In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, the role of a Chief People Officer, is more important than ever. The Chief People Officer (CPO) is a key executive who is responsible for managing a company’s most valuable asset – its people. In this article, we’ll explore the role of a CPO and why it’s essential for businesses to have one.
Who is a Chief People Officer?
A Chief People Officer is a senior executive who is responsible for developing and executing HR strategies that support the overall business objectives. The role of a CPO has evolved significantly over the years, from being a traditional HR head to a strategic business partner who helps drive organisational success. The CPO works closely with the CEO and executive team to align HR policies with the company’s vision and mission.
What are the responsibilities of a Chief People Officer?
The role of a Chief People Officer is wide-ranging and varied, depending on the company’s size and industry. Here are some of the key responsibilities of a CPO:
Developing HR strategies that align with the company’s goals and objectives.
Ensuring compliance with all HR-related laws and regulations.
Why is a Chief People Officer important?
Having a CPO is critical for any business that wants to attract and retain top talent. The role of a Chief People Officer can help create a workplace culture that supports employee engagement, which can lead to higher productivity, lower turnover rates, and increased profitability. A CPO can also help companies navigate the complex landscape of HR regulations and compliance issues, ensuring that the organisation stays in line with all applicable laws and regulations.
How can we help to get this right?
As an executive search business specialising in HR recruitment, we use various tools and strategies to differentiate between an average and a highly talented Chief People Officer (CPO).
From an executive search perspective, managing the process of differentiating between an average and a highly talented CPO involves a structured and rigorous approach. This includes identifying the key competencies and experience required for the role, developing a job description that accurately reflects these requirements, identifying a diverse pool of candidates, and using a range of assessment tools and techniques to evaluate each candidate’s suitability for the role.
By following a well-structured process, we can help our clients identify the best candidate for the role and ensure that they make the right hiring decision.
Industry expertise: Our Managing Director James Cumming has worked in senior HR appointments for over 15 years. We have in-depth knowledge of the HR industry and the latest HR trends and best practices. We can use this expertise to assess a candidate’s knowledge of the HR landscape, their ability to innovate and adapt to change, and their understanding of how HR can contribute to overall business success.
Behavioral interviewing: One of the most effective ways to assess a CPO’s skills and competencies is through behavioral interviewing. This technique involves asking candidates to provide specific examples of how they’ve handled past HR-related challenges, such as talent management, culture development, and compliance issues. By digging deep into a candidate’s past experiences, we can gain a better understanding of their problem-solving skills, leadership style, and strategic thinking abilities.
Assessment tools: We also use a range of assessment tools to evaluate a CPO’s competencies, personality traits, and work style. These tools can include psychometric tests, cognitive ability tests, and personality assessments. By analysing the results of these tests, we can gain a more objective view of a candidate’s potential fit for a role.
Reference checking: Another critical tool we use to differentiate between an average and a highly talented CPO is reference checking. We reach out to the candidate’s former bosses, colleagues, and subordinates to gain insight into their work ethic, management style, and overall performance. Reference checking can provide a more comprehensive view of a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses and help us determine if they would be a good fit for our client’s organisation.
Our focus on long-term partnerships
At re:find we believe that recruitment is not a one-off transaction but rather a long-term partnership. We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and advice to help them find and retain the best talent for their organisation.
We understand that every organisation is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to recruitment. That’s why we offer bespoke recruitment solutions that are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you need help with a single hire or a full recruitment campaign, we can help.
We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality service. We take the time to understand your organization’s culture and values, as well as the specific skills and experience needed for each role.
In the dynamic landscape of the modern workplace, one often-overlooked factor plays a pivotal role in shaping a positive and thriving companyculture – employee recognition. In this blog, we’ll delve into the significance of acknowledging and appreciating the efforts of your workforce. By the end, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of why employee recognition is not just a formality but a key driver of employee engagement and overall businesssuccess.
Understanding Employee Recognition:
Employee recognition goes beyond the occasional “thank you” or a pat on the back. It encompasses a range of gestures, both big and small, that highlight an employee’s contributions to the organisation. This can include verbal praise, awards, team celebrations, or even a simple shout-out in a meeting. It’s about making employees feel valued and appreciated for their hard work.
The Impact on Employee Morale:
Employee recognition significantly benefits morale by creating a positive work environment when employees sense that their efforts are acknowledged and valued. Boosting morale can result in increased job satisfaction and a heightened sense of pride in their work.
Enhancing Employee Engagement:
Recognition is a powerful tool for enhancing employee engagement. Engaged employees are more likely to be committed to their work, resulting in increased productivity. Regular recognition fosters a sense of belonging and motivates employees to go the extra mile, aware that their contributions are acknowledged and appreciated.
