The Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) is accountable for implementing human resource strategy in support of the company’s overarching plans in the areas of long-term planning, talent acquisition, risk mitigation, corporate and employee evaluation, training and development, and compensation. By defining HR needs and strategies, the CHRO provides strategic leadership to the executive management team, shareholders, and board of directors.

Trends and priorities of a CHRO

The way a CHRO conducts himself or herself can have a big impact on the company. It can make the difference between a satisfied and dissatisfied employee. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased to CHROs’ concerns about employee turnover and other organizational constraints. The CHRO’s priorities have altered, and they have been forced to adjust to a remote working structure that includes making technological and operational changes on the fly. Achieving the CHRO priorities for human resource professionals will be a critical facilitator for a company’s success. Improving operational excellence will continue to be a key metric of success. We will further read through the top CHRO trends and priorities for 2022 and beyond.

Developing essential skills and abilities

The driving force of every organization is the employees. The critical skills that these human resource professionals possess are of utmost importance. One of the major concerns that most CHROs share is that the lack of a skill gap is not identified or addressed. Only when the leaders recognize the skill gaps can they integrate learning programs into the work­flow. The current status of the environment and the state of work are both extremely dynamic. Employees must have a diverse set of abilities, many of which are unfamiliar. The majority of employees do not learn new abilities because they are unsure of which skills they require.

When it comes to reskilling their workforce, CHROs should take a proactive approach. When learning is integrated into an employee’s everyday workflow, they are more likely to learn faster since their requirements are addressed and it is easier to see the training program’s effects right away.

Improving employee experiences

The experiences that employees need to work have completely changed, due to the pandemic. While some of the professionals have returned to normal jobs, there are many places in the world where it’s still a hybrid working model, with both remote and in-­office work.

Here are some proposals on how CHROs and employers might work together to close the gap:

• Benefits for health and well-being should be clearly stated for both remote and on-site employees.
• Counseling must be provided for both remote and on-site employees.
• Flexible solutions for employees who work from home must be provided, reducing any kind of conflicts between the office and hybrid human resource professionals.

 According to a survey conducted by WeWork and Workplace Intelligence, 79 percent of C-suite executives will urge their employees to use the hybrid work model if their position allows it. The hybrid work paradigm was created to empower employees while also keeping them engaged in challenging times. To deliver a better work experience for their employees, CHROs should ask themselves the following questions:

• What can we do to make our workplace more welcoming?
• What are the different kinds of HR programs and policies that should be implemented in the company?
• How can we ensure that our company’s culture is followed both figurative and literal?
• How can we set clear expectations for various staff types?

Digital transformation of human resources

According to Gartner, 70 percent of CHROs believe that changing the technologies that employees use at work will result in growth. If companies want to replace their current HR systems, digital transformation is the best way to go. Artificial intelligence, virtual assistants, machine learning, augmented reality, virtual reality, and several other technologies should be used by CHROs to improve the lives of employees in the firm. HR digitalization not only solves business challenges but also alters employees’ perceptions of the company.

Shift from people analytics to data literacy

According to the findings of the Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR), only roughly four out of ten HR leaders can successfully understand, apply, and present data to affect decision-making. Not long ago, companies were looking for experts who could help them with their analytics. However, a considerable trend away from people analytics and toward data literacy has occurred. In 2022 and beyond, HR directors should focus on enhancing their data literacy and data mining skills by utilizing the latest technology and automation. Reading data in context and gaining insights that are relevant to the job at hand is a challenge for CHROs and HR specialists. To do this, many of these specialists will need to improve their data literacy skills.