It's not just human resources any more.
That's the word from the inaugural Paychex Pulse of HR survey, which finds more than two-thirds of HR leaders at small and mid-sized companies say their role has expanded beyond the traditional administrative function to one of more strategic importance within their firms.
Recommended For You
In fact, 75 percent of respondents feel HR technology has enabled them to secure a seat at the leadership table. Asked to describe their primary role, the majority of respondents choose the term "strategic partner." Just 13 percent view their job as primarily administrative.
Also among the study's findings is the word that 41 percent of respondents meet with their CEO or CFO, or both, on a weekly basis, and nearly a third have access to top management when they need it.
In addition, 60 percent of respondents report their HR technology to be very effective for payroll, as well as for retirement and benefits administration and time and attendance tracking, pointing to an indication that they feel technology is assisting them in maximizing their effectiveness in the administration of critical business functions.
In addition, more than 95 percent find their technology to be either somewhat or very effective for the full range of HR tasks, including onboarding, recruitment, performance management and other administrative functions.
If technology is helping HR professionals become more valuable, that doesn't mean they're putting all their eggs in one basket. Just 23 percent of respondents rely on a single integrated suite. Instead, 44 percent use several separate systems with some integration. And 80 percent are satisfied with their current solutions.
But they shouldn't be; those separate systems mean that many are losing time having to rekey data into multiple systems — and it's not just a few minutes, either; 30 percent spend 15 to 29 hours a month reinventing the wheel.
But HR leaders aren't just crunching the numbers; they're also relying on the data to help them make data-driven recommendations and decisions. But that only goes so far; while 86 percent of survey respondents say analytics help them to be more informed and objective, nearly half are unsure if they're leveraging the appropriate data to meet business goals.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
