There’s never been a more exciting time to practice Human Resource Management. The HR discipline is evolving at a rapid rate, presenting many new opportunities for people practitioners and the employees they look after. The reason for new trends emerging faster than ever before is largely due to technological progress, changing employee needs, and increased importance and attention to wellness at work as well as diversity.
These trends are now being evidenced in emerging key HR metrics, and HR professionals should take time to understand them as they offer powerful insights into how to attract, recruit, develop, and retain top talent. Organizations that understand these changes become more competitive and agile while developing more effective capabilities to adapt to the changing business environment.
This article guides you through the top HR trends and statistics that will define the future of work for 2025 and beyond.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
33 current HR statistics & trends
Here, we present various types of HR metrics in some contemporary areas of HR that can present the most acute challenges and the best examples of opportunities to drive the people function forward. These areas are onboarding and training, culture and leadership, engagement and retention, turnover, wellness, diversity and inclusion, HR technology and automation, and job seeker expectations.
These statistics offer important benchmarks but also lay bare the challenges which HR professionals currently face. HR teams must be able to not only understand these statistics but also analyze them and connect them with organizational strategy. This will ensure the HR division pivots from being administrative to transformational.
Onboarding and training
- Organizations with structured onboarding processes enjoy at least 70% increase in new hire productivity. [Brandon Hall]
- Structured onboarding leads to a 69% higher retention rate for new hires. [SHRM]
- 72% of companies utilize digital onboarding tools, and 68% incorporate AI into their onboarding processes. [Global Growth Insights]
- Despite organizations spending $1,100 per employee on onboarding training, only 13% of employees are satisfied with their onboarding experience. [Statista]
Ultimately, the importance of clear and structured training programs for new employees and existing ones cannot be understated. Effective onboarding is the best way to ensure new employees land well, and with organizations investing so much money into this, it’s clear that on the whole, the importance of L&D is recognized. That said, training needs to be conducted in the right way, and if it’s not, or modern tools such as AI are not used, then this investment might be a waste of money.
HR teams must leverage AI and other learning technology to ensure that onboarding and training interventions are meaningful and a good return on investment. They should also ensure training programs are structured and tailored to specific teams or groups of employees. Training must always be backed up with analytics and feedback.
Workplace culture & leadership
- Currently, 83% of workers globally prioritize work-life balance over salary. [Randstad]
- 55% of employees are willing to resign if they don’t have a sense of belonging at work. [WE Forum]
- 77% of organizations report leadership gaps, with 58% lacking formal leadership development programs. [Sproutworth]
- Managerial engagement is declining globally, with only 27% of leaders feeling engaged at work. [Gallup]
- 76% of employees feel their leader sets the right tone for culture, but over 40% feel that executive leadership doesn’t have a positive contribution. [SHRM]
Whereas employees’ perceptions of their leaders are mixed, one strong trend that has emerged over the past half a decade and continues to carry weight is the importance of work-life balance and non-financial benefits at work. Employees increasingly value well-being and balance over traditional benefits like salary. With leadership engagement and senior leadership reception declining, a risk is emerging where the availability of training and talent managers might decrease over time, impacting organizational effectiveness.
Like onboarding training, investment in leadership training is paramount, tying this into succession planning where possible. Developing tailored training programs for managers is also recommended. HR teams should regularly assess their workplace culture, encourage open communication, and recognize the power of diverse contributions and flexible benefits. Finally, and perhaps most powerfully of all, ensure that leadership and culture are aligned, and that cultural values and norms are embraced and displayed by all levels of leaders at all times.
