9 minute read
Strength at the top
Kathy Young, editor of Human Resources magazine, asks four HR leaders how HR professionals can strengthen their role at the leadership table. Here, she shares their insights.
HR has evolved significantly over recent years, moving well beyond its traditional, administrative role into a strategic partner that shapes organisational direction, culture and change. However, for HR to truly influence change, it needs to sit at the leadership table, making sure its voice is heard when important decisions are being made.
BUILDING COALITIONS, NOT IMPOSING SOLUTIONS
One of the most significant ways HR can strengthen its role and influence change is by fostering collaboration rather than imposing it from the top down. HR leaders who understand the value of building coalitions across all levels of the business are better equipped to initiate lasting change.
For example, Gil Sewell, Chief People and Culture Officer at Ember Korowai Takitini, describes how she was able to create the ‘Ember Guide to Good Change’ within the organisation. The guide was not developed by the HR team alone; instead, it was designed in collaboration with key influencers within the organisation.
“When change is built from the ground up, and when it builds on what already exists, it’s more readily accepted by employees,” says Gil. “As HR leaders, it’s crucial to show employees that the changes being implemented are not imposed from above but are a reflection of the collective efforts of the organisation. People are more ready to adopt change when it comes from the people who will use it.” This approach builds trust and ensures that change is sustainable, because it’s anchored in the needs and ideas of the workforce.
Similarly, HR can influence organisational change by aligning its initiatives with the overall business strategy.
A clear alignment between people practices and business goals is crucial.
As Jan Bibby, Chief People Experience Officer at Contact Energy, says, “HR needs a deep understanding of the business and the business strategy. Rather than launching people initiatives to our own timeline, we must align with the business’ needs and their capacity for change.” For example, during a period of significant growth, where one part of the organisation was at maximum capacity, Jan and her team elected to ‘pilot’ a new initiative in another part of the business that had the capacity rather than expect the whole organisation to adopt it.
EVOLVING THE ROLE
The role of HR has evolved substantially, with a growing emphasis on strategy over traditional transactional HR activities. All HR leaders I spoke with agreed this was a major focus for them.
“In the last two years in my organisation, HR has moved from a transactional function to a strategic partner,” Gil says. This shift was driven by the need for HR to adapt to the ever-changing business landscape, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. With many businesses facing new and complex challenges, HR’s ability to contribute strategically has become more critical than ever.
“In the case of Ember Korowai Takitini, this transition was supported by a comprehensive review by a leading HR services agency, which highlighted the importance of HR’s involvement in shaping organisational culture and people practices,” says Gil. As a result, HR teams became more proactive, focusing on talent development, performance management and employee engagement, rather than simply responding to issues as they arose.
I often quote one of Stephen Covey’s principles: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. It’s so important to listen and this is key to influencing. Jan Bibby
Steph Oborn, Interim General Manager People & Culture at Alliance Group, stresses the importance of “asking commercial questions” when designing people strategies. This shift within her organisation has allowed HR to be seen not just as a support function but as a critical partner in achieving business outcomes.
“As HR teams increasingly take on a more strategic role, they also need to shift how we engage with leadership,” says Steph. “By building strong relationships and asking questions like ‘What is the impact of this?’, ‘What is the why behind this request?’ and ‘Have you considered equity in relation to others?’, HR leaders can become partners who are engaged early on in conversations because we have valuable input to contribute.”
HR leaders must be part of the decision-making process, and, where this is not the case, they need to work hard to maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders. All HR leaders I spoke with said this can be achieved by engaging in regular one-on-one meetings with business leaders and showing up in leadership discussions where people and culture are central.
Jan advises HR practitioners to spend time in the business. “Understand the challenges from the ground up. This may involve partnering with managers on site visits or asking people what frustrates them about their role or keeps them awake at night, for example. With time, you can see what can be changed and become an enabler of great experiences,” says Jan.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND CREDIBILITY
HR can also strengthen its position at the leadership table through active relationship building. All HR leaders I spoke with highlighted the importance of attending leadership team meetings and regularly interacting with leaders from various divisions.
