7 uncomfortable realities every CHRO must embrace
As the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), your prime focus is to navigate the delicate balance between employee satisfaction, organisational goals, and leadership vision. It’s a challenging job that often involves difficult decisions, unspoken truths, and uncomfortable realities. So, the role of CHRO requires three qualities – resilience, emotional intelligence, and a willingness to embrace uncomfortable realities.
Leadership is never easy in any vertical, and the most effective HR professionals are those who can navigate the complexities of organisational dynamics with –– honesty, integrity, and the ability to make tough decisions when required. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge and confront those uncomfortable realities, so that as a CHRO you can position yourself and your company for long-term success.
As the key driver of organisational culture and talent management, the CHRO’s role is central to a company’s success. However, the uncomfortable realities need to be embraced effectively, so that a CHRO can make strategic decisions that benefit both employees as well as employers. Here are some of the hard-to-swallow realities they should embrace.
Not Everyone Fits with the Company’s Values & Culture
As a CHRO, one of the most difficult tasks you will encounter is recognising a team member, who no longer fits with the company’s values. Even if they have the right skills or a long tenure, if their values and work style clash with the company, it will be disruptive in the long run. Imagine a high-performing sales leader, who consistently hits targets, but is also responsible for a toxic work environment. If left unchecked, their behaviour could lead to disengagement among the team members, destroying the company’s atmosphere.
While retaining employees is a sign of organisational stability, holding on to the wrong ones can hurt your company. Sometimes, it’s better to part ways with such employees, even if it means short-term disruption.
CHROs not Always Invited in Important Meetings
CHROs find themselves at crossroads, responding to issues instead of proactively shaping strategy. To avoid this, you must be intentional about asserting your value and securing a seat at the table during high-level business meetings. HR is no longer just about compliance and benefits—it’s about being a key player in shaping the business strategy. If you’re called to the meetings after decisions have been taken, it can limit your ability to influence talent decisions. You need to push for inclusion in strategic discussions from the start.
Rockstar Performers, but Spreading Venom
Not all high performers contribute positively to the overall work environment. A "rockstar" employee, who does well in his role but undermines others or exhibits toxic behaviour, can have a negative impact that outlasts his immediate output. Consider a senior software developer, who is exceptionally skilled but dismissive or rude to his colleagues. Despite his technical expertise, this behaviour may cause talented juniors to leave, leading to long-term retention problems, creating a fractured team dynamic.
CHROs Sometimes Projected as Villains
Difficult decisions are inevitable in the world of HR and these decisions, sometimes, make you unpopular. Whether it’s laying off employees, restructuring, or enforcing harsh policies, you will find yourself in tough situations where you’re perceived as a "villain" even if you're acting in the best interest of the company and its employees. When you are forced to implement a company-wide layoff, it may save the business, but it will upset employees. You may be the one who may have to send the message, projecting you as the culprit.
Diversity Sans Inclusion is Meaningless
As a CHRO, you can hire a diverse workforce, but without creating an inclusive environment, your diversity efforts are meaningless. Diversity is more than just representation; it’s about ensuring all employees feel – valued, supported, and have equal opportunities to succeed. A company may hire employees from various backgrounds but fail to provide mentorship programmes, leadership opportunities, or even flexible working conditions that support employees' diverse needs. It results in a lack of engagement and retention among diverse employees.
Trainings can’t Inculcate Leadership Qualities
Leadership development is crucial, but not all leadership issues can be solved with training programmes. If a leader’s behaviour is fundamentally misaligned with the company’s values or mission, no amount of coaching will change that. Sometimes, the best choice is to make a tough decision and replace him/her. An executive is known for micromanaging and stifling innovation. No matter how many workshops they attend, they refuse to trust their team or adapt to their style. Eventually, it becomes clear that they are hindering the growth of the company, and it’s time for a change.
Difficult to Deal with Ineffective or Toxic CEO
One of the toughest challenges a CHRO can face is dealing with an ineffective or toxic CEO. At the top position in a company, the CEOs set the tone for the organisation. If they lack emotional intelligence, foster a culture of fear, or refuse to adapt to change, the CHRO must step in. The CHRO’s role is to influence the CEO to take a more strategic approach—but that isn’t always easy, especially if the CEO is resistant to feedback.
HR may roll out a new initiative to encourage transparency and open communication, but if a leader regularly withholds information or discourages feedback, the message becomes undermined.