Creating a Positive Workplace Culture:
A workplace culture that values and promotes employee recognition is inherently positive. It sets a tone of appreciation, teamwork, and mutual respect. As employees experience recognition for their efforts, they are more likely to emulate these behaviours, creating a positive feedback loop that strengthens the overall workplace culture.
Employees won’t all find motivation in the same type of recognition. Understanding the preferences of individual team members is key to effective employee recognition. While some may appreciate public acknowledgment, others may prefer a more private form of recognition. Tailoring recognition to individuals ensures that it resonates and has a lasting impact.
Implementing an Employee Recognition Program:
For consistent and meaningful employee recognition, many organisations find success in implementing formal recognition programs. Consider incorporating monthly awards, peer-to-peer recognition systems, or even a recognition board that highlights notable achievements. The key is to make recognition a structured and integral part of the company’s culture.
The Long-Term Benefits of Employee Recognition:
Investing in employee recognition is an investment in the long-term success of your organisation. Beyond the immediate boost in morale and engagement, recognising your employees contributes to employee retention. Satisfied and appreciated employees are more likely to stay with a company, reducing turnover costs and maintaining institutional knowledge.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the importance of employee recognition cannot be overstated. It is a fundamental aspect of fostering a positive workplace culture, enhancing employee engagement, and ensuring the long-term success of your organisation. By recognising the heart of your team, you not only boost morale but also contribute to a work environment where everyone feels valued and motivated to contribute their best. Make employee recognition a priority, and watch as your team and business thrive.
OUR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
At re:find we have been in Executive Search for over 20 years. We believe that recruitment is not a one-off transaction but rather a long-term partnership. We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and advice to help them find and retain the best talent for their organisation.
In addition, as a business, we understand that every organisation is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to recruitment. That’s why we offer bespoke recruitment solutions that are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you need help with a single hire or a full recruitment campaign, we can help.
We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality service. As part of this, we ensure that we take the time to understand your organisation’s culture and values, as well as the specific skills and experience needed for each role.
For the last 18 months, there have been numerous discussions on the future of interim management. This has mainly focused on IR35 and whether the market will ever be the same again…
As we emerge from the pandemic we wondered if anything had changed. We spoke to several senior interims, in our network, to find out if things had changed and what it looks like on the ground at the moment.
So, how is the market at the moment?
Melanie Steel, CareerInterim, PeopleChange Expertise, discussed with me how the whole interim market has been pretty confused with Brexit, then IR35 and of course the pandemic to contend with.
Ian Williams, senior people practitioner, of Infocus HR consulting, said there are fewer roles on day rates because of IR35. He’s found it a struggle to get organisations to think outside IR35. They are being ‘safe’ and want to stay inside IR35, from a risk perspective.
Carolyn Fox, Interim HR, OD and transformation specialist, thinks that large organisations are continuing to be risk-averse. She said there are a lot of assignments are inside IR35, permanent or on an FTC basis.
Simon Brown, of Simon Brown Associates has been an interim for 11 years. He said the market is just beginning to pick up following the pandemic because a lot of businesses play the ‘wait and see’ game – when there is uncertainty, they hold back. The same way that the financial crisis slowed the market down.
Sharon Green, a people change, tech & comms interim for over 15 years, said ‘we are still in choppy waters, things are a bit slow, and clients are cautious, but there is a bit more hope in the market.” Sharon also runs the LinkedIn group HR Interim Networking and the feeling from the community is that there is a lot more optimism now than there has been over the last 18 months.
And how has the pandemic changed things?
As we come out of the pandemic, we can see a clear need for strategic experts and change managers, at a time when a lot of businesses are going through huge change programmes. Organisations really need strong leaders and if they don’t have them, they may need an interim to step in to bridge the gap while they find one.
Melanie has found from working closely with HRDs, that the pandemic pushed people into thinking very short term. This had a knock-on effect on the interim market as change projects were ‘turned off’. Although these projects got turned back on, it was at the same time as Brexit was bubbling away in the background and IR35 has come in, adding extra layers of complexity. Some businesses were prepped and ready to handle the changes, but some weren’t. Those businesses are going to be slower at getting up to speed with the changes in the market, and therefore slower at getting those interim projects going again.
For some contractors, the pandemic led them to lose their role. Ian thinks that these people may have had a rethink on whether they’d prefer a perm role, for the security it offers. This could lead to fewer interims in the market going forward.
As we come out of furlough and into winter, businesses will be looking at budgets and headcount. Carolyn said she thinks that the demands for change in organisations will create more opportunities for interim OD work. Plus, senior people who haven’t been moving around much will start to move again. This creates new change programmes wherever they go, and therefore more opportunities for interim work.