As Gil says, “We sit at all the critical tables: Group Leadership Team, Operations Management Team, Business Support Team, Health and Safety Committee, and Wellbeing Committee,” demonstrating HR’s broad involvement across the organisation. This visibility allows HR to influence the broader business strategy, while also ensuring that people issues remain a priority.
Regular one-on-ones with leadership team members are another powerful way to collaborate. Steph and her team members partner with leaders through a ‘portfolio approach’. “We each have a portfolio of divisions for which we drive HR, and so we own the end-to-end HR processes for those divisions. This approach enables us to build strong collaborative relationships and gain a far more comprehensive understanding of the divisions we support,” she says.
Through these interactions, HR professionals can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing each department, which in turn allows them to tailor their people strategies more effectively. This ongoing dialogue helps HR professionals stay aligned with the leadership team’s goals, making them more likely to be seen as valuable partners.
Steph’s team also switches up the portfolios annually, so that the people leaders gain exposure to different styles and HR team members gain a broader understanding of the business.
“ I often reflect on the words of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr: ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice’. This reinforces for me the importance of patience and persistence in influencing and driving change. Positive change can feel slow, particularly when working within complex systems, but with sustained effort, we can influence that bend toward fairness, equity, and better working environments for all. Sarah Jayne Dipert
Sarah Jayne Dipert, Advisory Lead People & Culture, at the University of Auckland, states that “HR is not universally well-understood”. In some organisations, HR’s strategic value is clear, while in others, it may require more effort to establish credibility. “In these cases, HR plays a crucial role in helping organisations to lift their gaze from the immediate pressures and think long-term. By using data and insights to forecast future challenges and opportunities, we can partner with leaders to develop clear strategies and actionable plans,” says Sarah Jayne.
Sarah Jayne also highlights the relevance of using storytelling as a tool to demonstrate the long-term impact of HR interventions. Reflecting on past successes, such as a change process that was initially controversial but ultimately laid the foundation for smoother transitions in the future, can be a powerful way to build credibility and influence leaders.
“I definitely recommend journalling or another type of reflective practice. Penn Jillette (one-half of the American magician duo Penn & Teller) has been journalling daily for over 30 years. Every day, after he’s written his entry, he reads his previous entries for that same date 20 years ago, 10 years ago and one year ago. While many of us might not be able to muster that level of self-discipline, the concept is valuable – reflection helps us recognise progress over time, and it is often the only way we can identify the changes we’ve influenced and their lasting impact.”
Jan also references the power of building relationships during her work at Contact Energy. “When we took our Grow Your Whānau initiative [comprehensive and farreaching parental leave policy] to the exec team, they asked ‘Can we do more?’. I think that’s because we had already spent the time investing in the relationship. We had the buy-in of the exec to the value of a strong EVP and we took into the business case a strong understanding of their business needs,” she says.
TIPS FOR HR PROFESSIONALS
To strengthen your role at the leadership table, HR professionals need to focus on relationship building, persistence and small wins. Gil, Jan, Steph and Sarah Jayne offer their tips.
Build and nurture relationships early: Build relationships with stakeholders before they need them. “Build relationships out of good intentions, not because you want something,” Gil advises.
Listen to leadership’s challenges: Understand the specific challenges that business leaders are facing. By aligning HR initiatives with those challenges, HR can become a trusted partner in solving business problems. “Sometimes what you think they need isn’t what they actually need,” Steph says. “Be brave enough to put something on ice and come back to it when it will add more value.”
Celebrate small wins: Change takes time, and it’s important to recognise incremental progress along the way. “Influencing is a long game,” says Steph. “Make sure you stop and recognise the small gains you are achieving.” These small victories can build momentum and reinforce the credibility of HR as a strategic partner.
Follow through on commitments: Consistently deliver on promises to build trust and credibility. “When you do what you say you’re going to do, your stakeholders will do the same for you,” explains Steph. And, as Jan says, “If things aren’t working, the only thing you can change is your approach.” Reflect on your approach and step into others’ shoes to understand what’s holding them back.
Consider a sideways step into an operational role: “Get out of HR for a bit and learn how the business works from an operational point of view,” suggests Jan. “It will enhance your credibility when you return to HR.”
Get the basics right: “Enduring fundamentals like manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and kindness will always provide a steady foundation for managing even the most difficult transitions,” says Sarah Jayne.
