EXEC-EDU: Companies in Romania are investing up to 60% more in HR departments amid labor shortages

The labor shortages in the local market bring about a more focused approach from the companies on their HR departments for which they are now allocating more resources. In 2022 companies increased the number of employees in HR departments by 60%, after the pandemic, according to internal data of EXEC-EDU, the leader of the executive education market.

"Many of the challenges faced by companies in the post-Covid period are related to human resources. I speak daily with professionals in HR departments, who are probably going through one of the most challenging periods in their careers, full of pressures, but also of opportunities. Now is the time for them to take the reins and become good strategists, after struggling for the past 20 years to move beyond the support department role. The labor market is very difficult, the fluctuation is very high and the competition for talent is fierce, that is why there is a need for both a quantitative and qualitative increase in HR capabilities," said Oana Scarlat, CEO EXEC-EDU.

The most recent studies show that HR has climbed to the 2nd place in the top fields with the most available jobs from the 6th place, right after the IT industry, according to a Hipo.ro report.

In addition, human resources jobs are at the top of the best jobs both globally and also in Romania.

At the same time, the challenges brought by the post-pandemic context have led to the need to train other types of HR skills. Thus, the new human resources roles require the need for developing a "business partner" mindset, in which business skills are essential, as well as project management, data analysis and digital skills. These realities are also on the agendas of other departments, where skills and roles have changed. This is why so employers are prioritizing training activities to increase productivity. According to research conducted by LinkedIn Learning, 94% of employees would choose to stay with a company for a longer period of time if this actively supported them in their careers and contributed to their training.

In response to market demand, EXEC-EDU offers HR professionals the Human Resources Management program, which has a 20-year tradition but has been 100% aligned with new labor market trends. This is the only comprehensive HR program delivered by practitioners that address both the strategic component of HR as well as HR activities and labor law concepts.

“One of the biggest challenges facing companies today is identifying and recruiting valuable employees and keeping them within the company. Many organizations are starting to experience the full effects of this labor market crisis and lose high-performing people who accept more tempting offers or, worse, become demotivated amid the highly publicized quiet quitting trend. Having an effective recruitment and retention strategy requires a robust and well-equipped HR department. As the job market changes, so does the need for HR professionals growth. The EXEC-EDU program helps them develop their new skills, gives them an overview of the field, but also practical solutions that help them face new challenges, drawn from the experience of our experts", says Oana Scarlat.