CHRO 3.0 Preparing to lead the future HR function in Asia-Study by CCL
The HR function in the country has seen a paradigm shift over the past decade; graduating from a ‘cost center’ with primary operations and administrative responsibilities to a strategic function that enhances and develops the most critical assets an enterprise may have, its people. Despite awareness that the function is evolving rapidly, there seems to be a huge chasm between organizations that are further down the journey in terms of their HR function maturity, and those that are still hinged on the operational piece.
Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and The National HRD Network (NHRDN), Bangalore Chapter jointly published a research study to discuss some of the polarities the HR leader of the future may face. It also explores the ways in which the HR Leader can ‘engineer’ crucible experiences to exponentially develop herself and her team over the next decade.
Following were the key aims of this research study:
- To identify the drivers of change within the HR function in India,
- To identify critical development gaps in senior leaders at the helm of the HR function in the country; and
- To provide guidance on changes the leaders may want to bring about in terms of their mindsets and skills, to be ‘relevant’ in the future.
Some major ideas that emerged from the research:
- The need of the hour is that the HR leader, on the one hand, plays a ‘true’ partner and advisor to the business leader(s), while on the other hand grounds herself on managing the most fundamental people processes in the enterprise.
- Technology has been both a big disruptor and a big leveler. While it has changed [or is changing] the way HR is done in enterprises, it has also provided an opportunity to HR functions across the board to take their ‘game’ up a few notches in one stroke of the brush!
- The HR leader of the future will need to find a fine balance between leaning on technology to enhance the impact of the function, while simultaneously not losing sight of the ‘human’ aspect of human resources.