215 Unique Human Resources Research Topics for Students

Do you want to prepare a brilliant human resources research paper? Are you looking for the top human resources research topics?  No worries! This blog post is for you. Continue reading and understand more about human resources research paper writing. Also, find a list of HR research topics that you can consider for your academic projects.

How to Write a Human Resources Research Paper

The human resources research paper is an academic paper that is basically written on topics related to human resources. What are human resources? Human Resources is a department of a business organization. It mainly focuses on resource management activities. Some popular HR activities in an organization include administration, recruitment, and training of employees.

If you are a student who is pursuing an MBA in HR Management or any behavioral science courses, then you will often be asked to write an HR research paper. For writing an HR research paper, a good topic is what you need first. In general, HR is a vast field of study with numerous research topics. Hence, out of the limitless HR research topics identify a good topic of your choice.

After identifying a good topic, begin your research paper writing process. But before preparing the draft, make sure to sketch a clear outline. The outline should contain a gist of what needs to be written in your research paper.

Next, with the help of the outline, prepare the first draft of your HR research paper. The research paper should be well-structured and organized. Mainly, it should be written as per the standard research paper format that includes an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Elements of HR Research Paper

Here is a brief outline of the important elements of the Human resources research paper.

Introduction: This is the opening section of the research paper. In the introductory paragraph, describe the topic and add a strong thesis statement.

Literature Review: In this section, mention the implemented literature and studies. With a theoretical or conceptual framework, justify the materials or sources used.

Qualitative Methodology: Here, show the research methods and their scientific relevance in analyzing the setting and describing the objects of study.

Quantitative Methodology: In this section, describe the research design, problem question, and hypotheses.

Analysis: Here, in this section, analyze the collected data.

Research Outcomes: Explain the findings of the study in this section.

Conclusion: This is the last section of the research paper. Here, summarize the findings and provide suggestions for further studies. Also, while wrapping up, share your opinions or justify the style implemented.

After writing the HR research paper, by including the above-mentioned elements, proofread the prepared draft. The first draft usually contains many errors. So, do a complete revision and edit the grammar, logic, spelling, and punctuation errors in it. Remember, you can earn an A+ grade by submitting a flawless research paper.

Tips for Selecting a Human Resources Research Topic

As said earlier, HR is a broad field with plenty of research topics. But choosing one good topic out of many is generally a tough task to handle. Hence, to guide you, here we have shared important tips for selecting a good human resources research topic. Keep them in mind and pick an ideal HR research topic.

1. Choose a topic from your area of interest.
2. Identify a topic that you have strong knowledge of.
3. The topic should be informative to your readers.
4. Never pick a broad topic because you can’t cover all major points before the deadline.
5. If the topic is too broad, narrow it down or focus on any certain subtopic.
6. The topic should support you in performing deep research and analysis.
7. The topic should have relevant evidence from trustworthy sources.
8. Select the latest trending human resources research topic instead of a frequently discussed topic.
9. The topic should make sense and help you present the points coherently.
10. The topic should be unique and stand in line with your instructor’s guidelines.

List of Human Resources Research Topics and Ideas

To write an informative HR research paper, you can consider topics related to recruitment and selection, performance management, career development, HRM, workplace safety, risk management, and so on.

Usually, the instructors will propose ideas for writing your Human Resources Research Paper. But sometimes they may ask you to choose the best HR topic on your own. In case, you are asked to identify the topic of your choice, refer to the list of human resources research topics suggested below.

Here, we have sorted different categories and composed the top HR research topics. Go through the entire list and identify a topic that suits you.

Human Resources Management Research Topics

Human Resources Management (HRM) involves managing an organization’s workforce. Also, it focuses on recruitment, training, development, compensation, and employee well-being. In your human resources research paper, you may write about any of these HRM study topics.

1. Investigate the human resource management practices that enhance a company’s success.
2. What are the most effective team-building strategies?
3. Methods for disciplining employees.
4. How to manage international employees.
5. Benefits of regular psychological counseling for all employees.
6. Various methods of enhancing employee productivity
7. Managing part-time, full-time, and freelance employees.
8. The best way to utilize productivity metrics.
9. How HR helps companies remain competitive in a global market.
10. The cloud computing concept emerged in the human resource management field.
11. Assess the factors influencing an employee’s decision to leave a company.
12. How much paid leave is optimal?
13. How does employee empowerment increase job satisfaction?
14. What occasions deserve raises and bonuses?
15. Organizing teams according to personalities.
16. 3T leadership competency model evaluation in the HRM context.
17. Why a flexible workplace is essential in a modern organization
18. Why technological applications offer a competitive edge in HR management.
19. HRM strategies for addressing skill shortages
20. How training and development affect job performance

A Few More HRM Research Ideas

Are you seeking additional human resources management research ideas? If yes, explore the list that has been uploaded here. In the list, we have provided some exclusive research questions about human resources management that will be convenient for you to investigate and compose about.

