The study found half of managers feel HR is not delivering the support they need to be a good manager.
Almost half (48%) of managers say their HR team is slow in responding to requests, 40% feel HR actively blocks them from making decisions and 66% think HR guards information and data too closely. And 41% of line mangers would rather go to Google for answers than their HR team.
In contrast, 64% of HR directors say line managers expect immediate responses to queries, creating tension. Over a third say their team spends too long ‘hand-holding’, preventing them from acting more strategically. Almost all HRDs (94%) think empowering line managers to make people decisions is a top priority.
David Smith, a consultant at Hay Group, said: “HR directors need to free up time and be more strategic and feel confident that line managers have the capability to do everyday tasks.
“Line managers want to get the job done but HR has policies and procedures they need to maintain. The challenge around that is HR feels they need to walk line managers through these processes”
Cost cutting squeeze
This friction is set against a backdrop of downsizing, leading to HR teams feeling increasingly stretched. Almost all (94%) of HR directors said their department has been reduced due to cost-cutting measures.
Smith added: “At a time when HR departments are already stretched, many are struggling under the additional weight of frequent enquiries from managers.
“There are so many essential policies and transformational development programmes developed within HR. It’s important to ensure the good work HR departments carry out hits the mark on the front line.”
