Why are certain HR roles in such high demand?

Earlier this year, LinkedIn produced an article on the most in-demand jobs in the UK.

Having recruited HR professionals for more than 20 years, it came as no surprise to me that three of the top 20 jobs on the rise for 2022 were in this space.

  • Chief Human Resources Officer
  • Diversity and Inclusion Manager
  • Talent Acquisition Specialist

But why are these HR roles in such high demand?

The role of Chief Human Resource Officer came fifth in the LinkedIn list.

With organisations having to reset and pivot their business models – sometimes multiple times – in the course of the pandemic, and CHROs being responsible for organisations’ direction, especially with talent and change management, performance and succession planning, they have played an integral role in driving and implementing strategy.

Diversity and Inclusion Managers are also in high demand.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, are among the hot topics driving candidates to apply for roles – therefore, hiring companies need to embed diversity and inclusion across their organisation and ensure their commitment is authentic and not just a box-ticking exercise.

The sudden shift to working from home created by the pandemic has seen a rise in demand for D&I specialists across all sectors, a trend that will surely continue as companies expand their diversity and inclusion commitment.  

Finally, at number 14 on LinkedIn’s list is Talent Acquisition Specialists.

Much has been made of the ‘war on talent’ and the ‘great resignation’ – both have put Talent Acquisition Specialists in the spotlight.

Good TA professionals have never been in higher demand in my entire recruitment career.

Why?

Because organisations are struggling to hire.

They are struggling to sell their brand or culture to candidates, many of whom have seen a huge shift in their working patterns and no longer want to return to the 9-5, office-based desk jobs of old.

As a professional HR recruitment agency, Talent Acquisition Managers and Internal Recruiters have been one of the most in-demand roles, and we have seen a huge demand from hiring organisations eager to recruit in this space.

What are the next in demand HR roles to look out for?

I think there are two areas that will be increasingly in demand over the next few months:

  • Employee Engagement Specialists
  • Wellbeing Professionals

Why?

With huge numbers of people returning to the office, many of whom will have possibly never met before, there are going to be engagement challenges.

We were lucky enough to be joined at one of our recent events by Helen Gopsill who shared fascinating insight on employee engagement, you can read her blog on the topic by clicking here.

Global issues that are outside organisations’ control will continue to have an impact on employee wellbeing, which is why I believe that wellbeing professionals will be in high demand in the coming months.

Many workers returning to the office will have been, or will continue to be, impacted by the pandemic.

Organisations with a global footprint may find their workforce impacted by the tragic situation in Ukraine.

Finally, the ongoing cost of living crisis will continue to affect workers.

Research by KIS Finance has revealed that 57% of Brits are either already struggling financially or expect to soon.

Conclusion

The world of work has changed, and the most in-demand HR skillsets and roles may have shifted slightly but ultimately, HR professionals are always going to be in demand, as they bring huge value to organisations.