1. The integrated system for workforce management and its advantages to medium, small, and micro-businesses.
2. The simplest way to resolve interpersonal conflicts.
3. Explore the current human resource management practices in the US and the UK.
4. Why the SaaS approaches and cloud-based apps matter in human resource management
5. Opportunities for implementing the e-HR systems.
6. The impact of the non-financial and financial aspects of employees’ rewards.
7. The significance of risk management under the human resource department.
8. Effective employee training strategies for analyzing hard skills and soft skills
9. What are the scopes of long-term employee training courses?
10. How does employee training help any organization in overcoming the economic crisis?
11. Why ensuring employee engagement is important for retaining employees in the long run?
12. Employee benefits and compensation is a sub-discipline of human resources: Explain
13. Discuss three of the best employee motivation tools
14. Analyze the impact of regular psychological counseling on employee performance
15. How to resolve interpersonal conflicts between employees?

Human Resources Research Topics on Career Development

Career development involves methodical planning, instruction, training, and experiences to improve performance, knowledge, and abilities for career advancement. The following are a few career development-based topics you may examine in your HR research paper.

1. Skills that all employees should develop.
2. How career development helps both employees and organizations.
3. The impact of on-the-job training and stretch assignments on employee performance.
4. Should training be prioritized over completed current work?
5. Professional certification training for employees.
6. Building a coaching culture in an organization
7. The impact of cross-training on organizational efficiency
8. The role of vocational training and apprenticeship in the workplace.
9. How does active professional development affect productivity?
10. Challenges in implementing professional and career development programs
11. Benefits of attaining professional certification.
12. The impact of professional development on the expertise of middle-level managers.
13. Factors affecting professional development in organizations.
14. Why do employers need to provide career development opportunities to employees?
15. Analyze the impact of technology-based training on the performance and career of employees

Equal Employment Opportunity HR Research Topics

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) focuses on treating all employees fairly and without discrimination, bias, or harassment. To prepare your HR research paper, you may take into consideration any of the below-listed research topics that are related to equal employment.

1. How to create a diverse workplace
2. How to manage equal opportunity employment
3. Equal Employment Opportunity and the Glass Ceiling
4. How to recognize and manage discrimination in the workplace.
5. Do people of all genders deserve the same pay?
6. The best tactics for implementing equal opportunity.
7. Government requirements for equal opportunity.
8. Recruiting as an equal opportunity employer.
9. Best practices for mediating disputes between employees.
10. The costs of an unequal workplace.
11. Explore the current human resource management practices in the US and the UK.
12. Why the SaaS approaches and cloud-based apps matter in human resource management
13. What are the most effective tactics to ensure inclusion and equality in the workplace?
14. Preventing discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees is important for ensuring workplace diversity – Explain
15. Compare and contrast the diversity and equality policy of Woolworths Group and Tesco Plc

Performance Management and Appraisal Research Topics

HR Performance Management and Appraisal involves analyzing employee performance regularly, providing feedback, and defining growth and development objectives. Listed below are some topics about performance management and appraisal you may discuss in your HR research paper.

1. Performance appraisal and corporate culture
2. Performance appraisal and employee motivation
3. Reward system and performance management
4. Advantages of having performance standards
5. The importance of performance planning in the performance management cycle.
6. Performance management and strategic planning
7. The importance of feedback in organizations
8. Are psychological appraisals beneficial in the hospitality industry?
9. How to incorporate employee input in organizational decision-making
10. Advantages of automated performance management systems

HR Research Topics on Recruitment and Selection

Recruitment and selection is the process of attracting, evaluating, and hiring outstanding people to fill organizational vacancies promptly and effectively. Here, we have suggested some job recruitment and selection-based study topics that can be considered for HR research paper writing.

