HR Recruit finds undervaluation is driving HR departures in 2025

HR Recruit says 30% of HR professionals who left in 2025 did so because leaders undervalued the function, compared with 19% who cited pay. The pattern was strongest among HR managers and above, where 45% pointed to undervaluation and average tenure before leaving was just 1 to 3 years.

Why it matters: - HR turnover can weaken retention, risk management and growth support across a company. - HR Recruit’s data suggests many departures are tied to leadership behavior, not compensation alone. - The finding points to a management problem that may be especially costly at senior HR levels.

What happened: - HR Recruit analyzed its own candidate debriefs from HR professionals who registered in 2025. - Around 30% of those HR professionals said they left because leadership undervalued the HR function. - Only 19% said pay drove their departure. - The analysis covered HR Generalists through Chief Human Resources Officers across organizations in the U.S. and Canada. - The group included privately owned businesses and large enterprises.

The details: - Among HR Managers and above, 45% said undervaluation was the reason they left. - That is higher than the 30% rate across the full group. - HR Managers and above stayed an average of 1 to 3 years before leaving. - Jo Thompson, Regional Director at HR Recruit, said many leaders still misunderstand HR’s role. - Thompson said many chief executives have not held roles that exposed them to HR’s commercial impact. - Thompson said some executives treat HR as a cost to manage rather than a function that reduces risk and supports growth. - Thompson said HR professionals who translate their work into financial terms are more likely to be retained. - Thompson gave an example of presenting an absence policy as a measurable dollar saving rather than just a policy. - SHRM’s 2026 State of the Workplace research found that 58% of HR professionals regularly worked beyond their limits. - HR Recruit identified that same group as the most likely to leave. - HR Recruit found the greatest pressure at manager level and above.

Between the lines: - The findings suggest employee experience starts with how leadership values the HR function itself. - The data also implies that senior HR talent may be hardest to keep when leaders underinvest in influence, not just pay. - HR Recruit’s analysis frames retention as a business issue, since losing experienced HR staff can leave an employer without the people who help keep others on board.

What's next: - Employers may need to show HR’s business impact more clearly if they want to keep senior people. - HR teams that can tie policies and programs to measurable financial results may have a better chance of retention. - The pressure on HR teams is likely to remain a focus as workload and influence concerns continue to overlap.

The bottom line: - HR Recruit’s data says undervaluation is a bigger retention risk than pay for many HR professionals, especially at manager level and above. - More information: HR Recruit about us