HR Researcher

HR Researcher, Research & Insights Team    

Top Employers Institute is the global authority recognising excellence in people practices. We assist companies to accelerate these practices and further enrich their worlds of work. Through the Top Employers programme, participants are audited, certified and recognised as employers of choice. Established more than 30 years ago, Top Employers Institute now certifies over 2,300 organisations in 121 countries. These certified companies positively impact the lives of over 12m employees globally.  

Purpose and contribution to the company strategy

As an HR Researcher, your primary responsibility will be conducting independent and collaborative research projects, identifying emerging trends in HR, and contributing to the development of our certification standards and products. With a focus on topics such as employee experience, HR technology, and AI, you will complement the existing team’s expertise, bringing a more technology- and data-oriented perspective to HR research.

This role plays a key part in enhancing our thought leadership, supporting product innovation (e.g., survey updates, maturity assessments), and delivering impactful insights to clients worldwide. You will collaborate closely with other team members, including the new Research Consultant, to ensure our research reaches and resonates with key stakeholders across the organization.

Key responsibilities

1. Independent and collaborative research
   • Design, execute, and manage research projects (quantitative and qualitative) on HR trends, employee experience, HR technology, AI, and related themes.
   • Collaborate with other researchers to deliver broader research initiatives aligned with the research calendar and our company strategy.
2. Contribution to product development
   • Support the evolution of our HR Best Practices Survey by identifying and integrating relevant trends and topics.
   • Contribute to the development of new tools, such as maturity assessments for specific HR themes, ensuring research rigor and practical value.
3. Trends identification and analysis
   • Monitor global HR trends, with a particular focus on technology-driven innovations, employee experience, and future-of-work developments.
   • Assess the impact and relevance of these trends to our clients and certification standards.
4. Content and insights development
   • Translate research findings into clear, actionable insights for various audiences (clients, marketing, sales).
   • Collaborate with the Research Consultant to support the effective ‘marketing’ of research deliverables, ensuring insights are localized and accessible.
5. Stakeholder collaboration
   • Work closely with teams across the organization, including Client Success, Marketing, and Product Development, to align research outcomes with organizational goals.

Competencies

Company competencies (for everyone):
• Collaboration
• Customer focus
• Global perspective

Key success competencies (in addition to company competencies):

• Analytical and data-driven: You bring a logical, structured approach to identifying insights and opportunities.
• Collaborative: You enjoy working as part of a team while being capable of leading projects independently.
• Impact-oriented: You are driven by creating practical, actionable outputs that deliver value to clients.
• Curious and proactive: You stay ahead of HR trends and bring innovative ideas to the table.

Qualification criteria

• Education & experience:
  • Master’s / PhD degree in HR, Business, Social Sciences, Data Analytics, or related field.
  • 7-10 years of experience in HR research, HR consulting, or similar roles, ideally in a global context.
• Research skills:
  • Strong experience in designing and conducting research projects independently.
  • Proficiency in quantitative (e.g., surveys, data analysis) and qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, roundtables).
• HR knowledge:
  • Familiarity with HR technology, employee experience, and emerging trends such as AI and automation. Experience working with HR-related frameworks is a plus.
• Project management:
  • Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring quality and adherence to timelines.
• Communication skills:

Languages: English (native) any other language is a nice to have   

• • Strong writing and presentation skills to communicate complex findings clearly and effectively to diverse audiences.

We are looking for someone residing in one of the following countries: The Netherlands, UK, Germany, France or Spain.

Top Employers Institute offers

Purposeful Impact. Global Connections. Versatile Working Environment. 

At Top Employers Institute, you will have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge HR research that influences the future of work globally. You will join a collaborative, innovative team where your expertise will be valued, and your contributions will drive meaningful impact for clients worldwide.

At Top Employers Institute, we believe in:  

• Living our human-centric approach (flexible working conditions, including the flexibility to work from home or from the office)
• Thriving in a multicultural environment 
• Growing meaningfully 
• Leadership culture based on trust
• Plenty of room for initiatives and own responsibility
• We pay you to pay it forward: we grant you 2 days of paid time off for volunteering for causes you care about
• We want you to stay with us: you will enjoy a 4-week sabbatical leave paid by the company after 5 years
• Dynamic and strong international culture (more than 30 nationalities spread over 12 offices all around the world)
• Fast growing (20% YoY revenue growth) and sustainable company (founded 30 years ago)

Top Employers Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We respect and celebrate each other’s differences. We know that a diverse workforce enhances our success. We are conscious that having the freedom to be yourself is the basis of sustainable growth. To us, it doesn’t matter where you were born, what you believe in, how old you are, what you look like, or who you love. We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds actually lift Top Employers Institute to new heights and increase our way of thinking for a better world of work. Join us, as there is a place for you here!