1. Is social media an effective way to recruit?
2. How to attract good employees?
3. When is the best time to recruit a new employee?
4. The importance of the screening process during recruitment.
5. The best platforms to recruit on.
6. Best practices for improving employee retention.
7. The role of communication skills during employee acquisition and recruitment.
8. What kind of employees are needed for a large company?
9. Challenges affecting contemporary recruitment and selection strategies.
10. How does an HR evaluate a potential recruit?
11. Recruiting university graduates directly – a good idea or a bad one?
12. What kind of employees should small businesses look for?
13. The selection and recruitment methods that companies in developing and developed countries use.
14. Recruitment and selection process in Family Businesses.
15. The role of human resource planning in recruitment and selection
16. Criminal background checks – Do’s and Don’ts.
17. Factors that affect the HR selection method.
18. How to effectively assess skills during an interview.
19. The effects of cross-cultural recruitment on organizational productivity.
20. Can a company use a flexible work policy as a retention and recruitment tool?

HR Research Topics on Risk Management

Risk management in human resources discovers, assesses, and mitigates workplace dangers to personnel, assets, and organizational operations while assuring compliance. In your HR research paper, you may discuss any of these study topics about risk management.

1. The role of HR in risk management.
2. Is HR there to protect employees or protect the company?
3. How HR managers can identify and assess risks in the workplace
4. What kind of risks does an HR have to manage?
5. How should HR respond to a legal action taken by an employee
6. Training the workplace to minimize potential risks.
7. When should HR take legal action?
8. HR risk management and employee productivity
9. Reasons to carry out regular internal audits.
10. Risk management when working from home.

HR Research Topics on Workplace Safety and Worker Protection

To preserve employees’ rights and well-being, workplace safety and anti-discrimination policies create a safe, inclusive environment free of risks, harassment, and bias. These are some research topics about workplace safety and worker protection you may examine in your human resources thesis.

1. How to ensure compliance with workplace safety rules.
2. Steps to take when an employee is assaulted at work.
3. Ways to address risks and healthcare issues in the workplace
4. Monitoring employees during remote work – is it ethical?
5. Combating sexual harassment at the workplace.
6. Ensuring company leadership also follows safety roles.
7. How to deal with celebrities and famous figures in the workplace
8. The consequences of not following workplace safety.
9. Defusing volatile and tense moments at the workplace
10. Fines and penalties for violating workplace safety rules.
11. Bringing dangerous weapons into the workplace.
12. How to ensure all employees follow health and safety protocols?
13. How to use AR and VR in the workplace
14. The workplace safety methods and monitoring
15. How to ensure the psychological well-being of employees during remote work.
16. The benefits of following safety rules at the workplace.
17. Developing specialized safety standards for the workplace.
18. Ways to prevent OSHA violations.
19. Steps to minimize or prevent burnout.
20. How to identify bullying at the workplace

Talent Management HR Research Paper Topics

Talent management involves strategically attracting, developing, retaining, and utilizing employees’ skills, abilities, and potential to achieve organizational goals. Listed below are some talent management research topics that can be investigated in an HR dissertation.

1. Talent management in small and medium enterprises
2. Talent management approaches among MNCs in the USA
3. Corporate talent management
4. The role of recruitment in talent management
5. Various talent acquisition strategies
6. Talent Hunting vs. Talent Management
7. Different talent management tools
8. Talent management strategies in the military
9. The role of recognition programs and leadership development in talent management
10. Talent management strategies in the hospitality sector
11. The role of targeted learning in talent development
12. The impacts of technology on talent management
13. Risk factors in talent management
14. Trends of talent management in a globalized society
15. Google versus IBM talent management approaches

Popular Human Resources Research Topics

To develop your HR research paper, you may select any of the popular study topics recommended below. But when writing about a common topic, never share the existing information. Instead, study the topic from different viewpoints and craft an evidence-based and insightful HR research paper.

1. The use of an Applicant Tracking System during recruitment and selection
2. Job shadowing versus Job rotation
3. Employee termination process
4. Unique ways to keep morale up during the pandemic.
5. Is an HR department necessary for smaller, family-owned businesses?
6. How Labor Unions facilitate employee engagements
7. Are virtual interviews better than in-person interviews?
8. Handling overqualified employees
9. Online recreational activities to develop teamwork during remote work.
10. Emerging Trends in Human Resource Management Restructuring
11. Does a personality test matter during recruitment?
12. Job redesign versus job enrichment
13. Benefits of a Learning Management System (LMS)
14. Analyzing and updating how much a particular job is worth.
15. Can buying gifts motivate employees?
16. How the Boss Approach Kills Employee Engagements
17. How big data is useful to human resources.
18. How personality affects group/team performance
19. Fun activities that enhance employer-employee relations
20. How to prevent employee termination

Interesting HR Research Paper Topics

You can enjoy your research process and come up with new insights only when you work on the topic you are passionate about. So, for your HR research paper preparation, choose a topic that resonates with your interest. The following are some fascinating HR research ideas you may examine and write about.

