A new report from aconso reveals highlights how UK HR leaders are feeling ‘overwhelmed’ as they manage growing workloads while adapting to major technology trends.
The report, Transitioning from Manual to Meaningful: Unlocking HR’s Potential through AI and Digital Transformation, surveyed 650 senior HR leaders globally, including 250 in the UK. The results highlight the difficulties HR teams face in aligning with business objectives, meeting employee needs, and adopting innovative technologies.
According to the survey, 73 percent of UK HR leaders report struggling to align their strategies with rapidly evolving business priorities. Additionally, 43 percent describe their teams as overwhelmed by the sheer volume and complexity of HR responsibilities. Many feel stuck in cycles of layoffs and performance management (47 percent), compounded by uninspiring and error-prone manual processes (54 percent).
These challenges are not only affecting HR teams’ ability to innovate but are also contributing to burnout and decreased morale, with 48 percent of respondents identifying these issues as significant concerns.
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Technology Challenges and the Future of HR
The report highlights how disjointed systems and generic tools are exacerbating HR workloads rather than easing them. Among UK HR leaders, 53 percent note that fragmented technology increases their teams’ burden, while 64 percent say generic tools fail to meet the specific needs of HR functions.
Key tasks consuming HR time include ensuring compliance with policy changes (70%), maintaining employee documents (60%), and securing employee signatures (49%). These labour-intensive activities leave little room for strategic initiatives, with 53 percent of respondents stating that manual processes prevent teams from driving business value.
UK HR leaders anticipate that several trends will significantly impact their work in the next three to five years. The most notable include the integration of AI and automation (63%), a greater focus on employee well-being and experience (60%), workforce reskilling to adopt new technologies (59 percent), and a need to demonstrate the measurable impact of HR initiatives (58%).
However, current workload pressures and inadequate technology make it difficult for HR teams to prepare for these trends effectively.
Unlocking HR’s Potential Through Technology
The research found four key areas where HR leaders see technology as instrumental in improving workflows and reducing frustration:
- AI and Automation: 61 percent of HR leaders prioritise investment in AI, with 99 percent already utilising it in recruitment processes, document management, payroll, and benefits administration.
- Self-Service Tools: Digitising employee documents and making them accessible through self-service platforms is seen as a way to enhance employee engagement and reduce demands on HR teams, with 58 percent recognising its value.
- Dedicated HR Solutions: 56 percent prefer investing in HR-specific solutions over generic tools to better meet the unique needs of the function.
- A New Tech Stack: 54 percent support building a modernised tech stack to address the current issues of tech overload and siloed processes, which frequently lead to errors.
Ulrich Jaenicke, Co-founder and CEO at aconso, said, “The rush to implement digital technologies post-pandemic has left many HR teams with several core workflow issues thanks to disjointed systems, siloed data, and manual processes. Feelings of being overwhelmed and overworked leave HR teams with little time to focus on tasks that will unlock value for their people or business, even though they want to.
“Technology can deliver value – but only if it improves the experience of HR teams, rather than adds to current challenges. AI and digital investments must be considered to unlock HR’s potential and drive meaningful change.”
