{"id":679,"date":"2020-07-28T15:42:20","date_gmt":"2020-07-28T19:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sage-people-scraping-ca.local\/?p=679"},"modified":"2025-05-07T10:05:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:05:17","slug":"hr-skills-needed-future-changing-post-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/hr-skills-needed-future-changing-post-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"What skills will the HR leader of tomorrow need? | 8 experts reveal how HR skills are changing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat skills will the HR leader of tomorrow need? | 8 experts reveal how HR skills are changing\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Headashot\t\t\t\tCharlotte Penny<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

What a year it\u2019s
been in HR. Have you had chance to catch your breath yet?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The global pandemic has been a huge challenge for HR and People leaders, but HR has stepped up. In many cases, it has expedited existing HR priorities, catapulting things like remote working and digital transformation to the top of the HR agenda. In the words of Josh Bersin, \u201cAll the talk of \u2018seat at the table\u2019 is over \u2013 HR professionals are leading the charge<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve used this opportunity to take stock: how is the role of HR evolving? Our \u2018changing face of HR\u2019 research report<\/a> revealed four skills vital for the HR leader of the future \u2013 communications, people analytics, creativity, and tech-savviness. So, we asked eight HR experts: how can HR and People leaders upskill in these areas? What skills do they think are needed for the HR leader of tomorrow?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They reveal
their top tips, share how HR leaders are building capability in recent months,
and how to get ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The most
important step starts in the mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo stay
relevant as the world around us changes, we must drastically re-imagine values
and beliefs about our profession, and the relation we have with other
stakeholders in our organization,\u201d explains CEO of Jumpstart HR, Joey Price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHR leaders
are being forced to don new identities that are agile, tech, and data-oriented,
and readily embracing change. That battle will be won in the mind of the
professional before it can be won within an organization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joey adds not
to underestimate the need to be tech-savvy to improve workplace culture and
give you a competitive advantage also. \u201cFor quite some time, HR leaders have
shied away from technical conversations because we\u2019ve felt the greatest value
that we bring to an organization is our heart,\u201d he explains. \u201cBut we must
accept the reality that the world has evolved. We are not in the same
professional landscape as we were a year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Creativity
is vital, but it cannot happen without learning from mistakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Modern
research organizations create breakthroughs in science not by following one
path, but by trying thousands of experiments until one gives the results it
needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best HR
leaders I know pilot new ideas, with a view that four out of five may fail,\u201d explains
Anthony Ryland, CEO, Tap\u2019d Solutions. \u201cIt\u2019s the learning and adapting that they
see as a key part of creativity. This needs an open culture of learning by
mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Communication
is more important than ever<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Communication
goes beyond typical rhetoric and needs to be emotionally engaging, believable,
stretching, inclusive and timely, says Perry Timms, Founder of People and
Transformational HR. \u201cWith so much \u2018corporate propaganda\u2019 people need to
believe in what\u2019s being shared, so HR\u2019s sense check on what makes a difference
\u2013 acting as internal communications auditors and evaluators \u2013 should not be
underestimated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose open
organizations seem to have weathered recent changes in the world of work,
because they have been strong in communication as their starting point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. HR leaders
need to be \u2018super-connectors\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HR and People
leaders must show that they can be \u201csuper-connectors of an organization\u201d and
build collaborative networks while breaking down barriers or silos to keep
people engaged, says Exaqueo\u2019s Employment Brand Strategist, Emily Fritz. \u201cThe
workforce is becoming increasingly more virtual and dispersed, needing HR
leaders to become more creative in how they connect with employees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Follow the
money<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Founder of
HRnB Consulting, Talia Edmundson, suggests considering how a COO or CFO reports
to the person in the company\u2019s driver\u2019s seat. \u201cThey\u2019re direct, succinct, and
matter of fact,\u201d she says. \u201cPractice phrasing. Learn how to read a P&L.
Follow the money. Understand your company\u2019s market and customer. Most
importantly, communicate like a business leader.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Early tech
adopters will get ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Paul Falcone,
CHRO at Motion Picture and Television Fund, believes that HR leaders that
demonstrate a natural inclination to pursue technology will thrive in
tomorrow\u2019s HR world. \u201cEarly adopters of data-driven intelligence will have a
significant advantage over their competition and remain in high demand,\u201d he
says. \u201cNow, more than ever, the time to capitalize on these new tools will
cement your place in HR\u2019s future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. It\u2019s not
data that\u2019s important \u2013 but what you do with it<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For Dave
Ulrich, Rensis Likert Professor at the University of Michigan Ross School of
Business, \u201cPeople analytic skills is not the key competence, but HR needs to be
able to \u2018do\u2019 analytics to deliver business results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He explains:
\u201cHR dashboards, scorecards, and insights are less important than creating
information asymmetries that help a business win in the marketplace.\u201d
Ultimately, talent, leadership, and organization analytics need to link to
business outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Shape
business needs, don\u2019t just respond to them<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThroughout much of history, HR professionals expected the
organization to define business needs, and then HR would respond by designing
and implementing competencies and capabilities,\u201d says Wayne
Brockbank, Clinical Professor of Business at Michigan Business School. \u201cHR leaders need to shift from away from being reactive to business
needs, to being proactive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018HR leaders
can lead with courage in today\u2019s uncertain world \u2013 if they have the confidence
to step up\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUltimately, business leaders are asking HR and People leaders about the best way to navigate the gig economy, pandemics, artificial intelligence, the largest multi-generational workforce of all time, and other topics \u2013 all at once,\u201d says CEO of Jumpstart HR, Joey Price. \u201cThese are challenging times that are demanding; HR and People leaders are uniquely positioned to lead courageously and with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n \n

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The changing face of HR<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Download this free report from Sage and discover how the modern HR function is vital to an organization’s growth and success<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet your free report<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Colleagues\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Get a roundup of our best business advice in your inbox every month.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The global pandemic means HR has stepped up, but how can HR leaders continue to build skillsets. 8 experts share their top tips for success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1660,"featured_media":8023,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"business_type":[99],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[76],"imagine_tag":[234],"coauthors":[327],"class_list":["post-679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employing-people","business_type-medium-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ca","author_name":"Charlotte Penny","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-939019528.jpg","imagine_tags":{"234":"HR"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Canada English","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1660"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/8023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=679"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ca\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}