Supporting employees is what HR professionals most like about their jobs

Employees are an organisation’s greatest asset and essential to the successful running of most businesses, so it makes sense that supporting them is seen as a critical function of the HR role. It’s also what draws many people to the HR profession. According to new research by Ciphr, supporting employees has been named as the top reason for why people like working in HR.

Half (50%) of the 300 HR decision makers polled agreed that supporting employees was a key element in enjoying their jobs, while a further 47% cited hiring new employees and growing the business as their favourite aspect. Helping to improve workplace productivity and efficiency, and working with nice colleagues, are also important factors for two-fifths of respondents (selected by 40% and 39% respectively).

Other popular aspects of the job are those that prioritise making work better, like supporting good employment practices and ensuring legal compliance (37%), solving problems (36%), and helping to create a good working culture (34%).

Ciphr’s findings suggest that most HR professionals enjoy the important work they do. When asked to share which aspects, if any, they liked most about working in HR, only one person opted for ‘none’. While some parts of the role may be more enjoyable than others, 90% of respondents could name three or more favourite things about their job (on average, they picked six).

For around a third of those surveyed, what they like most is the sense of achievement and job satisfaction that their work provides (35%), as well as a good work-life balance (33%). A similar number (32%) enjoy knowing that their work contributes to business success.

Opinions on HR pay, interestingly, are a bit more mixed. Only around a quarter (28%) selected competitive pay or a good salary as one of the main reasons why they like working in HR (ranking it in 16th place) – implying some dissatisfaction with HR compensation levels generally.

The top 15 reasons why people in HR most like their jobs are:

• Supporting / helping employees: 50% of HR professionals surveyed
• Hiring new employees / growing the business: 47%
• Helping to improve workplace productivity / efficiency: 40%
• The people they work with: 39%
• Supporting good employment practices / ensuring legal compliance: 37%
• Solving problems: 36%
• It gives them job satisfaction / sense of achievement: 35%
• Helping to create a positive and inclusive working culture: 34%
• Good work-life balance: 33%
• Supporting business success: 32%
• It’s important / purposeful work: 30%
• The HR community: 30%
• Good career progression / advancement opportunities: 29%
• They feel valued and appreciated for their work: 29%
• Learning new skills: 28%

Job aspects that didn’t quite make the top 15, besides pay, include the variety or versatility of the HR role (28%), transforming business processes (26%), and informing strategic decision-making (25%).

Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, comments: “I truly believe that company performance is a direct reflection of its peoples’ performance. You can have the best strategy, products, or technology but without engaged, high-performing people, success is never sustainable. And HR sits at the heart of this – shaping cultures, enabling leadership, and driving the right talent strategies to unlock potential.”

Ciphr’s director of people, Karen Lough, adds: “Whether it’s helping someone navigate a challenge, grow into a new role, or simply feel heard and valued, those small moments add up to something big. For me, that’s the most rewarding part of working in HR and learning and development (L&D).”