1 in 4  HRs say their job is harder now than two years ago 

• New research shows over a quarter of HRs find their job harder now than two years ago, with 1 in 3 considering leaving the profession

• HRs are frustrated at being held responsible for decisions they cannot control, with many saying the amount of “people work” has grown despite the size of the HR team remaining unchanged
• This strain is surfacing risks, particularly in the wake of Employment Rights Act changes: 1 in 2 HRs say people decisions are made outside any system of record, with two fifths admitting their organisation would struggle to evidence how a people decision was made if challenged at tribunal

London, UK - Over a quarter (27%) of HR professionals find their job harder now than they did two years ago.

That’s according to new analysis from HR software provider Breathe HR, which surveyed over 500 HR people to understand the evolving pressures shaping the profession.

The findings show that as many as 1 in 3 (33%) HR professionals are considering leaving the industry. Of those looking to leave, 1 in 4 (27%) are driven by stress, a further 1 in 4 (24%) by the changing nature of HR, and a fifth (18%) by pay concerns.

The findings come as new Employment Rights Act (ERA) measures - such as extended tribunal time limits, stronger harassment prevention duties, and expanded trade union responsibilities - come into play this month, piling additional compliance and administrative pressures on HR teams.

HRs express frustration at the increased complexity of the job

Breathe HR’s findings point to a HR profession growing increasingly challenging and complex.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of HRs surveyed said that they are held responsible for decisions they have limited authority or budget to control, while the same proportion (63%) report that the amount of “people work” has grown, without the size of the HR team growing alongside it. Meanwhile, nearly seven in ten HRs (69%) say work that falls between HR, legal, IT, and operations is increasingly landing on the HR team, increasing capacity and delivery pressures.

This strain is surfacing clear organisational risks. More than half (51%) of HR professionals say most people decisions get made outside any HR system or record, with 62% still relying on spreadsheets to track employee data. Two fifths (42%) say their organisation would struggle to evidence how a people decision was made if challenged at an employment tribunal: a particular concern following the ERA’s extension of the deadline for bringing employment tribunal claims, which came into effect on 1st October.

Bharat Siyani, VP People & Culture at Breathe HR, said: 

“We’ve seen a number of Employment Rights Act changes land in October, and with them a clear message: inconsistent record-keeping and unclear ownership structures no longer fly.

“To manage the increased complexity of HR in the wake of the ERA, teams should prioritise streamlining processes, automating repetitive admin, and tightening record-keeping using reliable digital systems to stay compliant.

“Organisations must also recognise HR as a strategic engine in the business, not a dumping ground for work that could or should be funnelled elsewhere. In order to carry out their jobs effectively, HRs need clear ownership, adequate resources and effective tools designed to meet their specific needs.”

Despite these challenges, HRs say their strategic value is rising: more than two-thirds (68%) say HR matters more to the business than it did two years ago and three quarters (77%) say that if the HR team were to leave tomorrow, it would seriously disrupt the status quo.

Yet the findings also reveal an understanding gap: 60% believe senior leaders would struggle to describe what HR does day-to-day, and 43% say they are the only ones in the organisation who properly understand how people processes work.

This disconnect between HR’s growing importance and its limited organisational visibility suggests teams are left carrying critical responsibilities without the support they need to operate effectively, adding another layer of complexity to an already demanding role.

Bharat Siyani continues:

“Having spent the best part of my career in HR, I’ve seen the function undergo significant change. It seems as though many teams continue to operate with budgets and resources that no longer reflect today’s realities. “Transforming the effectiveness of the HR function - and recognising its value - can be as simple as easing HR’s administrative burden and reducing the manual workload with the right tooling. This frees People teams up to focus on strategic priorities. This will only grow in importance as more Employment Rights Act measures come into effect next year.”

On 14th October, Breathe HR hosted a webinar to walk organisations through actionable ways to make HR processes more manageable and less resource-intensive.

About the survey

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 501 UK HR professionals (aged 18+). The data was collected between 08.09.2026 - 14.09.2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. We adhere to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.