The recent Bloomberg BNA HR Department Benchmarks and Analysis 2017 report states that the need for HR personnel continues.

The median ratio of HR personnel-to-total employee is listed at 1.4 full-time HR personnel to 100 employees.

HR policies have been changed in regards to the Affordable Care Act and overtime laws. Certain company operations, such as benefits, employment, recruiting, training, development and compensation continue to demand their own budgets, as do departments and smaller companies with fewer than 250 employees. 

The latter group spends six times more on HR functions per employee than companies with a minimum of 2,500 team members.

"For HR executives who want to compare how their departments stack up to similar sized organizations, this survey is the definitive resource when it comes to staffing, expenditures, responsibilities, priorities and influence," Molly Huie, manager of Survey Reports for Bloomberg BNA, said.