The Famous Five Attributes of Today’s CHRO

With businesses evolving time and again, the role of the CHRO is also changing with it. Though, the chief human resources officers of the earlier times were engrossed in tackling with the human side of the organization. In simpler terms, they ensured that laborious people who were a perfect cultural fit could become a part of the company. They let the organization’s gates open only for those who had the capacity to be trained and groomed and whose actions could be synchronized with the tendencies of the firm.

However, times have changed and so has the role of the CHRO. The current businesses scenario demands the CHROs to show an inclination towards the business facets and keep tabs on the strategic need of the organization. It is not a hidden fact that conventional business models are under scrutiny and soon to be attacked. And, this disruption is pushing the CHROs to evolve into a more essential part of the firm and pay even more attention to who does or does not join the workforce.

They are expected to adopt a more radical approach when attracting talent. They have no option but to refresh their parameters while recruiting along with ensuring a great an unparalleled employee experience, infusing diversity and honing the corporate culture. From hiring to compensation to learning & development, every aspect of the HR function is under renovation and this revolution is led by the CHROs of today.

The Rise of a New Line of CHROs

The HR industry is welcoming a new breed of Chief Human Resources Officers who understand the unpredictability of the current workforce landscape as well as the unforeseeable nature of the business realm. Hence, they are all set with their metaphorical armors and an army of HR practitioners who are geared up to bring significant transformations to the functionality of the Human Resources division. They are prepared to give what the CEOs and board of directors need the most out of them – Transformational skills.

It goes without saying that establishing oneself as a CHRO is a tough nut to crack in the present cut-throat environment. Only the ones who can develop the five primary attributes, which were not within the vicinity of the HR world a decade ago, can prove themselves to worthy of this role.

1.   Opening avenues for disruption

The business models that have been around for as long as we can remember are moving towards disruptions by virtue of start-ups entering the business space and giving a hardcore competition to big organization. Amazon in retail and ride-hailing firms in the automotive sector are great examples of this.

Therefore, guiding this gush of disruption is the top task in the hands of CHROs. Which is only possible if they learn the art of forming strong associations with start-ups and bringing people on board when preparing their company become a part of this ecosystem. CHROs have to make a solid effort towards comprehending this newly conceived environment and partnering with incubators be at the top of their game.

2.   Embracing Agility

Astute CHROs understand that the process of disruption is not muddled and deviating and in these circumstances, even the most neatly sketched out plans are prone to alteration as per the haphazardly moving business dynamics. Ergo, developing agility is a crucial part of a CHROs job since it is an inevitable skill these days.

Agile CHROs are swift enough to foresee business threats and opportunities and nimbly twirl in any direction. They own the capacity to zoom in on the four key aspects of agility that are: Learning, foresight, resilience, and adaptability.

3.   Moving away from the tradition Organizational Structure

Apart from incorporating agility into the organization's function, CHROs need to contrive unorthodox thinking. They have to advocate what is right for the customer and in this pursuit, if they have to challenge the old organization's structure where there is a myriad of layers, so be it.

The route to becoming a successful CHROs goes through motivating teamwork within the workforce. Advocating the mindset of solving a problem as a team is imperative to the position of the HR ninjas who are needed to get projects done through a group of people and then create strategies to redeploy the same people in other jobs.

4.   Opening to Data Analytics

Roles have to change with change in technology. Machine learning and Artificial Intelligence are becoming mainstream as we speak. So there is no way that CHROs can save themselves from implementing them into their functions. From assessing performance to incorporating diversity to comprehending the decision-making process, technology can act as their best companion when it comes to conducting the day to day task of the HR zone.

5.   Orchestrating New Work surroundings

Last but definitely not the least on this list is giving birth to new environments where the workforce can feel more at ease and energized at the same time. With a majority of the organizations being pervaded by the millennials, CHROs have no option but to kneel down to what this breed of professionals wants, which is – Flexibility. These days, employees wish to have the freedom to work from disparate places, from coffee houses to their own homes and its high time the Chief Human Resources Officers put across the needs of this generation before the C-suite. It is only then that a professional can evolve into a 21st century CHRO.