An article on the Times website tells us that ever expanding HR departments have damaged productivity in the UK, although they may have made workplaces ‘more pleasant’. John Hayes of Constantine Law takes explains why the author misrepresents the reasons behind the growth of HR and the impact of laws in the employment sphereThe recent Sunday Times article How HR took over British business and got in the way of actual work, describes a bloated HR sector overreaching itself. It is legitimate to ask “why” the number of HR professionals has grown but the reasons for this are complex and have played out over many years. In short, the growth in HR is the market’s natural response to a “rights based” working culture. HR is the bridge between what employees increasingly expect and what organisations can sustainably provide.

Source: The Times September 26, 2025 08:26 UTC