Dispelling Four Myths About The Chief Human Resources Officer’s Role

CHROs should recognize and capitalize on every opportunity available to them

One of the most remarkable transformations in corporate culture over the last few decades is the evolution of the human resources (HR) department and its leadership. Twenty years ago, HR primarily focused on benefits, hiring, and firing, but today’s “people teams” have vastly expanded responsibilities encompassing culture, diversity, and the overall well-being of employees. It is up to the chief human resources officer to take the lead on aligning company culture with business outcomes, uniting the workforce behind key initiatives, and attracting talent by ensuring that current and prospective employees associate the work with a sense of opportunity.
 

As HR has transitioned into a modern, people-focused approach, several common misconceptions have developed around the CHRO role that, if unchallenged, can prevent these leaders from achieving their full potential. Let’s dispel these myths to reveal the opportunities CHROs can embrace for more successful leadership.

Myth 1: The CHRO Plays Only a Personnel Role

A few decades ago, the HR department played an exclusively supporting role to the rest of the company — and some executives may still perceive the CHRO through this lens. While it is true that HR leaders still own training and managing personnel, the modern CHRO also holds a seat on the board, spearheads companywide cultural initiatives, and advises other executives on how to uplevel their leadership skills.

Moving beyond an antiquated perception of the role requires the CHRO to develop and employ a broad set of skills and knowledge extending beyond traditional human resources. Your advice regarding cultural changes will be most valuable and earn you the most respect and influence if you understand and account for your firm’s business interests, product development processes, and stage of organizational maturity.

Even “personnel duties” now encompass much more than determining benefits. CHROs should now establish themselves as experts on the human experience of working for their company and make suggestions for improving it accordingly. They can also set their sights even higher to spearhead efforts to give back to the communities the company exists in.

Myth 2: Change Is a Sufficient CHRO Rallying Cry

Given events like the pandemic-induced global transition to remote work, many CHROs have embraced the opportunity to transform their companies over the last few years. As workplace culture continues to evolve, HR leaders will be faced with many more decisions that may alter the employee experience. It’s important to remember that there’s value in knowing what to change and what not to change.

Any company’s core identity depends on the traditions it values and shares with employees, and at times this core identity needs to evolve to provide a more supportive workplace. A good example is a widespread shift to make performance reviews more constructive and less demotivating. However, changing valued traditions can alienate employees. CHROs must proactively protect the traditions (for example, holiday matching gift programs and win-wire callouts) that help to affirm company values and excite employees.

Knowing when to re-evaluate new initiatives is just as important as launching them. Solicit employees’ feedback and take their opinions seriously. Some frustrations during periods of change are common, but if multiple people complain, it’s the CHRO’s job to ensure that whoever is leading the change receives the feedback so they have the opportunity to address it.

Myth 3: The CHRO Needs Only Executive Buy-in

A significant part of the CHRO's role is keeping an ear to the ground to discover employee needs and then developing proposals to address these needs. Working with company leadership to attain buy-in is an important step in evolving company policy, but true change happens when the entire company supports new initiatives.

Gaining employee buy-in requires the CHRO to be diligent, timely, and persuasive in their communication. New policies, programs, and companywide initiatives should be shared with employees promptly, with empathy and adequate detail. When there is a gap between executive decision-making and communication, or if announcements lack details as to the “why” and “how,” it can create dissonance, leaving employees confused and demotivated. They want to know how the change will impact them and how their buy-in and participation will help to advance the company’s goals. And if a change was initiated by employee feedback, be sure to include that so employees know they are being heard.

Communicating change and the supporting logic can’t take place in a single meeting. Hold town halls where executives can unite the company around new ideas and answer major questions, individual team meetings where managers can clarify how new policies impact day-to-day work, and one-on-one meetings where employees can provide feedback to managers in a private setting. Implement an open-door policy that empowers employees to voice their concerns to managers at any time.

Myth 4: Policy Change Equals Cultural Change

Even if a CHRO’s policy decisions are well thought out and well communicated, they don’t automatically result in cultural change. The CHRO must build a network of managers who can serve as “champions” for change, expanding the CHRO’s positive impact well beyond what they could accomplish individually.

As a company grows, the CHRO may not be able to interact directly with every employee, but a strong network of champion managers can lead to an even better outcome. Managers know their employees’ perspectives and concerns, so they are better equipped to tailor how they communicate, discuss, and enforce changes in ways the CHRO cannot. A customized approach makes employees more likely to understand and embrace the CHRO’s work.

Finally, even outside of specific initiatives, CHROs should empower managers to motivate employees by capitalizing on the human drive to learn and improve. Encourage managers to look for opportunities to help their employees grow and challenge themselves — whether pointing them to relevant conferences or giving them the chance to join a new project to gain a different perspective. When employees feel like company leadership is invested in their personal and professional success, they will, in turn, be invested in the company’s success.

By dispelling the myths surrounding their role, the CHRO can maximize their impact, deftly choose and communicate new initiatives, and ensure that every employee is engaged and excited to work at the company. While CHROs often focus on providing opportunities for others in the company, they should recognize and capitalize on every opportunity available to them as well, in order to enact change and drive positive business outcomes.

Author Bio

As the CHRO, global head of people at NS1, Lorraine Heber-Brause leads the people operations and employee growth strategy. Lorraine is an experienced human resources and global people operations executive with a proven track record of leading organizations through rapid growth and transformation. Prior to joining NS1, Lorraine led people functions at Yotpo and AppNexus, and reaching back in her career, she held HR relationship leader roles at BlackRock, American Express and Citi. Connect Lorraine Heber-Brause