While it is a given that aspiring chief human resources officers need to possess top notch interpersonal and communications skills, emotional intelligence and being “authentic in your interactions with others” are also vital, notes the report from consulting group IIC Partners.
“Tomorrow’s most effective CHROs are those that take a chronic curiosity approach to engaging talent in the workplace,” said Chris Kirkpatrick, head of HR Canada, The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. “The most engaged workplaces are those driven by the employees themselves. Creating space and room to ask and learn from their talent will help inform a more relevant people agenda.”
Aspiring CHROs need to be seen by their peers as effective leaders as well as being able to lead the way for their companies to embrace important changes. Board experience and executive compensation knowledge are also vital for CHROs to realise success.
“Although the new CHRO doesn’t have to be an executive compensation expert, it is important to have a strong grounding in the basics to provide strategic direction in this area,” says Sally W. Stetson, co-founder and managing partner of Salveson Stetson Group. “Many times, you can count on your total rewards executive to support you, but you still should have a solid understanding of the fundamentals and how these pieces fit into a larger organizational picture and drive behavior.”