60% of HR Staff in Unwanted Positions, Yet Over 70% Find Their Work Fulfilling: The Unseen Career Realities of the HR Profession
A survey of 500 experienced HR professionals by Techbiz Inc. revealed that while about 60% were assigned to HR roles against their wishes, over 70% of them find their work fulfilling. However, one in three cannot concretely envision their future career path, with a lack of role models and uncertainty about their market value being major challenges. Although more than half view freelancing positively, only 5.5% have actually made the leap.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 28, 2026 at 10:00
- 🔍 Collected: June 1, 2026 at 01:09 (87h 9m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: June 2, 2026 at 07:58 (30h 49m after Collected)
Techbiz Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kazuki Nakajima; hereinafter "Techbiz"), which operates a matching service for freelancers and companies, conducted a "Survey on Assignment and Career Awareness" targeting 500 experienced HR professionals nationwide.
The survey found that while approximately 60% of HR professionals were assigned to their roles without having wished for it, about 70% of those in unwanted positions feel a sense of fulfillment in their work. It also revealed that while a majority wish to continue their careers in the HR field, one in three cannot concretely envision their future.
With growing interest in diverse work styles such as side jobs and freelancing in recent years, the possibilities for career development in the HR field are expanding beyond corporate boundaries. This survey analyzes the career realities, challenges, and awareness of new options for HR professionals.
Survey Summary
① About 60% (59.2%) "did not wish for" their HR assignment. Of these, over 70% (70.3%) feel a sense of fulfillment.
② A majority wish to continue their careers in HR, yet one in three cannot envision their future.
③ Top reasons for being unable to envision a career are "lack of role models" and "uncertainty about whether their skills are transferable."
④ Over half perceive freelancing as a career advancement, but only 5.5% have actually taken the step.
⑤ About 80% of HR departments feel understaffed, particularly in "talent & organizational development" and "recruitment."
Background of the Survey
In Japan, the practices of mass graduate recruitment and hiring for generalist roles are widespread, and it is not uncommon for job duties to be determined after joining the company. This is recognized as a unique Japanese employment practice in materials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's study group on youth employment. May is a particularly crucial time when new graduates' assignments are decided, shaping their future careers. In recent years, the term "haizoku gacha" (assignment lottery) has become common, drawing attention to the impact of assignment outcomes on an individual's career and job satisfaction.
On the other hand, the HR profession, which supports corporate growth through recruitment, training, and organizational development, is a specialized field with close ties to business strategy. However, assignments are not always based on the individual's wishes. It is considered a profession where one can discover the charm and fulfillment of the work after being assigned, even if it was not originally desired.
Furthermore, in terms of career development after gaining HR experience, it is thought that many find it difficult to envision their future due to limitations in internal positions and the ambiguity of what defines expertise. Recently, with the use of side-job/concurrent workers and the expansion of the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) market, the use of outsourced and side-job personnel is advancing in the HR field, and the "freelance HR" work style is gaining attention.
Therefore, we conducted this survey targeting experienced HR professionals to investigate the "reality of HR assignments," "current job fulfillment," and "awareness of future careers." Techbiz aims to visualize the diversity of HR careers and create opportunities for each individual to choose a career that suits them.
Survey Results
① [Gap Between Assignment and Fulfillment] About 60% (59.2%) "did not wish for" their HR assignment. Of these, 70% (70.3%) feel a sense of fulfillment.
In response to the question, "When you were first assigned to the HR department, was it by your own choice?" 59.2% answered "I did not wish for it" or "I rather did not wish for it," revealing that about 60% became HR professionals through an unwanted assignment. On the other hand, when those with unwanted assignments were asked, "Do you feel a sense of fulfillment in your HR work?" a total of 70.3% answered "I feel it" or "I rather feel it." This suggests that many people come to appreciate the charm of the HR profession through practical experience, even if they did not wish for it at the time of assignment.
Specific sources of fulfillment included "being involved in the growth of people and organizations" (55.7%), "influencing the entire organization from a position close to management" (39.6%), and "gaining a wide range of work experience and skills" (34.6%).
