Decoding the Grim Reality of the HR function in today's ever-evolving workplace. Such was the theme of the BDO IT Consulting conference that was held on March 07 at The Ravenala Attitude Hotel, which gathered more than 100 HR professionals, some 13 matter experts & practitioners' intervention from various industries. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to explore the evolving role of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and the biggest HR challenges and trends, covering various important areas and offering valuable insights into the changing landscape of HR.
Mervyn Ramsamy, Partner, Human Resource at BDO Solutions, delivered the Keynote address and focused on the challenges and opportunities currently facing HR leaders. He highlighted that the pandemic put mental health front and center for many people, and observed that many companies began implementing or expanding more heavily promoting mental health programs and support and this is expected to intensify over the coming years.
DATA PROTECTION
Mervyn stated that the Human Resources function manages a vast amount of personal data throughout the employee life cycle, including hiring, onboarding, employee data management, disciplinary or grievance procedures, and payroll. We collect and process personal data not only from our active employees but also from candidates, consultants, contractors, and former employees. The type of personal data processed also includes special category data such as medical records, and for that reason it is of utmost importance that we understand our privacy related responsibilities and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to process personal data securely and accordingly. CHRO has a role to protect employee data from negligence and security threats. We must be on top of the Data Protection Act, ISMS, PIMS and GDPR more so for those who operates in a global environment.
3 Ts APPROACH
In his keynote speech, Mervyn shared valuable insights on the three critical elements for HR professionals to focus on: Talent, Technology, and Transformation. Read on to discover the highlights of the event and gain insights into the changing landscape of HR. He further elaborated on 3Ts namely Talent, Technology, and Transformation, three elements that HR professionals need to focus on to succeed in their roles.
1. TALENT
All those who are part of the Human Resource functions drive the people agenda in organisations, and we shape a compassionate workplace for our Caregivers, a need that has become amplified through and post the pandemic.
We do have implications on productivity, engagement at work, stress and anxiety, and employee wellbeing – clearly establishing the need for us as People leaders, organisations, and the industry at large, to think about what we need to truly enable our caregivers, either in terms of policies, benefits, coaching and sensitisation or support structures, so that they feel supported.
Another dimension linked to talent management which we, CHROs and Talent Management Leaders, need to steer our attention to is ensuring leader effectiveness which is a critical priority. Today, this entails not only determining what kind of leadership our organisation will need in the future but also devising ways to engage, retain and develop future leaders. A Challenging Moment for us to identify future leaders has become increasingly critical as our organisations struggle to retain our best employees in the war for talent. We need to reinvent the employee value proposition (EVP) to deliver a new, more human deal.
2. TECHNOLOGY
CHROs will surely be very much involved in the coming year on the implementation on technologies for HR reporting and analytics. They will be active players in the decision to move the HR technology landscapes from on-premises to cloud to enable business agility and value.
3. TRANSFORMATION
HR transformation is more urgent now than ever as talent becomes an even greater driver of competitive edge. HR transformation doesn’t have to be one massive change. It’s about CHRO’s role constantly changing the HR function to better align people, strategy, processes, and technology with business objectives.
Mervyn ended his speech on an inspiring note:
‘One day our CHRO community will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: shape our nations, communities, and organisations.’