The HReSource Survey 2023 - Revealing Insights from UK Business Owners, Directors & HR Specialists

Insight with HReSource

This video features three individuals who have reviewed this years survey and work directly with HR teams across the UK.

Each provides a view on key aspects of the findings.

Innes Clark - Head of Employment at Morton Fraser

Lucy Cotterell - HR Consultant at Mogers Drewett

Sarah Daniels - Health & Safety Consultant at The RedCat Partnership

Business owners have faced more challenges and changes over the past three years than any time in living memory. Each decade presents its own issues. In recent history, The financial crisis of 2008/9 and the subsequent recession were certainly no easy ride.

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The recession of 2008 was tough, however, combining the impact of global and local events we can start to put the past three years into perspective. We’ve had to deal with Covid-19, the aftermath of Brexit, global warming, the largest European conflict since the end of world war two, the resultant energy crisis, inflation and subsequent rapid rise in interest rates leading to a cost-of-living crisis and widespread industrial action. It all adds up to a bitter cocktail of pain and uncertainty for business owners and their employees.

For this year’s HReSource survey respondents were asked to submit their insights across a wide variety of topical issues impacting the productivity and overall performance of their respective organisations. The objective was to understand the response to those challenges and informed views on immediate actions and priorities as they prepare for yet another difficult year.

The results highlight the need for businesses to remain agile and connected to their workforce.

Headline findings feature the highest-ranked priorities for 2023.

The greatest challenges facing employers.

Plus this year’s report also highlights the distinct shift in priorities of employers in the UK, notable when we contrast with findings from pre-pandemic surveys.

HR professionals are at the sharp end of tackling the issues arising out of the mix of local, national, and global events. Unsurprisingly those reporting an increase in workload stand at 81% with those stating a “significant rise in workload” increasing by 44% over our 2018 survey.

These findings reflect the difficulties employers are having in retaining talent and subsequently resourcing appropriate replacements.

Julie Ouzman Group HR Director at Holdcroft Motor Group, Stoke-on-Trent, confirmed, “Retention of staff will be our greatest challenge this year due to pay and working patterns for certain roles within the company. The opportunity will be to grow our own 'apprenticeship scheme' for technicians across the group.”

Ceri Mallon, HR Manager at Everun, Belfast, on the topic of challenges ahead added, “Retaining key employees as the business grows - important to ensure that we keep experience and knowledge within the business as we onboard new employees.”

Innes Clark, Head of Employment Law at Morton Fraser LLP commented "It is very interesting to see that almost a quarter of respondents selected Flexible Working as the area of law they would like to have reviewed. Whilst the Government is due to implement reforms to this area it is unlikely that these will satisfy employers given that the proposed changes are largely employee rather than employer friendly."

David Laud of HReSource commented on the findings, “Business owners need to move swiftly, adapt to remain resilient and deliver their plans. Those that succeed will be organisations that demonstrate agility and an ability to flex with the trends accelerated by recent world events.”

The answer may not be as simple as implementing a 4-day week, which most respondents will consider over the next two years. What is clear is that doing nothing and expecting things to improve could be a highly risky strategy.

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