It's long been known that human resources professionals operate in a daily climate of lack of approval, both from above (the C-Suite) and below (the troops). Extensive research involving thousands of respondents over a period of time sponsored by ADP suggests that HR departments need to listen more closely to the troops and report more accurately to their bosses if that perception is ever to change.
ADP gathered data from global sources in its attempt to quantify perceptions of the role and value of the HR function. It also broke out the U.S. responses. Three separate studies among employees, HR professionals and top executives were conducted.
In some key areas, U.S. HR types may be doing a better job than their foreign counterparts. When asked to rate work/life balance, employees and HR respondents were perfectly aligned, whereas those parties were out of alignment in all other global regions.
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More U.S. employees (63 percent) reported being happy with their employer than in:
- Latin America – 63 percent;
- Canada – 61 percent;
- Europe – 53 percent; and
- Asia – 48 percent.
Overall, the pattern of disconnection between these three parties observed globally held true for the U.S. as well.
"Huge differences between HR perceptions and employee perceptions on key human capital management issues mean work remains to be done – and that companies are operating without fully a fully engaged workforce. ADP said that each of the three studies "showed significant differences of perception between workers and HR" in these areas:
- How well employees are being managed;
- How well questions regarding HR and benefits issues are addressed;
- Whether feedback is communicated or even collected; and
- Performance evaluations.
"Responses from participants also show similar gaps in perception between HR and senior management on these same topics," ADP reported.
ADP decried the fact that, after decades of investment by large companies in the HR function, the three parties are still failing to communicate effectively. It said that while technology has clearly improved certain HR functions, it may also be an obstacle to clear communications when it proves to be an obstacle between people.
"The disconnect between HR and employees appears as great as ever. This exists in spite of advancements created to vastly facilitate communications and access to information, not to mention improving the focus on the organizations' core businesses.
Among other areas where employees, HR and senior leadership aren't closely aligned:
- Employees rank the level of their compensation and benefits less favorably than HR or management does;
- With the exception of the U.S. workforce, employees rate their work/life balance significantly lower than the perceptions of HR or senior management;
- Career opportunities receive significantly lower ratings from employees than from HR;
- Senior leadership is also rated less positively by employees than by HR – sometimes as low as employees rate the HR function itself.
"What this study shows is, despite efforts to improve communications and facilitate better relationships between HR, senior leadership and employees, a big gap remains," said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and head of the ADP Research Institute. "Companies are operating without a fully engaged workforce, an issue that has to be addressed if they are going to effectively manage their human capital."
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
