HR professionals across the UK are facing mounting stress – with excessive workloads and financial pressures among the top contributing factors, according to new data.
Research conducted by HR software provider Ciphr reveals that only 6.3 percent of people working in HR roles report never feeling stressed at work.
The survey, found that 94 percent experience some form of work-related stress, with workloads being the most frequently cited cause (29%). Rising costs (26%), employee retention (24%) and managing budgets (24%) were also prominent concerns.
Burnout risk
One of the more alarming findings shows that nearly a quarter (23%) of HR professionals feel stressed to the point of burnout and exhaustion. This figure increases significantly among those employed at larger organisations. Over a third (35%) of HR staff in organisations with more than 1,500 employees report this level of chronic stress, pointing to a potential correlation between organisation size and the intensity of HR-related pressure.
Workload stress is also more common in larger workplaces. A third (34%) of HR professionals at companies with over 1,500 staff said they are overwhelmed by their workload, compared with around 27 percent in smaller to mid-sized organisations (those with 50 to 1,499 employees).
Additional stress factors included recruitment and skills shortages (23%), too many meetings (20%), conflict at work (18%) and stress caused by misconceptions about the HR function (18%). A further 17 percent identified employee case management as a major pressure point.
More support for HR professionals
Ciphr’s research notes a need for better support structures within HR itself. Respondents cited a wide range of pressures contributing to stress, including lack of resources and tools (16%), the pressure of being constantly available (15%), tight reporting deadlines (14%) and the growing complexity of employment law compliance (13 percent).
Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, noted that while much attention has rightly focused on employee wellbeing, the same level of support is not always extended to HR professionals.
“HR professionals often spend so much time focusing on the rest of the business that their needs aren’t always prioritised,” said Williams. “There may also be an assumption that, because they work in HR, they know how to deal with work stresses better than other employees.
“This research underscores the critical need for organisations to ensure a better work/life balance, more manageable workloads, and provide further support for those in HR. Now more than ever, HR teams are often being asked to achieve more with less budget, despite rising costs, and navigate increasingly complex – and changing – employment laws and reforms, all while doing what they can to meet the needs of the wider workforce.”
The findings also align with Ciphr’s previous research from August 2024, which found that 86 percent of UK adults experience work-related stress at least once a month, and 11 percent report feeling stressed daily.
