Lily Shippen Recruitment Agency | Placing Human Resources and Business Support Professionals in London & Manchester | Blog

Covid left HR functions stretched and understaffed in 2022; where is HR now?

Written by Lily Shippen | Feb 23, 2023 6:00:00 AM

London and Manchester-based recruitment agency Lily Shippen has just released its 2023 Salary Survey which focuses on key trends and salary benchmarking and compensation within the Human Resources industry in London, Manchester, and across the rest of the U.K. 

The survey analyses and discusses candidate feedback on areas such as hybrid working and employee wellbeing, providing valuable insights for companies looking to maximise their hiring processes.

The Salary Survey reveals that most candidates place a high value on hybrid work when considering a role, with those surveyed rating the importance of working from home an eight out of ten (on average). To supplement this, 87% of respondents confirmed they are more likely to consider a role if it offers hybrid work. It is clear that hybrid working remains a key element of talent attraction and retention processes in 2023. 

Additionally, employee wellbeing initiatives have become a critical factor in talent attraction, and notably, retention processes, with 1 in every 5 survey participants stating health and wellbeing problems are a frequent stressor in their current role, with nearly a third citing that they feel a lack of support within their current role. Positively, 74% felt that their existing employer cared about their mental health and wellbeing, and 70% had access to mental health and wellbeing initiatives within their workplace. A company's commitment to staff wellbeing remains a key area of focus in 2023.


Kathryn Gunner, Director of the Human Resources division at Lily Shippen, believes that companies who prioritise these areas will have a significant advantage in the current job market, in attracting and retaining top talent. To add to this, Kathryn also notes that companies must streamline their hiring processes, as those who have extensive interview processes with prolonged wait times and complicated stages will miss out on top talent to competitors.


With the insights provided by this survey, Lily Shippen is committed to helping companies optimise their recruitment processes to attract and retain the best talent and providing the necessary guidance to enhance their hiring strategy.
For more information, you can view our salary survey here.