Fortune 1000 corporations are increasing investment in HR staffing and increasing overall HR budgets, according to a new survey from Bethesda-based Consero Group.

In 2012, 63 percent of Chief HR Officers surveyed indicated the staff size of their departments increased, while only six percent reported a decrease in staff. Nearly 60 percent of participants indicated their budgets increased from 2011 to 2012. Furthermore, HR Officers are generally well paid, with 63 percent of those surveyed earning more than $250,000.

“Our survey results offer positive signs for the economy in 2013,” said Paul Mandell, Founder & CEO of Consero. “It is clear that 2012 was generally a time of investment in large corporate HR departments with an eye toward growth in 2013.”

Mandell added, “While 2012 continued to be a challenging year for the economy, respondents to our survey indicated a 5 percent increase in total corporate headcount.”

The 2012 Chief HR Officer Data Survey was compiled in connection with the 2012 Consero Chief HR Officer Forum. Questions were posed to all Fortune 1000 CHROs in attendance. A total of 49 responses were provided.

Founded in 2010, Consero is an international leader in creating industry-specific events for senior-level executives in industries that include: Legal, Compliance, Shared Services, Customer Experience, Finance, IT, HR, and Procurement. With operations in the U.S. and in Europe, Consero is best known for transforming the executive experience through intimate, invitation-only programs in a sophisticated learning environment with high-level content. For more information on Consero, please visit www.consero.com.