Why is there suddenly high turnover in HR?

Volatility in the field

It may seem unusual that human resources staff, who frequently concern themselves with issues of turnover and burnout, are becoming the most likely to walk out the door. However, the demand for HR skills has been volatile over the past few years. Many recruiters lost their jobs amid hiring freezes in the spring of 2020—yet the field has reached a new peak, with demand today more than 11 times higher than in May 2020. 

Dysfunctional work environment

Furthermore, human resources professionals are often privy to the inner workings at an organization. This perspective may mean human resources employees may spot a dysfunctional work culture earlier or be more exposed to the negativity and toxicity caused by that. 

Increased complexity

Although many people enjoy the flexibility of remote work and it has allowed new hires to join your team from wherever they may be, it has caused a larger burden on the human resources staff. A study by Gusto cites the increased complexity of remote and hybrid arrangements as an area adding extra pressure and workload to the HR team. When a team is spread across multiple states, there may be added compliance issues, tax and legal concerns, as well as difficulties maintaining and adapting culture. 

High levels of stress

A recent survey of 1,000 HR professionals, 95% of respondents said HR was simply too much work! After the stress of the pandemic, the Great Resignation, a tough labor environment, and more, HR professionals are simply burned out. Eighty-four percent of respondents said they regularly felt stressed with 81 percent saying they were experiencing burn out. 

Are you feeling burnout? Check out InVista’s free guide to identifying and conquering signs of burnout.