ultimately saves employers significant resources.
Yes, that includes DEI and wellbeing policies. These initiatives are sometimes dismissed as “nice-to-haves”, but in reality, they’re essential tools for keeping people in post and helping them thrive. If we’re going to invest in training the next generation of workers, we’ve got to invest in keeping them motivated and protecting their wellbeing so that investment pays off.
A profession that’s evolved – and is still evolving
It’s also worth remembering that HR has never been static. Over the past two decades or more, the function has evolved from being seen primarily as an administrative necessity to a strategic partner at board level – even more so since the tumultuous times of Covid and its complete reshaping of the way most of us work.
Today’s HR professionals are data-driven, outcome-focused, and deeply embedded in business strategy.
It’s an evolution that I think will long continue, with the next wave of HR likely to focus even more on workforce analytics, automation of routine tasks, and predictive modelling of future skills demand. Far from being an unnecessary surplus, the profession is becoming sharper, more targeted, and more central to long-term success.
Why this matters now
Britain is at a crossroads when it comes to skills and productivity. We’re living through demographic change, rapid technological development, and economic uncertainty. Employers are being asked to deliver more with less, while entire industries face unprecedented challenges in attracting and retaining talent – again no more so than housing and construction,
HR professionals are not bystanders in this process – they are the people making solutions happen, at least that’s my experience of engaging with HR people in the construction sector every single day. This is a group that connects talent with opportunity, identifies and invests in training programmes that give people long-term careers, and keep employees motivated and engaged.
That’s why the question we should be asking is not whether there are “too many” HR professionals, but whether we are giving them the tools, investment, and influence needed to resolve one of this country’s greatest economical headaches.
A final thought
The future of work will not be secured by chance. It will be built deliberately – through thoughtful policies, strategic planning, and investment in people. That is precisely what HR professionals are there to do.
So rather than mocking the growth of the profession, we should be celebrating it. Because if we are serious about building the UK’s workforce for the future, HR isn’t just useful. It is essential.
Tom believes that everyone should have the opportunity to thrive in their chosen career. His passion is straightforward: supporting individuals and creating an environment where anyone, especially those furthest from the job market, can flourish.
As the Academy Director at PfP Thrive, his role is to ensure that the organisation's strategic mission of providing world-class learning, while developing, supporting, and encouraging every learner, is fulfilled.
- Tom Arey
- Tom Arey