② [Career Ambiguity] While a majority wish to continue their HR career, one in three cannot envision their future.
To the question, "Do you want to build a career in the HR field in the future?" a total of 60.0% answered "I want to" or "I rather want to." While satisfaction and intention to continue in the HR profession are high, in response to the question, "Can you concretely imagine what kind of career you want to build in the HR field in the future?" 33.4% answered "I cannot" or "I rather cannot." This reveals that job fulfillment and clarity of future vision do not necessarily align.
③ [Career Development Barriers] Top reasons for being unable to envision the future are "lack of role models" and "uncertainty of market value."
In response to the question, "What do you think are the reasons you cannot form a concrete image of your career?" the top answers were "I can't find a role model" (31.1%), "I don't know to what extent my skills are transferable" (26.9%), and "The scope of my work experience is too narrow to imagine" (19.2%). HR roles are often subdivided by area of responsibility, and opportunities to engage with areas outside one's own specialty within the company can be limited. This may create a situation where it is difficult to see career success stories up close, making it hard to envision one's own future.
On the other hand, when asked about "next career steps of interest," "changing jobs" (27.6%), "side jobs" (24.2%), "freelancing" (14.6%), and "starting a business" (12.0%) were mentioned, indicating that a certain number of people are interested in external experiences and connections with other companies. External connections may be providing opportunities to broaden career options.
④ [The Freelance Option] Over half recognize it as "career advancement," yet 94.5% have not taken the step.
To the question, "Do you think freelancing is a career advancement in the HR profession?" a total of 55.2% answered "I think so" or "I rather think so." This shows that the freelance work style itself is gaining a certain level of recognition as a career option in HR. However, only 5.5% have actually taken the step to become a freelancer at this point.
Reasons for not taking the step included "anxiety about price negotiation and contract procedures" (47.9%), "anxiety about being able to continuously secure projects" (47.9%), and "uncertainty about whether my skills are transferable" (37.0%). Uncertainty about the market value of their skills and securing a steady stream of work appears to be a barrier to going independent.
⑤ [HR Department Staff Shortage] About 80% (76.4%) of HR professionals feel a staff shortage, prominent in "organizational development" and "recruitment."
To the question, "Do you currently feel a staff shortage in your HR department?" a total of 76.4% answered "I feel it" or "I rather feel it." The areas with the most significant shortages were "talent & organizational development," "recruitment (new graduates/mid-career)," and "talent management," revealing a particular lack of personnel for upstream functions.
While companies are facing staff shortages, the HR professionals themselves feel "uncertain if my skills are transferable" or "don't know if there's a demand," suggesting a gap between their perception and market needs. This indicates that there is further room for companies to flexibly utilize external specialized talent, and that career options outside the company are expanding for HR professionals.
Survey Overview
Survey Period: April 28 - May 7, 2026
Survey Method: Internet survey
Survey Target: 500 experienced HR professionals / full-time employees / male and female / 20s-50s / 1 to less than 20 years of HR experience
Survey Conducted by: Techbiz Inc.
Conclusion
This survey revealed that while many experienced HR professionals have had unwanted assignments, they find fulfillment and charm in their work through experience and wish to continue building their careers in the HR field.
On the other hand, despite high job satisfaction, the results also showed that one in three cannot concretely envision their future career. This suggests that behind this are challenges unique to the HR profession, such as a lack of role models and uncertainty about the extent to which their skills are transferable.
HR is a profession with a wide range of responsibilities, including recruitment, training, system design, and organizational development. Because they spend a lot of time on their immediate tasks within the company, thinking about their own careers tends to be postponed. However, this survey showed that a certain number of people are interested in external careers such as side jobs, freelancing, and changing jobs, indicating that they are beginning to look at options not limited to within the company.
We hope this survey will serve as an opportunity for HR professionals feeling anxious or uncertain about their careers to think about the future. Techbiz will continue to support HR professionals in creating their own unique careers by providing connections to diverse work styles and options.
