A staggering 87 percent of HR professionals in the UK say they do not receive enough support at work, as pressures and reports of burnout grow.
That’s according to a new report published by Towergate Employee Benefits and Ultimate Resilience. The HR Mental Wellbeing Report is believed to be the only dedicated study focused on the mental health of HR professionals, highlighting growing pressure and rising levels of burnout across the profession.
The findings indicate that the demands on HR teams are increasing significantly, with nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents saying burnout is “very likely” and a further 15 percent identifying as “at risk”. This means that more than three-quarters of HR professionals are close to exhaustion or already overwhelmed.
Debra Clark, head of wellbeing at Towergate Employee Benefits, said, “We hope that this report will lead to more support for the 87 percent of HR professionals who feel it is lacking and who are the backbone of support for all other employees in a business. It must not be a one-way approach, and businesses must make sure that the HR function can continue to do just that – function.”
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Clark also noted that HR professionals are often expected to manage large-scale issues such as redundancies, culture change and crisis support, frequently while working with reduced budgets.
Retention concerns as 42% consider leaving HR
The report reveals that 42 percent of HR professionals are thinking about leaving the profession. With HR teams playing a vital role in managing organisational stability, such a figure points to serious underlying dissatisfaction. The findings also show that 67 percent of HR professionals report low levels of wellbeing, which appears to correlate with their desire to leave.
Clark warned that prevention should be prioritised over cure when it comes to burnout. “Employers need to take action to ensure that HR receives the support it needs and doesn’t reach the critical stage,” she said.
Mental health concerns are also widespread across the profession. The report found that 73 percent of HR professionals experience symptoms of low mood or depression. Fifty-nine percent report feeling bad about themselves, and 57 percent say they feel down, depressed or hopeless. Forty-four percent meet the criteria for clinically significant symptoms of depression, compared to 16 percent of the general UK population.
Digital tools and wellbeing strategies
The report urges businesses to make full use of digital solutions and platforms to reduce the administrative burden on HR professionals, freeing them to focus on more strategic and people-focused activities. Health and wellbeing benefits that are actively promoted and well-designed can lower absenteeism, improve retention and enhance productivity, reducing overall pressure on HR teams.
The report recommends that businesses introduce resilience training and mental health coaching to help HR professionals and teams manage stress and adapt to challenges. Coaching can be particularly effective in developing confidence and strategies for coping, while health screenings and risk assessments can form the basis for preventative wellbeing policies.
Clark added, “HR professionals are implementing wellbeing strategies for employees all the time, yet only 13 percent of respondents say they feel ‘very’ supported in relation to their own mental health and wellbeing. It is vital that HR professionals are encouraged to ‘put on their own oxygen mask first’. If the support team is not supported, then the whole structure will collapse. But the support is available, HR just needs to put itself first for once.”
