Finance keener on HR strategy than HR: Survey

Differences around prioritizing recruitment, T&D, leadership

Finance directors show more concern over matters affecting people strategy than HR directors, according to a new study reported in the United Kingdom's HR magazine.

Seven out of 10 financial directors in the U.K. recognized “recruiting top talent” as a business performance driver (compared to 58 per cent of HR directors), while 74 per cent of finance directors rated the quality of training and development as a performance driver (compared to 58 per cent of those working in HR).

In addition, 64 per cent of finance directors saw leadership as a performance driver (compared to 54 per cent of their colleagues in the HR department), found a report by global employee health solutions firm Vielife and London South Bank University (LSBU).

The report, based on telephone interviews with 50 finance directors and 50 HR directors, showed 44 per cent of finance directors said employee health and well-being was a “strategic priority” compared to 38 per cent of HR directors. And 92 per cent of finance respondents had discussed the issue at board level compared to 82 per cent of HR directors, said HR magazine.

Only 24 per cent of HR directors said they were concerned about bullying at work (compared to 50 per cent in finance) and just over one-half of HR respondents were concerned about staff working long hours (compared to 74 per cent of their financial counterparts), found the survey.

"There are concerning divisions between HR and finance's objectives for employee health and well-being," said Tony Massey, chief medical officer at Vielife, in HR magazine. "Finance is more aware of the measurable positive impact on productivity, proven in numerous studies. As both parties collaborate towards a common goal of managing human capital, HR must better appreciate bottom line benefits are critical for success."

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