Comment from Takashi Iwamoto, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University
The survey result that about 70% of experienced HR professionals in unwanted assignments feel fulfillment in their work and that a majority wish to continue their careers in the HR field is interesting. With the evolution of technologies like AI, many traditional HR tasks are being replaced by technology, while the work of HR is shifting to a strategic role that directly impacts management, which is likely a factor in increasing fulfillment.
In countries like the United States, there are many business schools and organizations where one can systematically learn strategic HR, providing numerous opportunities to build skills and experience for careers as a CHRO or HRBP directly involved in management from before joining a company. Since such opportunities are scarce in Japan, gaining experience in strategic HR through freelancing could be an effective solution for HR career aspirants who currently cannot concretely envision their future.
[Profile]
Takashi Iwamoto, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University
Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgy. Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Graduate School of Applied Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After working at Motorola Japan Ltd., Lucent Technologies Japan, Ltd., Nokia Japan Co., Ltd., and Dream Incubator Inc., he was a Project Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University from June 2012 to March 2022. He was a Professor of Industry-Academia Collaboration at the Academic Assembly, Yamagata University from September 2018 to March 2023, and a Visiting Professor at Yamagata University from April 2023 to March 2026. He was a Project Professor at the Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University from December 2022 to March 2025. Since April 2023, he has been a Lecturer at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University. He also serves as a director of ICT CONNECT 21, Japan CHRO Association, Japan Public Affairs Association, SDGs Innovation HUB, Japan DX Regional Revitalization Support Group, Open Badge Network, and Vice-Chairman of the ISO/TC 260 Domestic Deliberation Committee, among others.
Techbiz's Initiatives
Techbiz offers "HRBIZ," a freelance agent service specializing in HR positions. We not only introduce freelance talent in specialized areas such as recruitment outsourcing, recruitment assistance, and HR system design, but also provide support starting from the organization of HR challenges, such as talent portfolio design and HR task inventory.
In addition to solving talent shortages, we are also committed to supporting the career development of individual HR professionals. We create opportunities for HR professionals to think about their careers and encounter new options by organizing events and communities for HR professionals to interact, disseminating information on diverse careers such as freelancing and side jobs, and providing practical know-how content. In fact, in this survey, when asked, "Are there any services you would like to have for career advancement as an HR professional?" many expressed anxiety about their careers, such as "I can't find a role model." There was also a high demand for "a community where HR professionals can exchange information and consult with each other" (39.2%) and "media/content where they can learn know-how and case studies useful for HR work" (37.4%), revealing that HR professionals are seeking information and connections both inside and outside the company.
Techbiz will continue to contribute to the development of the HR industry by both solving talent issues in the HR field and supporting the diverse career development of HR professionals.
"HRBIZ"
・Service page for freelancers: https://hr.techbiz.com/
・Service page for corporations: https://hr.techbiz.com/client/
About Techbiz Inc.
With the slogan "Changing the way we work, changing the world," Techbiz operates "TECHBIZ," one of the largest agencies for IT freelancers in Japan. In recent years, we have expanded our business to include services that match freelancers in business roles such as marketing, HR, and finance/accounting with companies.
Through high-quality matching by dedicated consultants based on both technical and human skills, we have achieved a project continuation rate of approximately 96%. We support freelancers with long-term, stable work and an environment where they can work autonomously, and companies with sustainable business growth by solving management issues such as talent shortages and DX.
We view freelancers as important "human capital" and advocate for a new concept of "social sharing of human capital," where their value is shared throughout society, aiming to create new ways of working that contribute to the revitalization of the entire Japanese economy.
[Company Profile]
Company Name
Techbiz Inc.
Location
Ebisu Business Tower 3F, 1-19-19 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
CEO
Kazuki Nakajima
Established
September 2, 2019
Business Content
Operation of the matching service "TECHBIZ" for IT freelancers, etc.
Corporate Site
https://techbiz.com/
Services
"TECHBIZ" https://freelance.techbiz.com/client/
"HRBIZ" https://hr.techbiz.com/client/
"FINANCEBIZ" https://fina
The survey found that while approximately 60% of HR professionals were assigned to their roles without having wished for it, about 70% of those in unwanted positions feel a sense of fulfillment in their work. It also revealed that while a majority wish to continue their careers in the HR field, one in three cannot concretely envision their future.
