It’s well established that HR is one of those professions heavily dominated by women. In fact, around 70% of the HR population are women, and most of them are at the manager level. There are many reasons behind this trend. One reason why is that women often excel at making strategies and planning, which is what HR is all about. The HR Department primarily focuses on managing people within organisations, implementing policies, and ensuring that the right systems are in place. If you need more reasons why women should pursue a career in HR, check these out.
1. Job satisfaction
Women working in HR have reported the highest job satisfaction levels in a survey conducted on women working in different occupations. Also, women who are human resource professionals have reported an average job satisfaction rate of 3.7% on a scale of 1 to 5.
One of the reasons many women are satisfied working in HR is that they are more likely to experience gender equality. Compensation may also play a role in their job satisfaction. The average salary in HR is somewhere between $80,000 to $100,000 each year, and that’s double the average worker’s income in the US of only $44,000.
Since there are now many women senior leaders in HR, the junior employees have more role models to look up to. Therefore, they may be able to work more flexibly than in other departments.
2. A career in HR has good pay rates
One of the most common issues that women face in employment is a pay inequity. Across industries, studies show that women earn less than their male counterparts. Due to the influence of HR over employee compensation, it’s often said that HR professionals are best equipped to address this problem.
According to some reports, the gender pay gap is closing in on the HR department. Although HR is not exempted from issues on pay equity, the disparities are smaller compared to the national average. Age also appears to be a major component of the pay gap. Even though the gap remains narrow when young professionals are compared, it widens significantly as the woman reaches the age of 45.
So, what’s the reason behind the dramatic shift? One theory is that this delay in gap shows a return to the workforce by women who have to temporarily take time off to start a family. The so-called “motherhood penalty” has been linked to issues beyond compensation, with one study finding that returning mothers are six times more likely to be hired.
3. Opportunity for senior management
The need for more female leaders in HR has been more critical than ever, a claim backed by a never-ending catalogue of data. In addition, companies boasting a higher representation of women leaders have notably outperformed companies that don’t. Further studies have also shown that companies with greater gender diversity within their workforce and among the senior leaders are significantly more successful than those without.
Women leaders can provide different skill sets, imaginative perspectives, and cultural and structural differences that help HR departments develop effective solutions. By bringing in a creative standpoint, a new sense of awareness will also follow, revealing the finer details that the naked eye could not see.
Indeed, the working landscape is changing, and leadership roles are no longer just a man’s game. Some of the leadership roles that women in HR can take up include HR manager, training officer, HR director, and recruitment coordinator.
Taking a leadership role in HR will require you to be “good with people”. You have to genuinely care about the employees’ well-being and development, which would often require working with leaders from the other departments in the company.
4. Develop people during your HR career
The human resources profession is generally perceived as the kind of profession based on people and people skills. One thing that may attract you to take up an HR role is the ability to develop people.
Employee development is often recognised as a strategic tool to help with the organisation’s continuing growth and the ability to retain valuable employees. Organisations will not only be competing for market share but also for employees. Employees would prefer to work for companies that will help them upgrade their skills to remain competitive with others in their field.
HR leaders should integrate development programs into the organisation’s overall strategy and ensure that all programs drive the same set of objectives. They should determine what each employee values and how these values can relate to their career development needs. Some employee development methods happen on the job with a manager or an experienced co-worker who is well-equipped to lead the development activity.
5. Job availability
There is an increasing number of HR jobs all over the UK, not just in London but also in the big cities. Studies show that compared to the previous year, the number of HR jobs in the country has significantly increased in the second quarter of the year, up to 8% in North Wales and 4% all over the country. The availability of HR jobs in London has also increased steadily through the year, with the number of quality HR recruitment agency jobs increasing to 4% during the second quarter.
The increasing demand for HR professionals in the country is very encouraging for women seeking a career in the HR industry. HR remains one of the fastest-growing fields worldwide, and the employment of HR managers is projected to increase to 7% by 2028, faster than the other occupations.
While HR manager has been found to be the most in-demand HR professional role, HR specialists, including management roles and talent acquisition, were not far behind. Depending on its size, many companies may search for HR candidates with specialised experience. Some areas of expertise often sought after are exposure to payroll, experience in recruiting strategy, and familiarisation with labour laws.