Employee engagement and retention
- Only 21% of employees worldwide feel engaged at work, while 31% of US employees feel engaged. [Gallup]
- 16% of US workers are actively disengaged (these employees express dissatisfaction openly to others). [Gallup]
- Declines in engagement have resulted in $438 billion in lost productivity globally. [Gallup]
- 73% of Gen Z employees and 70% of Millennials are considering a job change, primarily due to burnout. [NY Post]
- 87% of HR leaders regard improvement of retention a critical priority. [Inflection HR]
Engagement levels are at an all-time low, with very high numbers of workers – especially younger workers – considering a job move; this raises the risk of weakening entire economies. Furthermore, high levels of active disengagement in the US mean that the risk of openly toxic or negative workplaces is very high. With such high levels of disengagement, it’s encouraging that HR leaders are focusing on improving retaining, but this must be done in a way that appeals to all, including highly dynamic demographics of employees.
HR teams should mitigate these risks through building meaningful employer programs that foster recognition, employee collaboration, with the strategic aim of driving a sense of purpose at work. This can include wellness initiatives, career progression paths, competitive compensation and benefits, flexible working arrangements, and redistributing workloads.
Ultimately, HR teams cannot manage retention and employee engagement all by themselves. The way to win here is to involve managers and empower them to support their teams effectively, not only positively impacting their workforce but also engaging leadership along the way.
Employee turnover
- The average global turnover rate is 12.5%, with high rates in sectors such as technology, retail, and hospitality. [Statista]
- There are between 3 to 4.5 million voluntary resignations every month in the US. This is around 13.5% — continuing a downward trend. [Mercer]
- Employee turnover costs US businesses over $1 trillion annually, with the cost of replacing an employee averaging 33% of their annual salary. [Gallup]
As is the case with retention and low engagement, high employee turnover is a costly business, with companies seeing 15% reductions in productivity due to high levels of employee leavers. Whereas the level of employee turnover has, on the whole, decreased over the last few years, some trends haven’t changed, with certain industries reporting stubbornly high levels of turnover, as they have done for some time. These industries, such as hospitality, retail and technology, have also historically high levels of burnout and routinely lower levels of job satisfaction.
HR teams in high-risk industries need to think creatively to address employee turnover. This can include providing growth opportunities, finding ways to engage the workforce or add meaning to notoriously repetitive and stressful roles, and ensuring management workloads and recognizing peak hours or times where work might be tougher than normal. Investing in leadership development can provide managers with the skills needed to enrich their teams and work towards lower levels of turnover.
Employee wellness
- In 2025, work related stress has surpassed factors like inflation and AI anxiety as the leading cause of mental strain amongst employees. [Wellable]
- A third of all employees are experiencing persistent burnout at work, with higher levels amongst Gen X, senior managers, and those working on site, as opposed to remotely. [Web MD]
- Mental health remains the leading priority in wellness investment for US employers, with wellness programs proven to boost productivity by 20%. [Electro IQ]
Despite high levels of investment in mental health and wellness initiatives, it appears that these programs are not always landing well at work. Many employees still feel burned out, and many more feel that their employer doesn’t care. This points to an inconsistent focus on wellness, or these benefits not being targeted at the right people. Once again, the risks of this missed approach mean that retention, engagement, and productivity are impacted.
HR teams must double down on their investment in wellness and mental health programs to proactively combat this burnout epidemic. This can include the provision of stress management workshops, counselling services or EAPs, and other mental health programs.
Additionally, HR must work with managers to improve communication and trust, fostering an organizational culture where employees feel their wellbeing is genuinely valued. Finally, all of these programs should be measured and analyzed to help the HR team figure out how effective they are, how they are being perceived, and if they are inclusive and able to be used by all.
Diversity and inclusion
- 76% of employees and job seekers report workforce diversity as an important consideration. [Glassdoor]
- 61% of US employees report experiencing or witnessing discrimination in the workplace. [Glassdoor]
- Only 4.1% of Fortune 500 companies have a female CEO.
- Companies ranked in the top 25% for racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to outperform their competitors. [Electro IQ]
A lack of diversity and inclusion can impact organizational performance; companies that don’t have DEI practices in place might suffer performance and reputational challenges. Nevertheless, employees feel there’s more to do. This is backed up by some of the statistics, especially with regards to female senior leaders. More concerningly, despite many organizations offering DEI strategies, a large percentage of employees face discrimination at work.
