Fifty-three percent of HR professionals eat lunch at their desk and just a third leave the office at lunch; 58 percent of HR professionals take 30 minutes or less for lunch each day. A company culture which required long working hours would lead 63 percent of HR professionals to consider moving to a new role. Comment from Nick Allwood, Manager for HR recruitment at Robert Walters.

Research from the Robert Walters Career Lifestyle Survey has revealed that more than half of HR professionals (53 percent) do not leave their desk for lunch. Just 32 percent of respondents said that they leave the office for lunch, while 16 percent left their desk for lunch but stayed in the office. Nick Allwood, Manager for HR recruitment at Robert Walters, comments: “As the role of HR professionals broadens and senior managers look to them to provide strategic direction to the business, some HR specialists are struggling to balance these additional responsibilities with their core duties.”

“As a result, it is becoming common for HR professionals to forgo their scheduled breaks in order to ensure projects meet their deadlines. Managers must be conscious of the impact this can have on staff morale and productivity and ensure that a culture of working beyond doesn’t become the norm.”

63 percent of HR professionals said that a company culture where long working hours were expected would be one of the main reasons they would consider searching for a new employer. Only a lack of career progression (66 percent) was more likely to drive professionals to change roles. Nick Allwood continues: “As the scope of HR roles increases, employers must be conscious not to allow work life balance to suffer if they want to attract and retain the best professionals. While career progression is a more prominent concern for many HR professionals, the importance of work life balance should not be underestimated when it comes to hiring and top talent.”