Every executive search tells a story about where the HR market is headed. Some trends make the headlines months later. Others never do. From the Search Desk is our weekly briefing on what we’re seeing firsthand through active executive HR searches and conversations with CEOs, CHROs, candidates, and boards.
This Week’s Search Desk
Three themes we’re seeing:
- Return-to-office mandates are creating unexpected executive turnover.
- The CHRO talent market is becoming more favorable for employers.
- Companies are investing in strategic #2 HR leaders earlier than ever.
Return To Office Mandates Driving Executive Turnover
One of the biggest themes we’re seeing right now has nothing to do with compensation or company performance.
It’s return-to-office mandates.
Many HR leaders accepted remote or hybrid roles several years ago. Today, organizations are asking those same executives to return to the office four or five days a week. While some are complying, many are quietly entering the market instead.
We’re seeing exceptional CHROs, HR Business Partners, and HR functional leaders who aren’t leaving because they’re unhappy – they’re leaving because flexibility has become a non-negotiable part of how they want to work.
For employers, this is creating an unexpected opportunity to hire leaders who otherwise would never have considered making a move.
The CHRO Market Is Becoming More Competitive
Another trend is the growing inventory of experienced CHROs available in the market.
Leaders who expected to find their next role in a few months are discovering that executive searches are taking considerably longer than they did two or three years ago. Many accomplished HR executives have now been searching for six months or more.
Some have shifted into fractional consulting, but many are finding that “going fractional” often means spending as much time developing business as doing HR work. For leaders who enjoy building organizations rather than selling consulting engagements, the reality has been more challenging than expected.
As a result, employers today have access to a deeper pool of proven executive talent than we’ve seen in several years.
Companies Are Hiring Their #2 HR Leader Earlier
One of the more interesting shifts we’re seeing is an increase in searches for the second-in-command within HR.
Organizations are investing earlier in strategic HR Business Partners, Heads of HR Operations, Total Rewards leaders, and Chiefs of Staff to the CHRO. Rather than waiting until growth creates operational strain, companies are building stronger HR leadership benches before they reach that point.
The best CEOs increasingly view these roles as force multipliers—leaders who create capacity, improve execution, and prepare the organization for its next stage of growth.
What It Means
The hidden HR job market continues to evolve.
While headlines often focus on layoffs or AI, the conversations happening behind closed boardroom doors tell a different story. Companies are selectively upgrading leadership teams, experienced HR executives are becoming more available, and flexibility remains one of the strongest drivers of executive movement.
If you’re building an HR leadership team—or quietly considering your next move—it’s worth paying attention to what’s happening beneath the surface.
Rick Denius
Managing Partner | HR Search Co.
From the Search Desk is published weekly with observations from active executive HR searches across the country.
Planning an HR leadership hire?
HR Search Co. partners with CEOs, private equity-backed companies, and CHROs to recruit exceptional HR leaders nationwide. If you’re planning a confidential search – or simply want to compare notes on the market—we’d welcome the conversation.
