Among the takeaway messages from the study:

HR staffing is rising in today's hot labor market. Demand for workers boils over as the economy continues to recover from the COVID-19. Against that backdrop, it's no surprise that HR staffing ratios have grown more than 10% since 2018.
Labor market fluctuations affect some industries — and their HR staffing ratios — more than others. Low-wage workers have gained the most from the post-pandemic hiring boom. HR staffing ratios, likewise, have grown the fastest in industries with a large, low-wage frontline workforce.
HR isn't just for large employers. Companies with fewer than 50 workers may average more than two HR staff members. Although HR staffing ratios grew faster and more steadily for larger companies between 2018 and 2023, staffing ratios at the smallest employers are up 3.8% since 2018.
Recruiters make up the largest share of HR staffers, but their dominance fades as hiring cools. As U.S. demand for workers rises, so does demand for recruiters, as organizations work to attract talent. As a result, recruiters as a share of HR staff grew more than 26% from 2018 through April 2023.

Employers that expand their HR ranks might reduce employee turnover, but only to a point. Although more research is needed to determine whether the relationship between HR staffing and turnover is causal, evidence so far suggests that reduced HR staffing is accompanied by high employee turnover. That return on increased HR staffing diminishes after a point, however.

Instant Insights /

HR staffing on the rise, although several factors determine proper levels