UK’s HR leaders ‘demand more data and control’

The UK’s HR professionals value greater access to data as a top priority in the modern work environment.

When selecting HR services and solutions, HR professionals rank their top four focuses as:

1. Greater accessibility to data
2. More self-serve software functionality
3. Faster payments through payroll systems
4. Additional integration with HMRC reporting requirements

These are the results of a survey of HR professionals, representing 104 companies across the UK, conducted by HR and payroll specialist SD Worx.

A weighted total of two-fifths (41.7%) of responses ranked greater access to payroll and HR data as the prime focus. Greater self-serve functionality came in second, with 36.4% agreeing, shortly followed by faster payments as the third concern with 35.2%.

Further integration with HMRC reporting requirements was the fourth highest priority, with 28.1% seeing it as an important consideration. In addition, two-thirds (64.2%) of those taking part also agreed that expert advice around the interpretation and implementation of HMRC guidelines and reporting requirements would be valuable to their business.

UK HR professionals are already data leaders compared to their European peers, according to past research conducted by SD Worx. In fact, four out of five (80%) of UK businesses say they have access and insight into data on HR and personnel costs, far more than the 26% average across the 1,382 companies in eight countries included in that survey.

Iain Palk, principal product manager at SD Worx said: “Despite already being leaders in Europe, it seems the demand for better and more easily managed people data remains high in the UK.

“It’s not a surprise: improved access to data allows companies to gain better insights into their people’s needs and priorities. Accurate monitoring of data is the foundation on which best practice people management can be built.

“We’re all used to having sophisticated hardware and software at our fingertips, giving us access and control to all manner of consumer services. Delivering a similar user experience for HR professionals can be challenging given the complexity of the service on offer. And with greater interactivity comes new opportunities to introduce human error, which needs to be managed very carefully when delivering crucial, often time-bound, payroll and HR services.”