Empowering HR to deliver strategic leadership
Keir Starmer has been labelled an ‘HR manager’ in a recently published book, implying a slight against his strategic leadership. This is an opportunity to rethink the role of HR and challenge some of the common misperceptions.
AdviserPlus HR Technical Consultant, Hayley Saunders, recently shared her insights with People Management Magazine in this article, outlining the challenges HR is facing and strategies they and organisations can use to enable people teams to focus on driving impactful business outcomes.
HR leadership: a strategic strength, not a weakness
The idea that being an HR Manager is a weakness completely overlooks the depth of skills required for the role. An HR background should be recognised as an asset, one that enables leaders to connect with people, drive meaningful change, and build high-performing, sustainable organisations.
HR professionals are multi-skilled individuals who, when positioned correctly within a business, serve as key strategic partners.
An HR professional requires expertise in soft skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, negotiation, conflict resolution, leadership, and people-centric decision-making; qualities we see as essential for any leadership position.
As well as this, HR managers must possess strategic thinking and business acumen to manage workforce planning, change management, and crisis response effectively. All qualities that are looked for in a successful and inspiring leader.
Challenging outdated perceptions: HR as a strategic powerhouse
The misconception about the HR function and profession is outdated, originally seen as ‘personnel’ dealing with time sheets and admin, they’ve had a hard time shifting this perception over the years. But as the business world evolved, HR has become a business-critical, strategic function.
People are often the most valuable and often the most expensive asset, and real leaders are those who understand how to inspire, engage, and empower people to deliver results.
Data is also key to empowering HR to move from being perceived as an administrative function to being recognised as a strategic partner.
Hayley emphasises that, “With the right tools, HR can provide valuable data-driven insights to inform strategic decision-making. The role of HR has shifted, unfortunately some perceptions have not. Successful businesses will have HR deeply embedded in business strategy, driving culture, innovation, and workforce transformation.”
HR managers frequently juggle multiple responsibilities, ranging from tactical support for managers dealing with employee issues to spearheading significant organisational initiatives.
Organisational leaders should prioritise giving HR the time to focus on strategic, big-picture initiatives that connect people management with financial performance, innovation and competitive advantage.
This requires empowering line managers with the skills and resources to deal with everyday employee issues independently, with HR support reserved for more complex cases. HR can then provide their expertise when needed to support managers in navigating more challenging people-related needs, whilst having the time to focus on driving meaningful change and building high-performing, sustainable organisations.
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Discover how a strategic HR function can transform your business. Contact us today to explore solutions tailored to your needs.
You can also register for our webinar in which we’ll be exploring this manager empowerment conundrum, addressing misconceptions, and providing insights and strategies for organisations to achieve business-driven HR. Register here.
