HR professionals see morale and engagement as top priorities

Eighty-three percent of HR respondents agreed that they were relied upon by senior leaders to help navigate new situations or practices. (Image: Shutterstock)

HR professionals have played a pivotal role within their organizations during the pandemic. With hybrid working arrangements, the Great Resignation, health care needs, anxiety and a host of workplace issues arising (perhaps unforeseen two years ago), the role of HR has grown exponentially and is being leaned on for solutions.

A new survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), “The State of the Workplace Study,” gives insight into how HR leaders have handled the challenges of the workplace and what trends they might see within 2022. Interestingly, HR departments earned passing grades for effectiveness in 2021, although U.S. workers gave lower ratings. An overall grade of “B” was given from HR professionals (with only one percent giving their HR department and “F”), while U.S. workers gave HR departments an overall grade of “C” (with six percent of workers giving their HR department an “F”).