It's long been known that human resources professionals operate in a daily climate of lack of approval, both from above (the C-Suite) and below (the troops). Extensive research involving thousands of respondents over a period of time sponsored by ADP suggests that HR departments need to listen more closely to the troops and report more accurately to their bosses if that perception is ever to change.

ADP gathered data from global sources in its attempt to quantify perceptions of the role and value of the HR function. It also broke out the U.S. responses. Three separate studies among employees, HR professionals and top executives were conducted.

In some key areas, U.S. HR types may be doing a better job than their foreign counterparts. When asked to rate work/life balance, employees and HR respondents were perfectly aligned, whereas those parties were out of alignment in all other global regions.