HR Professionals are Optimistic that Workforces will have Increased by 2010

The findings of a survey by UK business management and information systems provider, COA Solutions (www.coasolutions.com), has revealed that 51% of senior human resource (HR) professionals intend to increase the overall size of their workforces by the end of 2010. COA Solutions carried out the research with 75 senior HR professionals (HR directors and managers) across a range of UK public sector and private sector organisations.

30% of the respondents stated that they intend to increase their workforces by the end of 2009 with 21% saying that they plan to recruit in 2010. 13% intend to wait until 2011. Despite this increasing optimism, COA Solutionsí survey also highlights that a level of uncertainty still persists amongst HR professionals due to the challenging economic climate. 21% of those surveyed have ìno plansî to hire more staff whilst 8% said that they ìdidnít knowî whether their organisation will be recruiting any time soon. The remaining 7% stated that they will start recruiting after 2011.

Chris Box, HCM Sales Manager from COA Solutions, says, ìThis survey suggests that just over half of HR professionals are expecting recruitment to overtake redundancies within the next 18 months, providing much needed optimism about future job security. With this in mind, it is important that businesses start preparing now for increasing their workforces, including having the right systems and processes in place for supporting growth in the upturn.î

Box continues, ìIt is vitally important that businesses nurture staff engagement amongst their workforces now to encourage their loyalty before the job market picks-up. In the upturn, disillusioned employees will have the confidence to seek alternative job opportunities and will be less concerned about their job performance, having a detrimental effect on an organisationís bottom line. An organisation which invests in systems and processes to motivate and develop staff in the downturn, will have a happier and more productive workforce when the upturn eventually comes, ultimately impacting its growth and long-term success.î