1. The use of recruitment marketing by HR departments
2. Hostility in the Workplace and ethical Discrimination with marginalized groups
3. Flexible working plans and the Millennial employees
4. Fathers should be given the same paternity leave as maternity leave
5. Challenges of working remotely during the COVID-19 lockdowns
6. The Importance of Job Analysis
7. The link between working remotely and lower productivity
8. How to maintain work-life balance
9. The benefits of onboarding as an approach to sustaining human resources in organizations
10. How to communicate constructive feedback to a fellow employee
11. Significance of HR KPIs
12. Verbal harassment and bullying of female workers- How do they affect performance?
13. The impacts of virtual teams on productivity
14. The importance of refresher courses for employees
15. The Red-Hot Stove Rule in Employee Discipline
16. Using Data-driven strategies in the HR departments
17. How a company can enhance industrial harmony
18. Evaluating employee performance management styles
19. How non-monetary factors affect employee retention
20. Pros and cons of 360 Degree Feedback
21. How modern companies can solve the inadequate human resource problem
22. Investigating the leadership style of a top brand- Case study
23. How organizational climate affects job satisfaction
24. Calculating possible risks during the hiring process
25. Problems that affect attendance and timekeeping among employees

Read more: Business Research Topics to Impress Your Professors

Informative Human Resources Research Topics

The human resources research paper you compose should widen the subject knowledge of your readers. Hence, for your assignment, it is important to choose an HR research topic with an educational value. Here, we have recommended some topics you may select for crafting a well-structured, properly cited, and informative HR research paper.

1. The effects that motivating lectures may have on workers’ general productivity in workplaces.
2. The impact of motivational activities and programs on workplace productivity.
3. The importance of employee incentive programs and how they affect high retention rates.
4. Contemporary and classic conceptions of motivation are compared and contrasted.
5. Call centers’ use of SHRM theory. A case study of a contact center in the UK.
6. The relationship between strategic HRM and organizational performance. Using the instance of British SMEs.
7. Establishing crucial SHRM elements for small and medium-sized businesses in the UK to strengthen competitive edge.
8. Demonstrating the significance of the link between organizational success and strategic human resource management.
9. A qualitative examination of Singapore’s implementation of strategic HRMS.
10. HR management strategies and organizational culture utilizing Cambridge University as a case study.
11. Write about gamification in employee engagement.
12. Analyze the impact of flexible benefits on employee satisfaction.
13. Explore the role of mentorship in employee growth.
14. How can HR analytics predict talent management outcomes?
15. How does toxic leadership impact employee turnover rates?

Captivating Human Resources Research Paper Topics

Your human resources research paper should be thought-provoking and catch your readers’ attention. As a result, it is critical to write a research paper about engaging HR topics. Some human resources research ideas that might captivate your readers are listed below.

1. Investigate how HR departments achieve equal employment opportunities in an organization.
2. Analyze the effects of employee management on customer loyalty in the service-based industry.
3. Examine the various factors that directly affect an employee’s personal decision to leave employment.
4. Critically analyze how the concept of workplace flexibility affects the performance of an employee and organization.
5. Explain the role of green HR practices in employee engagement and retention.
6. Discuss the role of effective HR planning in a successful strategic alliance process.
7. Explain the importance of HR learning and development activities for SMEs.
8. Investigate the performance review and appraisal methods followed by the HR department of any large oil and gas company.
9. A comparative analysis of various human resources theory approaches.
10. Investigate the role of HR as a shared service.
11. How can diversity metrics accurately measure organizational progress?
12. Design competitive compensation packages.
13. Examine the causes and consequences of predicting employee turnover.
14. Analyze the effectiveness of AI-powered recruitment tools.
15. Explain how to create inclusive workspaces for LGBTQ+ employees.

The Bottom Line

Human Resources research plays a key role in improving organizational performance and employee well-being. But for HR research, you should first identify a specific, meaningful, relevant, engaging, and informative study topic from your area of interest. In this blog, on different themes, we have recommended a list of outstanding human resources research topics and ideas that will allow you to explore critical HR issues, inform evidence-based practices, and drive innovation. Once you have selected the right topic, examine it deeply and share your insights in a well-structured and properly-cited HR research paper. Typically, by investigating HR research ideas, you can contribute to the growth of the field, improve workplace dynamics, and boost organizational success. If it is tough for you to select a perfect topic and develop a brilliant research paper on human resources concepts, finish your assignment with the guidance of knowledgeable and experienced professionals from our team.