Dean Carter
November 20th, 2023
In this season of gratitude and giving thanks, I let the CHRO Compass community that I’ve been working to cultivate for most of this year know that I’m grateful for the ability to share and learn together with them.
Based on what I’ve been hearing lately from HR leaders, it’s a good thing we’re building new bonds amongst ourselves. We may need to lean on our community even more with all we face ahead!
Last month, I had the chance to speak with a host of HR leaders from Fortune 1000 companies at Guild’s Opportunity Summit, our annual event to discuss today’s most pressing talent challenges.
It was a dynamic, exhilarating couple of days with important conversations and debates. You can read more about this year's Opportunity Summit and watch videos of the sessions, but suffice it to say, our jobs are not getting any less complex!
Here is a sense of some of the things that are top of mind for the CHROs I talked to at the event — along with some other themes I’ve heard HR leaders discussing lately:
AI’s impact on the workforce
AI is unsurprisingly on everyone’s minds, and it’s critical for HR leaders to understand that the impact is going to be felt deeply within their own function — not just the rest of the business. If you don’t have an AI strategy in place, or at least in the works, you’re falling behind.
The nature of this enormous change is that pretty much all employees at every level will need to upskill or reskill. There’s no shame in feeling like you have a lot to learn. You’re in good company! The right move now is to accelerate the education and skilling process because we all need to adapt.
Work locations, productivity, and employer-employee relationships
The debate around where employees work is continuing, and it’s on the minds of CHROs. While many employees working remotely are questioning their sense of belonging or community, many in the C-suite are focused on a different metric: productivity.
With conflicting data and studies getting circulated, it’s unlikely this conversation will be over in the near future. In the meantime, though, the quality of the debate and the transparency of the discussion across levels will be an important case study of the health of the employer-employee relationship at your organization.
Evolution of HR technology
AI is taking up a lot of the oxygen around HR technology, but the reality is that many CHROs are looking more broadly at how they’re set up. There’s a common feeling that there needs to be an evolution around how HR technology is evaluated and implemented to increase productivity and ensure efficiency without bloat.
HR tech companies will no doubt continue to develop and pitch solutions, but it will be important for leaders to first reflect on their current offerings and assess whether their existing suite still matches what employees need at this moment.
With all that out on the table, I’d appreciate it if you would visit my LinkedIn profile and let me know your thoughts on the following questions in the comments of the post on this topic:
1) Which of these themes resonate with you as an HR leader?
2) What didn’t I mention that’s at or near the top of your list?
3) What’s your favorite way to express gratitude?
With peace and purpose - Dean
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About the author
Dean Carter
With over 15 years of experience leading global people and culture functions, Dean is passionate about creating and sustaining purpose-driven organizations that empower their employees, communites and customers to grow, thrive, and make a positive impact in the world.