How can employers better support HR professionals?

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is making a lot of changes to the world of work, and it’s also impacting the way human resources professionals do their tasks.

For this reason, employers must ensure that they support HR professionals throughout this process, says May Leng Kwok, head of market development - global, CIPD, in talking with HRD.

“These innovations significantly impact how HR professionals recruit, how they train and how they engage employees, as well as how they analyze data to make informed decisions. So embracing technological change is crucial for HR professionals to remain agile and effective in today's dynamic and workplaces. It enables us to streamline processes, for example, or enhance employee experiences. But, ultimately, the goal is to drive organizational success.”

Innovating with generative AI

Four in 10 executives believe that investing in GenAI will deliver the biggest boost to productivity in their organisations, according to a previous report from Mercer.

Talking about GenAI, Kwok notes: “Now is the time for organisations to learn, experiment and innovate, to understand both the potential benefits to people and jobs and business outcomes, but also to understand the risks.”

Employers must influence AI throughout its development and deployment “to shape a positive future for AI in HR practice,” she says.

Ultimately, HR professionals, Kwok says, can also play a crucial role in the implementation and use of AI throughout the organisation by:

• providing a domain of knowledge and expertise to ensure AI works as intended and is unbiased
• working closely with those developing the AI system to engage with workers and prospective workers who will be affected by AI to ensure that AI is used ethically
• understanding broadly how the AI works and making recommendations

How do you support HR professionals’ career advancement?

Career progression among HR professionals is also important. Overall, 75% say they are keen to advance their careers, according to CIPD’s report titled HR talent trends: What's next for our senior leaders?

And HR professionals consider the following to be the top three skills needed to support career progression in HR, according to CIPD’s report based on a survey of 71 HR professionals and three focus group discussions among 29 people professionals, ranging from managers and directors to senior leaders.

Business partnering (51%): “The rapidly changing business environment is presenting new ambiguities and people challenges, highlighting the need for people professionals to step up and help organisations transform for the future,” says Kwok.

“So this means understanding the business better, ensuring their own knowledge and skill sets are up to date and relevant and ensuring that they're supporting the organization for transformation. Trends in the external environment are elevating the importance of the [HR] profession as a strategic business function. [Through business partnering], people teams can further increase their visibility across the organization to build credibility as a trusted strategic adviser, and demonstrate the impact they contribute.” 

Through this, HR professionals can also feel “a sense of purpose” and find “motivation to work in the profession,” she says.

Learning and development (L&D) (38%): Opportunities for learning and progression are important for enhancing HR practitioners’ job satisfaction, says Kwok.

“Upskilling through L&D activities, professional qualifications and networking are valued by people practitioners as ways of increasing professional credibility and supporting their own career development. It's also been cited as a retention reason for them.”

There is a rising demand for AI, leadership and IT certification among businesses, a previous report by Udemy found.

Organisation design and development (34%): HR needs to apply strong business acumen alongside soft and human skills, such as emotional intelligence and adaptability and problem-solving leadership, to help companies cope with the changing times, says Kwok. 

“Navigating these paradoxes presented by the changing world of work requires practitioners to use situational judgment and evidence-based practice alongside listening skills and creativity. This growth mindset and analytical capability will also help practitioners lead effective people strategies in a digital environment, hence the need for [Organisation design and development].”

Here’s how HR professionals can develop effective business partners.

Kwok also notes that it’s important for organisations to prioritize the well-being of HR employees.

“Having a very holistic approach to wellbeing is paramount,” she says. “Well-being approaches shouldn't be one-off initiatives, but should be well thought out and holistic; a real part of your engagement strategy.”