browse chapter:
man and woman talking
man and woman talking

introduction

Between keeping up with new compensation and benefit demands from today's job seekers to finding talent amid ongoing shortages and even navigating the uncharted waters of company culture in hybrid and remote environments, today's HR pros have a lot on their plates. See 2023's biggest HR trends, challenges and opportunities here — plus up-to-date HR salaries for dozens of today's key HR roles.

quote icon

After another turbulent year of trends like quiet quitting and quick quitting, the year ahead will continue to be dynamic in new ways. While employers are facing further economic uncertainty, we expect significant growth for at least two industries: healthcare and manufacturing. With the potential impact of the CHIPS bill, the manufacturing industry will continue to grow, and there will likely be some near term slowing in logistics before it normalizes.

The balance between employers and workers continues to be a point of serious discord. In 2022, workers found themselves in the unique position of commanding more authority in negotiating new and existing positions leading to significant wage growth. Now a shift in the economy is placing more of that power in companies’ hands. It’s important to remember that the labor market is essentially a two-sided relationship. Workers can expect that pendulum to swing back to some degree in 2023.

Companies are also facing an ongoing talent shortage. However, the demand for workers remains high despite already low unemployment. As a result, employers must be creative in their approach to talent engagement. That means looking beyond the trends. Best practices for attracting and retaining top talent will vary based on the type of work people do and their organization’s needs.

Organizations should be mindful of how much the workplace has changed in the past few years. They must consider other ways to meet workers' needs in relation to flexibility, belonging, and autonomy. The focus should be on creating a dynamic workplace that addresses the needs of employees beyond salary and benefits.

Returning to the office is another topic that doesn’t have a one size fits all answer. There are benefits and drawbacks to working remotely, returning to the office and implementing a hybrid model. Flexibility will be essential while ensuring engagement and the synergies of working together with teams in the office when necessary.

Greg Dyer
SPE, Chief Commercial Officer

the growing need for people analytics

As HR leaders look to emphasize the “H” in HR through enhanced wellness benefits and people-first cultures, the value of data analytics is at risk of getting left behind. Ninety percent of companies said their CHROs have communicated that people analytics are a core component of their HR strategy — but only 42 percent said that their companies currently have a data-driven culture for HR.

Given the raft of today’s talent challenges, using advanced analytics can help HR leaders hire more effectively, reduce turnover and enhance employee engagement. Employers that make data a priority will have to adjust their candidate profiles accordingly to bring in talent with the right skills for data collection and analysis. With qualified talent in short supply, these emerging roles would be well-suited targets for employers to address through upskilling and reskilling. Retraining employees to take on these new roles can help them advance in their careers while positioning HR to succeed in the new digital landscape.

pay and the EDI&A advantage

With inflation rates through the roof and costs of living rising right alongside them, talent will understandably be looking to offset those factors through increases in pay. For those looking to hire, this may translate to candidates asking more than expected once it comes time to negotiate. If meeting those figures isn’t possible for your organization, prepare to get creative with advanced benefits, flexible options and other levers to offset not meeting candidates’ salary demands. It’s not a foolproof plan, but in a talent marketplace this competitive, employers can’t afford to leave anything on the table.

A worthwhile goal to work toward to offset rising wages and inflation is delivering on employee expectations around equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDI&A). Eighty percent of employees say they want to work for a company that values diversity, equity and inclusion. What’s more, workers who are satisfied with their company’s EDI&A efforts are more likely to be happy with their jobs and compensation. Staying up to date on the latest EDI&A trends, engaging in inclusive workforce programs and revamping your company’s approach to EDI&A can improve talent outcomes during times of scarcity and inject your workforce with the diversity of perspectives it needs to stay competitive.

culture challenges continue

For employers that went remote or hybrid as a result of the pandemic, it’s no secret that company cultures have become a challenge to maintain. Without daily in-person interactions and water-cooler talk, it may be hard to even identify what your company’s culture actually is. This is why 59 percent of respondents to an HR survey identified culture as their organization’s biggest challenge since COVID-19.

This distance has also made it more difficult for leaders to spot and address culture issues before they snowball into even bigger problems. That’s a dangerous blindspot to leave unaddressed, considering that toxic workplace cultures are over 10 times more likely to drive employees away than compensation. To build and maintain strong, positive company cultures in 2023 and beyond, HR leaders will have to be proactive during onboarding and throughout the employee lifecycle, using all-hands meetings, lunch-and-learns, cross-functional events and more to bring workers together, share ideas and foster the culture your company desires.

well-being still matters

The pandemic brought employee well-being sharply into focus, but with the worst of it seemingly behind us, employers can’t afford to go back to “business as usual” and take employee health for granted. In fact, a study found that more than a third of workers are “overutilized” at work — meaning they’re simply working too much and too long — and workers most likely to succumb to burnout spend 79 percent of their days in this “overutilized” state.

To counteract this tendency toward overwork, HR leaders may want to consider setting boundaries on things like times when it’s acceptable to send work emails or chats and implement other initiatives that promote healthy work habits and improve work-life balance. Flexibility around scheduling and remote and hybrid work can also aid in improving employee well-being. Considering that 33 percent of employees would rather be unemployed than unhappy in a job, employers can’t afford to neglect well-being. Doing so risks igniting a retention crisis at a time when qualified talent is already hard to find.

national salaries

Let's review the national averages for salaries across the country.

