Future of HR Report

As HR faces unprecedented complexity, this report identifies five profound shifts creating new challenges in delivering people practices:

  1. Technology Overload - The average employee checks their phone more than 150 times daily, with interruptions taking 23 minutes to recover from, creating a drain on cognitive resources.

  2. Increasing Complexity - 74% of people rate their workplace as either complex or very complex, with endless processes reducing productivity and engagement.

  3. Diverse Workforces - Significant demographic shifts, including more women and older workers entering the workforce, require HR to adapt practices from dual-career couples and multi-generational teams.

  4. Disappearing Middle-Skill Roles - Automation and technological disruption are eliminating traditional career ladder rungs, demanding new approaches to career progression.

  5. Increasing Compliance Burden - Growing regulatory demands are consuming HR resources, threatening strategic focus.

The report provides a roadmap for HR functions at a turning point, offering practical frameworks to audit organisational practices, create supportive work cultures, and ensure HR remains a strategic driver of business performance rather than being overwhelmed by operational complexity.