As explored in our earlier article, part of the aim of good leadership within HR has to be to move the function forward giving it a proactive and high profile role within the businesses it serves. Being a great HR leader is therefore not just about rising to the top of the HR ladder, but securing a place at c-suite level, where the scope and influence of HR can be fully appreciated and experienced across the business.
Taking HR to this next level isn’t straight-forward or easy, but it marks a clear step away from being a reactive function to assuming a proactive strategy – and there are initiatives HR leaders can take immediately that will make a difference to how senior leaders experience and relate to them.
According to Stuart Cheesman, a strategist from workplace culture and recognition specialist, O.C. Tanner, while the pandemic heightened awareness of HR’s importance it also put the function on the back foot, requiring it to be effective at responding to the challenges thrown at it by extreme and non-negotiable circumstances.
“If we rewind to a few years ago, heightened people risk suddenly thrust HR functions into a state of reactive flux,” he observes. “Now there’s a necessity to install proactive people strategies to drive business resilience and growth, and this remains an omnipresent ‘must’ for every HR leader.”
People remain a business’ greatest asset says Cheesman and he describes HR as the ‘sole engine’ within any organisation that can strategically drive a proactive culture, with an engaging purpose, to improve the bottom line.
Leveraging data
“The most forward-thinking organisations place their HR functions and people-centric approach at their core, and this is achieved by leveraging data to drive their EVP’s and realising that employee experience is a strategic lever rather than just a ‘nice to have’,” he says. With this level of influence, argues Cheesman, HR has to be proactive, not just having a seat at the table but setting and delivering the agenda.
This shift should look to elevate the ‘People and Culture’ function from simply addressing issues to actively shaping the future.
“Moving HR from a reactive fire-fighting position to a proactive, strategic partnership is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for thriving businesses,” he adds. “This shift should look to elevate the ‘People and Culture’ function from simply addressing issues to actively shaping the future.” The days of transactional tasks and acting on gut feelings are over says Cheesman. HR is now about data-driven insights and evidence-based practices, all of which position the function as a key driver of organisational success.
Know what’s happening
Jacqueline Smith, Head of People and Culture at digital marketing agency Hallam, advises HR to take the initiative by ensuring it is always aware of what is going on in the business: “One crucial tactic is implementing a ‘pulse check protocol’,” she explains. “This could take the form of regular discussion with key teams and leaders to identify potential challenges and opportunities before they escalate or develop into problems. By having open communication and actively seeking input, we’re able to anticipate needs in areas like change management and skills development, especially vital in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.”
For Smith, this is precisely the kind of shift that takes HR away from the run-of-the-mill daily administration work to being proactive across the board. “This proactive approach allows us to lead change initiatives effectively, ensuring the workforce adapts seamlessly.” This in turn, she says, fuels business agility and strengthens HR’s role as a strategic partner.
Interestingly, Liz Raymond, VP of Global Talent, at digital employee experience company Nexthink believes the future of HR lies in a closer relationship with IT.
“To become a proactive function, HR needs to partner with IT to take a leading role in managing the employee’s experience with workplace technology,” she says. “From the outset, IT and HR must collaborate to ensure that HR recognises every tech initiative impacts the employee journey.” For Raymond this includes keeping an eye on whether applications, networks and devices used in the workplace are running efficiently or need to be updated or replaced.
This kind of vigilance, argues Raymond, gives HR an immediate insight into common IT problems that can slow work down and give a poor employee experience. “Through better collaboration between HR and IT, staff maintain access to crucial applications and stay productive,” she says.
Taking the lead
According to Charlie O’Brien, Head of People at Breathe HR, HR is already well on its way to achieving a new status within organisations: “HR is actively repositioning itself as a more proactive and strategic function in businesses, moving away from what was once considered a primarily administrative and reactive department,” she says.
HR is actively repositioning itself as a more proactive and strategic function in businesses
This shift is a positive one and has to take place, she argues, as traditional admin-focussed HR roles are becoming increasingly redundant. HR software automates tasks such as managing annual leave requests and scheduling team away days leaving HR teams with the opportunity to step into more proactive roles. “HR teams are increasingly guiding leadership on employment laws, keeping employee wellbeing afloat and building inclusive workplaces,” she notes.
These are all practices that future-proof businesses and are essential for shaping a more positive, productive world of work. “I see more and more organisations repositioning HR in this way, which is key to remaining resilient and aligned with growing workforce trends,” says O’Brien.
HR is the backbone of any business, responsible for supporting, developing, and protecting its people.
“HR should be at the forefront of every organisation,” she asserts. “It’s the backbone of any business, responsible for supporting, developing, and protecting its people.”
Currently HR many not always receive the recognition it deserves. It is sometimes left out of key decisions, expected to pick up the slack or just make things happen when asked. However in the face of so many challenges, leaving HR on the shelf is to ignore the huge potential positive that the function can deliver. Those involved in the function have the opportunity now to make a greater contribution to their businesses and move the function forward to the leading position where it belongs.
