Many HR Pros are Job-hunting, but Where Will the Jobs Come From?

 The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that HR professionals are seeking new job opportunities in large numbers as the economy continues to expand. According to the organization, over one-third of HR pros will be looking for new jobs in the near future, with a number of those employees jumping ship out of a sense of insecurity in their current position. SHRM found that 39 percent of respondents to its survey have “some degree of concern with their job security.”

Far fewer members of senior-level HR types (29 percent) reported such concerns but that number ballooned (59 percent) among lower-level HR employees. And while a large majority (79 percent) of HR professionals reported some level of confidence that they could find a job if necessary, just 16 percent said they were “very confident” in that outcome. The top reason that HR pros are testing the job market, as cited by 48 percent of respondents, is looking for a “better organization/corporate culture.”

Additional reasons cited by respondents included career advancement (47 percent), better compensation/pay (47 percent), more meaningful work (29 percent), and better job security (28 percent). Only 21 percent cited a more flexible work arrangement among their top three reasons for seeking new employment. Despite this potential exodus, the SHRM survey found that just 20 percent of organizations are looking for HR help, with demand much higher for positions in sales, IT, customer service, and production.