{"id":8733,"date":"2021-06-18T20:03:01","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T00:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=8733"},"modified":"2026-02-12T04:42:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T09:42:02","slug":"hr-leadership-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/hr-leadership-skills\/","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\t\tPeople & Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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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\"\"\t\t\t\tJessica Leyshon<\/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 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been a huge challenge for HR and People leaders, but HR has stepped up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many cases, it has expedited existing HR priorities, catapulting things such as remote working and digital transformation to the top of the HR agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the words of HR expert 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?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Changing face of HR research report revealed four skills vital for the HR leader of the future: communications, people analytics, creativity, and tech-savviness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Below, 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><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo stay relevant as the world around us changes, we must drastically reimagine values and beliefs about our profession, and the relation we have with other stakeholders in our organization,\u201d explains the 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat battle will be won in the mind of the professional before it can be won within an organization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price adds not to underestimate the need to be tech-savvy to improve workplace culture and give you a competitive advantage also.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\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><\/h2>\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 of Tap\u2019d Solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\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><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Communication<\/a> goes beyond typical rhetoric and needs to be emotionally engaging, believable, stretching, inclusive and timely, says Perry Timms, Founder of People and Transformational HR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He adds: \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><\/h2>\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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She adds: \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><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Talia Edmundson, the founder of HRnB Consulting, suggests considering how a chief operating officer or chief financial officer reports to the person in the company\u2019s driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost importantly, communicate like a business leader.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Early tech adopters will get ahead<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paul Falcone, chief human resources officer at Motion Picture and Television Fund, believes HR leaders that demonstrate a natural inclination to pursue technology<\/a> will thrive in tomorrow\u2019s HR world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEarly adopters of data-driven intelligence will have a significant advantage over their competition and remain in high demand,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\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><\/h2>\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<\/a> 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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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><\/h2>\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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHR leaders need to shift from away from being reactive to business needs, to being proactive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHR leaders can lead with courage in today\u2019s uncertain world \u2013 if they have the confidence to step up\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\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<\/a> of all time, and other topics \u2013 all at once,\u201d says CEO of Jumpstart HR, Joey Price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese are challenging times that are demanding; HR and People leaders are uniquely positioned to lead courageously and with confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Download the HR in the moment research report<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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HR in the moment: Changing expectations and perceptions of HR<\/p>\n

Find out why 58% of HR leaders feel they’re playing a more strategic role at their organizations and how perceptions of HR are changing.<\/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\tDownload now<\/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":1118,"featured_media":2922,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[17,166,138],"business_type":[],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[411,204],"persona":[],"imagine_tag":[],"coauthors":[734],"class_list":["post-8733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people-leadership","tag-hr-payroll","tag-hr-software","tag-leadership","industry-human-resources","industry-technology"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-us","author_name":"Jessica Leyshon","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/11\/Jennifer_SAGE_097_full_Edited-scaled.jpg","imagine_tags":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice US","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1118"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8733\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/2922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=8733"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=8733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}