With growing interest in diverse work styles such as side jobs and freelancing in recent years, the possibilities for career development in the HR field are expanding beyond corporate boundaries. This survey analyzes the career realities, challenges, and awareness of new options for HR professionals.
Survey Summary
① About 60% (59.2%) "did not wish for" their HR assignment. Of these, over 70% (70.3%) feel a sense of fulfillment.
② A majority wish to continue their careers in HR, yet one in three cannot envision their future.
③ Top reasons for being unable to envision a career are "lack of role models" and "uncertainty about whether their skills are transferable."
④ Over half perceive freelancing as a career advancement, but only 5.5% have actually taken the step.
⑤ About 80% of HR departments feel understaffed, particularly in "talent & organizational development" and "recruitment."
Background of the Survey
In Japan, the practices of mass graduate recruitment and hiring for generalist roles are widespread, and it is not uncommon for job duties to be determined after joining the company. This is recognized as a unique Japanese employment practice in materials from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's study group on youth employment. May is a particularly crucial time when new graduates' assignments are decided, shaping their future careers. In recent years, the term "haizoku gacha" (assignment lottery) has become common, drawing attention to the impact of assignment outcomes on an individual's career and job satisfaction.
On the other hand, the HR profession, which supports corporate growth through recruitment, training, and organizational development, is a specialized field with close ties to business strategy. However, assignments are not always based on the individual's wishes. It is considered a profession where one can discover the charm and fulfillment of the work after being assigned, even if it was not originally desired.
Furthermore, in terms of career development after gaining HR experience, it is thought that many find it difficult to envision their future due to limitations in internal positions and the ambiguity of what defines expertise. Recently, with the use of side-job/concurrent workers and the expansion of the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) market, the use of outsourced and side-job personnel is advancing in the HR field, and the "freelance HR" work style is gaining attention.
Therefore, we conducted this survey targeting experienced HR professionals to investigate the "reality of HR assignments," "current job fulfillment," and "awareness of future careers." Techbiz aims to visualize the diversity of HR careers and create opportunities for each individual to choose a career that suits them.
Survey Results
① [Gap Between Assignment and Fulfillment] About 60% (59.2%) "did not wish for" their HR assignment. Of these, 70% (70.3%) feel a sense of fulfillment.
In response to the question, "When you were first assigned to the HR department, was it by your own choice?" 59.2% answered "I did not wish for it" or "I rather did not wish for it," revealing that about 60% became HR professionals through an unwanted assignment. On the other hand, when those with unwanted assignments were asked, "Do you feel a sense of fulfillment in your HR work?" a total of 70.3% answered "I feel it" or "I rather feel it." This suggests that many people come to appreciate the charm of the HR profession through practical experience, even if they did not wish for it at the time of assignment.
Specific sources of fulfillment included "being involved in the growth of people and organizations" (55.7%), "influencing the entire organization from a position close to management" (39.6%), and "gaining a wide range of work experience and skills" (34.6%).
② [Career Ambiguity] While a majority wish to continue their HR career, one in three cannot envision their future.
To the question, "Do you want to build a career in the HR field in the future?" a total of 60.0% answered "I want to" or "I rather want to." While satisfaction and intention to continue in the HR profession are high, in response to the question, "Can you concretely imagine what kind of career you want to build in the HR field in the future?" 33.4% answered "I cannot" or "I rather cannot." This reveals that job fulfillment and clarity of future vision do not necessarily align.
③ [Career Development Barriers] Top reasons for being unable to envision the future are "lack of role models" and "uncertainty of market value."
In response to the question, "What do you think are the reasons you cannot form a concrete image of your career?" the top answers were "I can't find a role model" (31.1%), "I don't know to what extent my skills are transferable" (26.9%), and "The scope of my work experience is too narrow to imagine" (19.2%). HR roles are often subdivided by area of responsibility, and opportunities to engage with areas outside one's own specialty within the company can be limited. This may create a situation where it is difficult to see career success stories up close, making it hard to envision one's own future.
