CEOs spend an average of up to 46 percent of their time on HR issues, including management of on-the-job employee safety, benefit compliance, hiring practices and workplace litigation, according to the CEO HR Pain Points Survey released by TriNet (NYSE: TNET).

Thirty-three percent of CEOs cited HR documentation and workplace compliance as their greatest worry, followed by litigation and hiring practices at 25 and 18 percent, respectively.

The survey found CEOs spend their time on:

• Recruitment and employment: 48 percent
• Employee relations: 15 percent
• Benefits: 11 percent
• Strategy: 10 percent
• Compensation: 9 percent
• Health and safety: 4 percent
• Payroll and record keeping: 3 percent

The TriNet survey was conducted by eMedia and comprised 469 CEOs of small and medium size businesses from various industries including technology, biotech and financial services.