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This text was adapted and translated from the article The Next Evolution of HR Leadership: The Connecting HR Leaderwritten by Steven Krupp, Brad Warga e Jennifer Wilson, published in September 2024.

Access | Check it out in english: https://www.heidrick.com/en/insights/human-resources-officers/the-next-evolution-of-hr-leadership_the-connecting-hr-leader

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Even before the pandemic, HR leadership was already in transition - moving out of the back office and into strategic positions. The arrival of Covid-19 has accelerated this transformation along with a scenario of unprecedented technological, social and organizational change. 

Today, HR faces a reality of hybrid work, a diverse workforce, the growing presence of AI, fierce competition for talent and a continuous demand for purpose and well-being.

In this context, this area is being asked to change its positioning and mentality. To move away from simple execution and take on the role of superconnectors, supporting CEOs in building solid organizational cultures that are up to date with the changes in the world and connected. 

Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII), one of the global leaders in executive search, which has announced an exclusive partnership with Chiefs.Group in Brazil, interviewed HR leaders around the world, and came up with five imperatives for this leadership to make a difference. Check them out:

Visualize the future and deliver in the present
Although day-to-day operations remain a priority, HR needs to anticipate trends and align talent strategy with business objectives. Many processes are still manual and reactive. Succession planning, performance management and organizational design need modernization and a long-term vision.

Acting with purpose and courage
HR must be the guardian of the company's values, even in the face of difficult decisions such as cutbacks and conflicts with high-performing leaders who don't reflect the company's culture. This requires courage to uphold the organizational purpose in the face of crises.

Harnessing the power of others
Developing a people-centered culture requires well-prepared leaders who are empathetic and connected to their teams. HR has the role of helping to train these leaders, ensuring well-being and humanizing the work environment, as well as mastering communication at all levels of the organization.

Orchestrating ecosystems
The old internal focus of HR is no longer enough. The future lies in building ecosystems that integrate internal and external talent - consultants, part-time workers, interims - promoting diversity, flexibility, access to new skills and rapid adaptability to customer and market demands.

Adopt a learning mentality
Constant evolution requires HR leaders who are curious, flexible and open to the new. This means abandoning old models, strengthening business and technology skills, and preparing their teams to face cross-functional challenges with agility.

Developing the function for 2030

In order for HR to act in a strategic and relevant way, HR leaders must rethink three fronts:

• Team: business first, HR second. It's time to develop technical skills and a broad vision, encouraging rotations and continuous learning.
• Model: moving away from the traditional center of excellence towards more flexible structures based on projects, data and automation.
• Role in the organization: influencing strategic decisions, breaking down stereotypes about the role and forming an HR team prepared to solve real business problems.

The challenge is great, but the opportunity is even greater. HR that combines operational excellence with strategic impact becomes essential to the success of the organization - today and in the future.