On the other hand, when asked about "next career steps of interest," "changing jobs" (27.6%), "side jobs" (24.2%), "freelancing" (14.6%), and "starting a business" (12.0%) were mentioned, indicating that a certain number of people are interested in external experiences and connections with other companies. External connections may be providing opportunities to broaden career options.
④ [The Freelance Option] Over half recognize it as "career advancement," yet 94.5% have not taken the step.
To the question, "Do you think freelancing is a career advancement in the HR profession?" a total of 55.2% answered "I think so" or "I rather think so." This shows that the freelance work style itself is gaining a certain level of recognition as a career option in HR. However, only 5.5% have actually taken the step to become a freelancer at this point.
Reasons for not taking the step included "anxiety about price negotiation and contract procedures" (47.9%), "anxiety about being able to continuously secure projects" (47.9%), and "uncertainty about whether my skills are transferable" (37.0%). Uncertainty about the market value of their skills and securing a steady stream of work appears to be a barrier to going independent.
⑤ [HR Department Staff Shortage] About 80% (76.4%) of HR professionals feel a staff shortage, prominent in "organizational development" and "recruitment."
To the question, "Do you currently feel a staff shortage in your HR department?" a total of 76.4% answered "I feel it" or "I rather feel it." The areas with the most significant shortages were "talent & organizational development," "recruitment (new graduates/mid-career)," and "talent management," revealing a particular lack of personnel for upstream functions.
While companies are facing staff shortages, the HR professionals themselves feel "uncertain if my skills are transferable" or "don't know if there's a demand," suggesting a gap between their perception and market needs. This indicates that there is further room for companies to flexibly utilize external specialized talent, and that career options outside the company are expanding for HR professionals.
Survey Overview
Survey Period: April 28 - May 7, 2026
Survey Method: Internet survey
Survey Target: 500 experienced HR professionals / full-time employees / male and female / 20s-50s / 1 to less than 20 years of HR experience
Survey Conducted by: Techbiz Inc.
Conclusion
This survey revealed that while many experienced HR professionals have had unwanted assignments, they find fulfillment and charm in their work through experience and wish to continue building their careers in the HR field.
On the other hand, despite high job satisfaction, the results also showed that one in three cannot concretely envision their future career. This suggests that behind this are challenges unique to the HR profession, such as a lack of role models and uncertainty about the extent to which their skills are transferable.
HR is a profession with a wide range of responsibilities, including recruitment, training, system design, and organizational development. Because they spend a lot of time on their immediate tasks within the company, thinking about their own careers tends to be postponed. However, this survey showed that a certain number of people are interested in external careers such as side jobs, freelancing, and changing jobs, indicating that they are beginning to look at options not limited to within the company.
We hope this survey will serve as an opportunity for HR professionals feeling anxious or uncertain about their careers to think about the future. Techbiz will continue to support HR professionals in creating their own unique careers by providing connections to diverse work styles and options.
Comment from Takashi Iwamoto, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University
The survey result that about 70% of experienced HR professionals in unwanted assignments feel fulfillment in their work and that a majority wish to continue their careers in the HR field is interesting. With the evolution of technologies like AI, many traditional HR tasks are being replaced by technology, while the work of HR is shifting to a strategic role that directly impacts management, which is likely a factor in increasing fulfillment.
In countries like the United States, there are many business schools and organizations where one can systematically learn strategic HR, providing numerous opportunities to build skills and experience for careers as a CHRO or HRBP directly involved in management from before joining a company. Since such opportunities are scarce in Japan, gaining experience in strategic HR through freelancing could be an effective solution for HR career aspirants who currently cannot concretely envision their future.
