HR Managers are feeling overwhelmed and under-trained. How can they be better supported?

A recent Michael Page survey of 2000 UK-based workers found that 54% of managers take on more responsibilities than outlined in their job description, and people undertaking HR responsibilities were hit the hardest.

The HR landscape is evolving at a pace that many professionals need help keeping up with. The COVID-19 pandemic changed how people work, and with more flexibility comes complexity. HR professionals have also found that new technologies and tailoring approaches to neurodiversity have made their roles more complex, and 71% feel that they have not received adequate training or support from their employers to manage these issues.

Many business leaders consider emotional intelligence (EQ) undervalued or overlooked in recruitment, particularly in HR roles. The introduction of AI and other HR technology has made tasks like candidate recruitment more productive in many ways, but like any HR task, it is only effective with human input to judge the suitability of a candidate's skills and personality. The effectiveness of leadership in managing the people within a business can be heavily impacted by the training provided.

Practical training for leadership and HR teams can include:

• Empathy training to promote self-awareness and the regulation of emotions, particularly when managing conflicts.
• Cultural transformation training applies the business's ethics and values to daily operations.
• Wellbeing training can improve the mental health of leadership and team, providing strategies to manage high-stress situations.
• Recruitment selection training can refine the competencies required and provide new techniques for curating an effective team.

Investing in the learning and development of leadership and HR teams is crucial to building a dream team with high emotional intelligence.

Society's ever-changing needs and technological developments pose unique challenges for managers who juggle both in their day-to-day roles. Recognising the need for regular training and providing flexible options will dramatically reduce the number of business leaders who feel stretched beyond their roles and help them feel equipped to manage the complexities of modern workplaces.