HR teams should lead the charge when it comes to implementing DEI strategies. Senior leaders need to get on board and hiring managers and board members should take a broader look at talent markets when it comes to diverse hiring for senior roles. Regular DEI training will promote awareness of such matters at work, and go a long way in fostering an inclusive workplace environment that values diverse perspectives and encourages open dialogue.
HR technology and automation
- By 2025, 80% of organizations are expected to integrate AI into HR functions, with AI adoption in HR growing by 35% year on year. [Gartner and Mckinsey]
- HR employees spend up to 57% of their time on administrative tasks. [Deel]
- Organizations embracing HR technology have seen a 67% improvement in employee retention and 32% in employee engagement. [Darwinbox]
- 70% of employees will interact with AI powered tools daily in 2025.
- The Global HR technology market is expected to reach US$35.6 billion in 2025. [LLC Buddy]
Employees no longer regard AI-powered HR tools as unnerving or unusual; they expect it and understand that they can bring tremendous value to their workplace. Similarly, HR teams can benefit significantly from using these tools; their organizations can see gains in engagement and retention metrics, and their own administrative workload can be lessened, making teams more efficient and less susceptible to burnout.
HR teams can manage this shift by providing training to HR professionals and the employees using HR technology and automation. As new tools are rolled out, it’s vital to measure their impact and evaluate how or if they can be better used, for maximum impact. HR must also implement ethical guidelines for the use of HR technology and AI tools to ensure they’re being used in the right way and for the right reasons.
Finally, HR must ensure that they shift their own priorities and workload, to take the most advantage out of the synergies and time saved if administrative tasks are passed over to automation.
Jobseeker expectations
- The average starting salary in the US stands at $68,680. However, a large number of Gen Z graduates entering the workforce expect a significant amount more than this. [MarketWatch]
- 65% of HR professionals use AI at various stages of the recruitment process. [SHRM]
- 27% of recruiters are citing that the lack of remote work options is proving a challenge in attracting candidates. [Jobvite]
- 64% of Millennials prefer working in roles that align with their interests and values, even if this means accepting lower pay. [Folks]
There is a growing mismatch in salary expectations and working patterns, with many candidates expecting higher wages and a more flexible workplace than most organizations can provide. The growing tendency for employers to move away from hybrid work models means that many workers are at increasing risk of burnout. This means they are prioritizing roles and organizations that offer cultural fit as opposed to higher salaries.
Additionally, whereas AI in HR is becoming increasingly commonplace for employees, its presence in the recruitment process still creates anxiety, especially with regards to how ATS programs sift résumés.
HR teams need to be as transparent as possible when discussing roles with candidates. Selling the reality, not the dream, will help manage incoming employees’ expectations and reduce the risk of swift turnover. Regularly auditing AI use in recruitment will help recruiters understand its impact on talent markets as well as candidate experience. Addressing burnout proactively through wellness programs and supporting managers to distribute workload appropriately will also help.
Finally, emphasizing cultural add in the recruitment process to attract candidates most aligned to an organization’s vision and values will offer the highest chance of success at finding the right people who will find the most happiness working at your organization.
Final thoughts
These current statistics demonstrate that HR professionals have a lot to think about in 2025. These include incredible and demonstrable movements in automation, approaches to work, workplace culture, competitive talent markets and important emphasis on DEI. HR teams need to keep all these plates spinning at once, and this is not an easy task.
Using these statistics and undergoing analysis of them is a good place to start in formatting an HR strategy that is quantitatively aligned to contemporary challenges. HR leaders can present this strategy and the statistics behind it to organizational leaders. Ultimately, the numbers don’t lie, and will tell a story that will demonstrate to the business that focusing on these areas will have a large and positive impact on organizational metrics.