Human-resources departments in American companies employed 1.3 million professionals in 2024, a 64% increase over ten years. Overall employment grew 14% in the same period. Professional-services and technology firms saw the number of HR workers double since 2014. Similar patterns have emerged in Australia, Britain and Germany.
Chief human-resources officers also gained ground financially. Their total compensation, which stood at 40% of the average director’s salary in 1992,…








