For the past few years, HR professionals have been at the sharp end of some really tough decisions, leading restructures, managing redundancy programmes, and guiding businesses through some of the most difficult conversations imaginable. And then, quietly, it started happening to them too.
The last 12-18 months have seen HR functions across the UK significantly scaled back. According to CIPD data, around 27% of employers conducted a redundancy programme in the past year, with a further 24% planning to do so in the next three months and people functions have not been immune. What makes it particularly hard is that HR professionals often know exactly what’s coming before it does. They’ve built the process and they know the language. Then they find themselves on the other side of the table.
For those delivering redundancies, there’s “almost a sense of loss” and when it’s happening to HR teams themselves, that emotional weight doesn’t just disappear because you understand the mechanics of the process. It’s a very human moment for a profession that has spent years trying to make these situations more humane for everyone else.
The silver lining? A seriously strong talent pool.
Here’s the flip side of all of this. Candidate availability has risen at a historically strong pace across both permanent and temporary markets, fuelled by restructures, redundancies, and reduced vacancy volumes. For businesses that are hiring, this means access to some outstanding HR talent that simply wasn’t available circa 18 months ago. Senior People Directors, experienced HR Business Partners, seasoned TA professionals, many are actively looking, and the quality of shortlists right now is exceptional.
The challenge? Employers are hiring more selectively, with replacement roles outpacing new growth positions, and application volumes per advert have increased significantly year on year. There simply aren’t enough senior HR roles being created to absorb this talent and that’s creating real frustration for experienced professionals who feel overqualified for what’s available, and undervalued by a market that’s taking advantage of the conditions.
Clients are being pragmatic, and that’s fair enough.
The final quarter of 2025 already provided a clear preview of what’s to come, with a noticeable drop in permanent placements alongside a rise in interim and temporary hires. Businesses aren’t doing this to be difficult, they’re doing it because nine in ten organisations expected employment costs to increase because of NIC changes, with 43% believing the rise in the rate of NICs will increase their employment costs to a large extent.
Permanent employment is no longer just a commitment of salary, it’s now a long dated legal exposure. When the cost of getting a hire wrong rises, fewer hiring decisions are made. So clients are turning to FTCs and interim solutions to get the capability they need without the long term commitment. It’s commercially sensible. And for candidates who are flexible enough to embrace it, there are genuinely good opportunities out there right now.
What does this mean in practice?
For HR professionals currently on the market, the advice is to be open minded. An interim or FTC role right now isn’t settling, it’s smart. Temporary workers can usually drop into a business, hit the ground running, and give businesses access to high level skills they may not need again once a project is complete, and for candidates, it’s a way to stay active, build new experience, and stay visible while the permanent market settles.
There are early signs of optimism too. Early 2026 may bring a modest uplift once Budget decisions settle and confidence improves and when that happens, the businesses that have been sitting on their hands will move quickly. Being known, active, and in the market when that window opens matters.
The HR profession has always been built on resilience and empathy. Right now, it’s being asked to apply both, to itself.
Navigating this right now? Rest assured, it’s not a reflection of your worth or experience. It’s the market. And markets move.
At Iconic Resourcing, we’re having these conversations every day. If you just need someone to talk it through with honestly, my door is open, just reach out!
– Emma Pringle – Associate Director, HR & Legal
emma.pringle@iconicresourcing.com
07734 960 876