The findings from Snowdrop Systems, an HR and payroll software provider, were compiled from 120 HR professionals across a range of sectors. The research concentrated on manager level roles, the firm said.

HR practitioners’ top five concerns are change management, administration overload, motivating staff, personal career growth and how HR is perceived by the board.

The much-vaunted burden of employment law changes appeared relatively low on the list of worries at sixth, Snowdrop said. Only half of the respondents cited this as a concern. More than half believe that the HR department is judged more critically than it was one year ago. Of least concern were the implications of the Data Protection Act (24 per cent) and diversity issues (21 per cent). Administration overload was a problem for three quarters of respondents, the researchers said.

Michael Richards, chief executive of Snowdrop Systems, said: "HR professionals clearly have big issues to think about and are becoming more and more instrumental in determining the future of organisations. HR departments now need to canvass support from line managers to reduce administration. This will allow them to concentrate on the larger issues, giving them more say in the direction that their organisation is taking."