The future is calling. Is HR picking up?

Izzy Fenwick lays down a challenge to teams stuck in business as usual, while the world of work changes around them.

The past 12 months have been tough on HR teams. Restructures, uncertainty, retention challenges and the sudden pressure to become AI experts overnight have all landed at once, while teams have continued trying to keep people engaged and operations running. It’s understandable that most HR functions have been deep in BAU and crisis-response mode.

But let’s not pretend this is just a consequence of the current workforce climate. These shifts have been building for years. Skills-based hiring, for example, was identified by the World Economic Forum back in 2016 as a critical enabler of futureready workforces. Internal mobility and cross-functional career paths have been championed by global leaders like McKinsey and Deloitte for more than a decade. Flexibility models have been tested internationally since long before the pandemic. These are no longer emerging trends. They’re established opportunities that too many of us still treat as too new to try.

While most conversations about the future of work tend to focus on technology, real future readiness also includes sustainability: environmental, social and organisational. It means building workforces that are adaptable, resilient and aligned, with long-term impact not just short-term productivity.

How much time, energy and space are we giving to thinking ahead, rather than just reacting to what’s already here? Because while the world of work has been accelerating, too many of our responses have stayed the same.

Is it a lack of awareness? Lack of action? Prioritisation? Maybe it’s about permission to look up from the operational treadmill long enough to build what’s next. Take skills-based hiring. It’s not new, and the benefits are clear: broader talent pools, less bias, more agile teams and better internal mobility. Globally, companies are building internal talent marketplaces and redesigning work around adaptability. But in New Zealand, many organisations are still recruiting into rigid roles, with most job ads starting with a degree requirement and a line about “three to five years’ experience”.

The case for change is clear. According to the Boston Consulting Group, hiring based on skills rather than formal education is five times more predictive of high job performance. McKinsey & Company notes that skills-based approaches enable greater internal mobility, reduce skills gaps and support stronger talent retention. Deloitte’s global research shows that organisations adopting skillsbased workforce strategies see measurable gains in productivity, agility and workforce utilisation. When skills are prioritised over job titles, talent can move more freely across the business and be deployed where it’s most needed.

And it’s not just those two areas. Where are our flexible models for older workers?

Our redesigned pipelines that focus on potential rather than pedigree? What about our commitment to purpose- and values-based hiring?

Internationally, organisations are recognising that aligning employee values with company purpose leads to stronger engagement, satisfaction and retention. A 2024 Gallup survey found that 37 per cent of employees who left their roles cited a lack of alignment with company culture and purpose as a main reason for leaving. According to Forbes, when employers and employees share values, outcomes include improved job satisfaction, better performance and significantly lower turnover.

Sustainability has become one of the most powerful shared values in this equation. A 2023 Deloitte survey found that more than 70 per cent of Gen Z workers expect their employers to take meaningful action on climate and social issues, not just talk about them. This isn’t just a reputational risk. It’s a talent risk.

These aren’t fringe ideas. They’re well-established, evidence-based practices that make organisations more resilient and adaptable. And yet, many New Zealand HR teams are still operating within traditional frameworks, missing the opportunity to build more dynamic, human-centred and purpose-driven workplaces.

The problem isn’t awareness. It’s action and, more often, prioritisation.

HR teams are stretched thin. When you’re fighting fires every day, future-focused work can feel like a luxury, something for when things ‘quieten down’, which they never do.

But the bigger issue is structural. In many organisations, HR is still boxed in as a support function, not a strategic one.

Sometimes, it’s not just the system. It’s our own confidence. Many HR teams are still waiting for certainty before they act. But certainty isn’t coming. The organisations that are thriving aren’t the ones with perfect plans. They’re the ones experimenting early, learning fast and building capability as they go.

HR also has a unique opportunity to lead sustainability from the inside out. Culture, values, workforce design and incentives are all levers for change, and they sit within the HR function. If we want sustainable organisations, we need sustainable people strategies.

If we’re serious about being future-ready, it starts with carving out space to think beyond the next quarter. Not just once a year at a strategy day, but built into how we work, lead and prioritise.

There’s no perfect time to start. There’s no complete roadmap to follow. But future-fit HR teams have one thing in common: they choose to lead forward, even when the path isn’t fully paved.

The future has already called. The real question is whether we’re ready to answer.

If you’re ready to test where your team really sits, here are a few questions to start the conversation.

• When was the last time we explored an emerging trend and asked what it could mean for us?

• Do we have a clear point of view on skills-based hiring, AI integration, internal mobility and workforce flexibility?

• Are we building capability within our HR team to lead futurefocused change or just hoping we’ll figure it out when we need to?

• Are we seen as strategic partners shaping the future of the business or as operational support reacting to it?

• What’s stopping us from acting sooner, and how can we unblock it?

• Are we embedding sustainability into our workforce strategy or treating it as someone else’s job?

• Do our people feel like they’re contributing to something that matters, something that reflects the future they want to live in?

Izzy Fenwick is the founder of Futureful, New Zealand’s first values-led and skills-based recruitment platform. Futureful is on a mission to help futureproof organisations and mainstream corporate responsibility through radical transparency. Izzy also serves on the Board of The Aotearoa Circle, an organisation that brings together public and private sector leaders to pursue sustainable prosperity and reverse the decline of New Zealand’s natural resources. Through her unwavering commitment to sustainability, Izzy continues to shape a future where the values of environmental stewardship, intergenerational collaboration and sustainable business practices thrive.