The New World of Work and HR Transformation

In today’s environment, transformation is more than a buzzword as organizations are undergoing expansive change to their operating paradigms and company culture. At the helm of this transformation, HR leaders must partner closely with executive leadership to set the tone and pace for these changes.

From navigating business continuity and remote work to technology implementation and social justice causes, HR leaders have their plates full. Without a perfect playbook or roadmap, CHROs must rely on both internal and external collaboration to guide strategy and decision making that is right for their organization.

This year has accelerated HR transformation, as most organizations have had to quickly establish new remote work capabilities, support the workforce through tumultuous times — both socially and economically — and operate with constrained budgets and capabilities. 

To set the stage for a conversation on HR transformation, executives across North America responded to a survey, indicating the following:

26% report their primary business concern is keeping the business running

23% report that maintaining culture and engagement is their primary concern

37% report they are spending the majority of their time on leadership strategy

26% report they spend the majority of their time as a leader on internal communications

Moderating this panel discussion was Joe Hudson, CHRO at Newmark Group Inc. Hudson was joined by Carrie Kirby, EVP & CAO at Vistra Energy, Donna Howard, VP of human resources at Fresenius and Sue Newman, director of HR transformation at Republic National Distributing Company.
 

HR Reimagined

For most, HR transformation started years ago and is an ongoing, iterative process. Leveraging technology is no longer solely in the wheelhouse of the CIO and CISO; HR leaders are recognizing the value of the data that technologies such as AI and RPA can deliver to their department. 

Onboarding new employees in this environment has required changing typical operating models and processes to account for safety measures in person or hiring and onboarding entirely virtually. Learning and development programs have had to pivot to account for these necessary changes so all levels of leadership within their organizations are equipped to lead in the current environment. 

While data and analytics are useful in understanding the business, COVID-19 has shone a light on the importance of the “human” side of human resources. Training and communication fall under the HR umbrella, and hours spent listening to employees has demonstrated there is still work to be done. 
 

The Road(map) Ahead

COVID-19 has caused long-term cultural shifts resulting from rapidly adjusting what work looks like and how organizations are preparing a roadmap for the future. In a remote environment, organizations are relying heavily on technology to maintain connections with employees.

There is no one playbook for success in fostering community within a distributed workforce, but centralizing resources and leveraging existing technology that can reach a wide audience have resulted in success for many. Employee access to corporate email can vary, meaning that easily accessible technology needs to be used to reach the entirety of the workforce. 

Frequent messaging from CEOs and executive leadership via live streams, utilizing cloud-based services and collaboration tools, have helped maintain connections within the organization. Throughout these tumultuous times, it has been a priority of HR leaders to make sure employees feel empowered, supported and heard by leadership.
 

Taking Action

HR transformation has accelerated greatly due to COVID-19, alongside calls for organizations to take action with social justice causes and DE&I. Many have made internal and external declarations of accountability and are announcing next steps for their organizations.

Investing in social justice causes and standing up employee resource groups to establish and maintain open conversation show a commitment to improving inclusion and diversity. Many organizations already had a wealth of information, scholarships, training materials and resources available, and there has been an increased effort to promote and expand them.

Organizations need to have strong leadership and consensus from the top to hold people accountable to advance the mission of inclusion and cultural transformation.

Thoughts from the Community 

Resource constraints, both human and financial capital, are often the biggest barriers to transformation. When efforts are not immediately revenue-generating, there may be push back on implementing new initiatives. Transforming HR to thrive in a post-COVID-19 world will require leveraging technology and strong business partnerships to develop and follow the transformation roadmap.

Having the right leaders in place across all levels of the organization is imperative to successfully maintaining an engaged and equitable culture. For some, “listening sessions” have revealed that first-time people-leaders still have work to do, and it is the responsibility of HR leaders to ensure the correct measures are in place to support them. 

Maintaining an open and communicative environment is the first step to ensure the organization will not just survive but thrive.

by CHROs, for CHROs

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