London, UK, 15th Feb, 2023: 61% of HR leaders say they are considered strategic partners to the business, according to new research*. HR leaders who are have been responsible for this positive shift are the ones who have created a collaborative, productive environment that equips their team members with the necessary tools to make new working models successful, by taking into account individual needs.
According to the new research, 86% of HR leaders agree that digital transformation is a strategic priority for their departments and businesses, and will be essential in tackling the challenges posed in the upcoming year. This is a clear demonstration that, with the current economic crisis, businesses are again relying on HR to help keep employees happy while increasing productivity and keeping costs low.
Ivan Harding, Co-Founder and CEO of Applaud comments “2023 has brought a fresh set of macro and micro business problems for HR leaders. We can see a real shift in perspective with business leaders paying attention to the power that HR has to improve overall organisational outcomes.”
Alongside statistics on remote working and digital transformation, the report also showed that:
- 64% of HR leaders are looking to technology to bring managers and their direct reports closer together
- 27% of businesses say that their employee experience (EX) strategies are starting to meet C-level objectives (with just 2% saying they are already achieving them), which is up 12% from last year’s report)
- 53% of companies surveyed agreed that HR technology had already positively transformed the way that their workforce viewed their company.
Harding continues “For many HR leaders, the next challenge for 2023 will be about leveraging technology to plug some of the gaps that have been created through remote/dispersed working over the past few years and keeping employees engaged and motivated through what looks to be a tough economic climate. With the right tools and strategies, HR leaders will be able to create meaningful connections with their teams.” Overall, HR leaders have become adept at navigating the new way of working to ensure their remote teams remain productive and motivated.