benefits
benefits low mid high
benefits analyst $64,560 - $71,356 $77,033 - $85,141 $90,751 - $100,303
benefits assistant/associate $36,250 - $40,066 $42,501 - $46,975 $49,082 - $54,248
benefits director $140,240 - $155,002 $183,487 - $202,801 $234,712 - $259,418
benefits manager $119,429 - $132,001 $144,976 - $160,236 $174,111 - $192,439
retirement specialist $46,864 - $51,797 $57,303 - $63,335 $68,839 - $76,085
benefits/compensation/HRIS
benefits/compensation/HRIS low mid high
benefits and compensation specialist $51,180 - $56,568 $62,102 - $68,640 $74,141 - $81,945
benefits and HRIS specialist $54,428 - $60,158 $66,187 - $73,155 $78,974 - $87,287
director of HRIS, benefits, compensation $93,244 - $103,060 $131,387 - $145,217 $177,149 - $195,797
manager of HRIS, benefits, compensation $119,429 - $132,001 $144,976 - $160,236 $174,111 - $192,000
compensation
compensation low mid high
compensation analyst $64,413 - $71,193 $78,818 - $87,114 $94,992 - $104,992
compensation director $140,240 - $155,002 $183,487 - $202,801 $234,712 - $259,418
compensation manager $119,429 - $132,001 $144,976 - $160,236 $174,111 - $192,439
employee/labor relations
employee/labor relations low mid high
employee relations director $108,910 - $120,374 $153,064 - $169,176 $206,142 - $227,842
employee relations manager $102,282 - $113,048 $125,918 - $139,172 $153,004 - $169,110
labor relations director (JD) $120,618 - $133,314 $164,609 - $181,937 $217,222 - $240,088
labor relations manager $122,778 - $135,702 $149,001 - $164,685 $178,927 - $197,761
generalist
generalist low mid high
chief diversity and inclusion officer $121,765 - $134,583 $144,858 - $160,106 $195,166 - $215,710
chief human resources officer (CHRO) $198,048 - $218,896 $337,022 - $372,498 $406,318 - $449,088
HR coordinator $38,851 - $42,941 $45,522 - $50,314 $52,577 - $58,111
HR director $108,910 - $120,374 $153,064 - $169,176 $206,142 - $227,842
HR generalist $64,941 - $71,777 $78,455 - $86,713 $93,487 - $103,327
HR manager $112,164 - $123,970 $136,238 - $150,578 $163,662 - $180,890
HR specialist $47,306 - $52,286 $57,499 - $63,551 $68,694 - $75,924
vice president of HR $108,427 - $119,841 $200,237 - $221,315 $314,108 - $347,172
HRIS
HRIS low mid high
compensation director $140,240 - $155,002 $183,487 - $202,801 $234,712 - $259,418
HRIS analyst $75,371 - $83,305 $90,849 - $100,413 $108,150 - $119,534
HRIS manager $111,922 - $123,704 $135,948 - $150,258 $163,315 - $180,507
learning and development
learning and development low mid high
learning and development coordinator $72,435 - $80,059 $97,557 - $107,827 $128,072 - $141,554
learning and development director $124,384 - $137,477 $156,228 - $172,674 $192,962 - $213,274
learning and development manager $103,320 - $114,196 $125,603 - $138,825 $150,945 - $166,833
learning specialist (trainer) $57,737 - $63,815 $69,894 - $77,252 $83,359 - $92,133
recruiting/talent acquisition
recruiting/talent acquisition low mid high
director of talent acquisition $104,837 - $115,873 $147,429 - $162,947 $198,604 - $219,510
head of recruitment $96,171 - $106,295 $118,481 - $130,953 $144,014 - $159,174
manager of talent acquisition $108,491 - $119,911 $131,822 - $145,698 $158,381 - $175,053
recruiter $57,462 - $63,510 $70,459 - $77,875 $84,996 - $93,942
recruiting manager $89,679 - $99,119 $114,181 - $126,200 $140,860 - $155,688
talent acquisition/staffing specialist $53,046 - $58,630 $65,149 - $72,007 $78,646 - $86,924
talent management/organizational development (OD)
talent management/organizational development (OD) low mid high
director of talent management/OD $105,505 - $116,611 $148,353 - $163,969 $199,840 - $220,876
manager of talent management/OD $112,033 - $123,825 $136,080 - $150,404 $163,474 - $180,682

regional variance

The variance percentages can be applied to the national averages to calculate the salaries in your area.

city variance to national AVG
AR: Little Rock -8.0%
AZ: Phoenix 7.0%
CA: Los Angeles 57.6%
CA: San Diego 42.2%
CA: San Francisco 64.8%
CO: Denver 15.3%
CT: Hartford 25.8%
CT: Stamford 45.0%
DC: Washington, D.C. 31.3%
DE: Wilmington 17.0%
FL: Jacksonville 4.1%
FL: Miami/Fort Lauderdale 10.8%
FL: Orlando 0.9%
FL: Tampa 3.0%
GA: Atlanta -4.1%
IL: Chicago 2.5%
IN: Indianapolis -1.9%
KY: Louisville -2.9%
LA: New Orleans 0.6%
MA: Boston 34.5%
MD: Baltimore 17.4%
MN: Minneapolis 4.5%
MO: Kansas City -6.1%
MO: St. Louis -2.1%
NC: Charlotte -1.7%
NC: Raleigh -2.9%
NV: Las Vegas 9.5%
NY: New York City 37.2%
NY: Rochester 5.3%
NY: Syracuse 3.8%
OH: Cincinnati -3.2%
OH: Cleveland -3.1%
OH: Columbus -5.1%
OH: Toledo -5.8%
OR: Portland 21.1%
PA: Harrisburg 3.8%
PA: Philadelphia 17.0%
PA: Pittsburgh 3.0%
RI: Providence 27.7%
TN: Nashville -4.1%
TX: Austin -3.4%
TX: Dallas -1.2%
TX: Houston -3.1%
TX: San Antonio -2.2%
UT: Salt Lake City 4.4%
VA: Richmond 3.9%
WA: Seattle 22.6%
WI: Milwaukee 7.4%
browse chapter: