The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) has always been an important position in a company. That said, the nature of the role is changing. CHROs are taking on new responsibilities and working with CEOs in a greater capacity than ever before.
These shifts benefit organizations. After all, CHRO’s are actively involved in developing companies’ approaches to attracting and retaining talent. Allowing them to have greater input helps organizations find and keep employees who’ll facilitate success.
Recruitment teams also need to keep these changes in mind when helping companies find new CHROs. To remain competitive, it’s necessary to fill this role with someone equipped to handle the additional responsibilities now associated with it. To better understand the importance of the CHRO’s role, consider the following essential points:
Collecting and Analyzing Data
New tools and technologies allow CHROs to perform efficient data analysis. As a result, this has become an increasingly important component of their work. Analyzing data from the past helps businesses make more informed decisions about the future.
This task has long been a small part of many CHROs’ responsibilities. However, working with data is becoming more significant now that innovations make fast and reliable data analysis possible. It’s helpful for organizations to find HR professionals who understand how to leverage these tools to their full potential.
If they aren’t yet comfortable using them, it’s at least necessary for CHROs to feel confident in their ability to learn. An alternative is to hire assistants who can help them perform this crucial task.
Identifying Future Roles
New technologies and shifting organizational practices have also created a workplace environment in which new roles are constantly emerging. Businesses that fill these new but important roles early may gain competitive advantages.
That’s why it’s useful to have a CHRO who can predict what types of positions a company may need to fill in the near future. Simply helping businesses fill current vacancies is obviously important. However, CHRO’s should also be forward-thinking, knowing that filling new, developing roles helps organizations continue to grow in a dynamic world.
Collaborating with the CEO
Again, the relationship between the CEO and the CHRO is closer than it was in the past. Today, companies increasingly recognize the importance of employee engagement and a positive workplace culture. As a result, CEOs know they need assistance from an expert whose main responsibilities involve boosting engagement and fostering a culture in which employees thrive.
Thus, CHROs should be comfortable communicating with executives in general business terms, while also clearly explaining their HR-specific insights. Obviously, that means it’s also valuable when the CHRO has a positive working relationship with the CEO. Too much friction between the two can prevent open communication.
That said, CHROs shouldn’t merely agree with everything CEOs say, nor should they always tell them what they want to hear. CHROs have skills and knowledge CEOs may not.
CHROs can play a key role in maintaining a strong culture of innovation within a company if they’re comfortable suggesting new ideas and challenging CEOs when necessary. While they should be able to do so in a diplomatic manner, CHROs also should not back down too easily when CEOs reject an idea that has merit.
Promoting Wellbeing
Statistically, Americans tend to be overworked. This can lead to burnout. It’s tempting to give into the “workaholic” impulse. However, in the long run, this does not benefit employers. Workers with balance and flexibility in their roles are more likely to be engaged. This is far more important than putting in 90-hour weeks.
As employee wellness has become increasingly important at companies, CHROs have begun to play an increasingly significant role in promoting it. They need to identify aspects of an organization’s workplace culture that may reduce engagement.
Knowing which factors may eventually contribute to employee burnout is key to addressing it. Additionally, a CHRO should also be equipped to identify and implement new ways to boost overall employee wellbeing.
Adaptability
These changes may be just the beginning. If CHROs spend more time working with CEOs, it makes sense that their responsibilities will continue to shift. This is because CEOs and other executives will inevitably find other benefits to collaboration with the CHRO. Thus, while it is important for a new CHRO to possess the qualities listed here, it’s also necessary for them to be flexible, adapting to new changes and demands as they emerge.
Recruitment teams can help organizations find the ideal CHROs for their needs by remembering these points. In a dynamic workplace, a CHRO must have a wide range of skills. Knowing which skills in particular to look for is a major element of successful recruitment.