[Profile]
Takashi Iwamoto, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University
Graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Metallurgy. Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the Graduate School of Applied Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After working at Motorola Japan Ltd., Lucent Technologies Japan, Ltd., Nokia Japan Co., Ltd., and Dream Incubator Inc., he was a Project Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University from June 2012 to March 2022. He was a Professor of Industry-Academia Collaboration at the Academic Assembly, Yamagata University from September 2018 to March 2023, and a Visiting Professor at Yamagata University from April 2023 to March 2026. He was a Project Professor at the Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University from December 2022 to March 2025. Since April 2023, he has been a Lecturer at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University. He also serves as a director of ICT CONNECT 21, Japan CHRO Association, Japan Public Affairs Association, SDGs Innovation HUB, Japan DX Regional Revitalization Support Group, Open Badge Network, and Vice-Chairman of the ISO/TC 260 Domestic Deliberation Committee, among others.
Techbiz's Initiatives
Techbiz offers "HRBIZ," a freelance agent service specializing in HR positions. We not only introduce freelance talent in specialized areas such as recruitment outsourcing, recruitment assistance, and HR system design, but also provide support starting from the organization of HR challenges, such as talent portfolio design and HR task inventory.
In addition to solving talent shortages, we are also committed to supporting the career development of individual HR professionals. We create opportunities for HR professionals to think about their careers and encounter new options by organizing events and communities for HR professionals to interact, disseminating information on diverse careers such as freelancing and side jobs, and providing practical know-how content. In fact, in this survey, when asked, "Are there any services you would like to have for career advancement as an HR professional?" many expressed anxiety about their careers, such as "I can't find a role model." There was also a high demand for "a community where HR professionals can exchange information and consult with each other" (39.2%) and "media/content where they can learn know-how and case studies useful for HR work" (37.4%), revealing that HR professionals are seeking information and connections both inside and outside the company.
Techbiz will continue to contribute to the development of the HR industry by both solving talent issues in the HR field and supporting the diverse career development of HR professionals.
"HRBIZ"
・Service page for freelancers: https://hr.techbiz.com/
・Service page for corporations: https://hr.techbiz.com/client/
About Techbiz Inc.
With the slogan "Changing the way we work, changing the world," Techbiz operates "TECHBIZ," one of the largest agencies for IT freelancers in Japan. In recent years, we have expanded our business to include services that match freelancers in business roles such as marketing, HR, and finance/accounting with companies.
Through high-quality matching by dedicated consultants based on both technical and human skills, we have achieved a project continuation rate of approximately 96%. We support freelancers with long-term, stable work and an environment where they can work autonomously, and companies with sustainable business growth by solving management issues such as talent shortages and DX.
We view freelancers as important "human capital" and advocate for a new concept of "social sharing of human capital," where their value is shared throughout society, aiming to create new ways of working that contribute to the revitalization of the entire Japanese economy.
[Company Profile]
Company Name
Techbiz Inc.
Location
Ebisu Business Tower 3F, 1-19-19 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
CEO
Kazuki Nakajima
Established
September 2, 2019
Business Content
Operation of the matching service "TECHBIZ" for IT freelancers, etc.
Corporate Site
https://techbiz.com/
Services
"TECHBIZ" https://freelance.techbiz.com/client/
"HRBIZ" https://hr.techbiz.com/client/
"FINANCEBIZ" https://fina
FAQ
What is the most significant finding of this survey?
The key finding is the 'assignment vs. fulfillment gap': while about 60% of HR professionals were assigned to the role against their wishes, over 70% of them feel a sense of purpose in their work.
What are the main career challenges for HR professionals?
One in three cannot concretely envision their future career path. The main reasons cited are a 'lack of role models' and 'uncertainty about how their skills will be valued in the market.'
What is the perception of freelancing as a career path for HR professionals?
Over half view freelancing as a form of 'career advancement.' However, only 5.5% have actually taken the step to become independent, with major barriers being 'anxiety about continuously securing projects' and 'concerns over price negotiation and contracts.'
Are HR departments understaffed?
Approximately 80% of respondents feel their department is understaffed, with a particularly strong sense of shortage in the areas of 'talent and organizational development' and 'recruitment.'
Who conducted this survey and for what purpose?
It was conducted by Techbiz Inc., which operates a matching service for freelancers and companies, with the aim of visualizing the diversity of career paths for HR professionals and providing a catalyst for individuals to choose their own unique careers.