Transformation through agile HR practices

Disruption is creating three key futures that HR must address:

• The future of enterprise;
• Workforce; and
• How work gets done.

Business leaders who have seen their organisations experience profound upheaval because of the Covid-19 crisis may find it difficult to understand what it all means until the dust settles.

We have all witnessed an at- scale shift to remote work, the dynamic reallocation of resources, and the acceleration of digitisation and automation to meet changing individual and organisational needs.

The big picture – the role of HR

HR can help propel this transformation by facilitating positive change in three key areas as follows:

• Who we are

Purpose of business.

• How we operate

Transactions and response to customers.

• How we grow

Continuous improvement, learning culture and skills upgrading.

Imperatives: Bringing it to reality

1. Live organisational purpose
   Chief Human Resource Officers (CHROs) play a vital role in making sure the organisation is living its purpose and values. HR can also incorporate purpose- driven metrics into compensation and performance decisions.
2. Think deeply about talent
   Getting the best people into the most important roles How we grow requires a disciplined look at where the organisation really creates value and how top talent contributes.
3. Create the best employee experience possible
   Companies know that a better employee experience means a better bottom line.
4. Strengthen leadership and build capacity for change
   Culture is the foundation on which exceptional financial performance is built. Leaders are expected to be role models.
5. Be agile – HR’s role in flattening the organisation’s hierarchy, and empower employees to get connected through technology
   Organisational agility improves both company performance and employee satisfaction. Flatten structures and adopt appropriate technology.
6. Introduce objective performance management
   Companies must optimise resources in today’s shrinking market. Build mechanisms to measure performance and reward top talent exponentially.
7. Lean into a learning culture by reskilling and upskilling
   Effective reskilling and upskilling requires employees to embark on multi-faceted learning journeys

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Photo: Vasyl - stock.adobe.com