Simon discussed how the trend following the pandemic to ‘change or switch’ is bringing about lots of opportunities for interims. Organisations are going through a change – for example, tech companies are in growth mode as we rely on digital more than ever. Or they are in switch mode, like retail and hospitality, who have had to switch their services to online, as the high street reduced dramatically. Clearly, the high street can’t fully switch to online, so they’re having to look at restructuring, downsizing or M&A.
The big difference brought about by the pandemic was the move to remote/hybrid working. This is a positive thing for everyone and especially interims, who have much more flexibility to work on projects because they can work remotely.
Sharon commented on this change but said it was strange it was to go from the pitching stage, through to completing, without ever stepping into the client’s office. “It made it very challenging to get work in and similar to the financial crash in some ways. It was difficult to pull levers you’d normally pull to get work. Most people’s mindsets were in a different place, which made it difficult for the whole interim community to do ‘our thing’”. Sharon said her community – HR Interim Networking – really bonded during the pandemic, pulling together, asking questions, learning and supporting each other. The support requested in the community was also very different during the pandemic, as there was much more HR generalist work – furlough/redundancies/org etc, so everyone learnt from the questions being asked.
What about IR35?
It’s what everyone is talking about now! If I think back to 10 years ago, there was a real divide between interim managers and people looking for a job. Those lines have become blurred since, due to the gig economy and skills shortages, but it seems as though that might be changing.
In the short term, it may feel challenging for interims because of things like businesses imposing blanket bans. But longer-term, I think IR35 will make for a better interim market. It will remove interims that were on the margin, as it’s no longer viable for them. Yes, that will shrink the market, but it will be left with more senior interims, with more skill focused on transformation projects and M&As. This is exactly what Interims should be hired for – their niche skillset, which is missing in the organisation.
Businesses use interims when they need flexibility in a period of change and this requirement will not change. I think it will make the market smaller and more professional, but businesses will still need to utilise a highly skilled, flexible workforce.
The impact of IR35
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zHbQDxPwSU
The impact of IR35
Carolyn said she thinks IR35 is misunderstood, which in turn creates a ‘blanket approach’ from businesses, to make it easier for them. This approach is – “don’t use interims”. However, it doesn’t need to be like this. She explained when the objectives, deliverables and skill set are clearly defined and it’s clearly outside IR35, it doesn’t need to be difficult.
Simon agreed that companies are nervous about IR35 – because they’re liable if they don’t do it properly. When they’re cautious, they tend to just avoid it. He said, “Some companies are learning and looking into IR35, so they can make the most of interims. We can help them, by giving as much information as possible and being clear and transparent.”
The ‘blanket ban’ was also mentioned by Melanie, who discussed the responsibility that recruitment agencies have, to push back on clients where necessary if the blanket ban isn’t the right decision. She said that rather than doing what is easier, the client, the agency and the interim all need to be disciplined in their approach and do things for the right reasons, and not for ease.
Sharon said that IR35, along with Brexit and the pandemic, has “rocked the market” – clients are confused about what’s in and outside of IR35 and are making some ‘interesting’ decisions. “It’s about risk and opportunities, but hopefully it will lead to a differentiation – between true interim roles and those who should be on a permanent or fixed-term basis. Some interims are thinking about going perm or taking an FTC. It really depends on their specialism and what work they do. I still see a place for professional interims in business.
The future for interims
With all of this in mind, what does the future look like for interims? Is it positive? I think so and Ian agrees – he said there’s lots of work out there and he doesn’t think they’ll be a shortage of interim work, but he does think the contracting market will shift. “Certain industries always had high levels of contractors, who were kept on for years, when they shouldn’t have been. I think we’ll see fewer contractors’ roles as interim HR directors or IT directors, where the role can be a perm or FT contract. The change and transformation driven roles will be more popular – the true specialist interim roles. This should push rates up in the shorter term too.”
He also mentioned that he thinks it will be another 12-18 months before companies get comfortable with IR35, as they’re still in risk mode. But skills shortages from not going inside IR35 will change that and confidence will build.
There is also a focus on education. Ian mentioned line manager education and ensuring they are clear about what interims are for. And the fact that HR needs to be educating the business about risk around IR35 and what’s expected.
Carolyn added to this, and made a good point, that interims have a responsibility to be part of the education and change the way they operate. “Interims need to become more of a consultant – they need to produce a statement of work with deliverables, timescales and how it will be resourced. If you’re clear about setting out objectives and deliverables and the fact that you’re doing an ‘activity and not a job, then it will make things a lot clearer. Interims have not always done the planning piece of exactly what is going to be done, with a timeframe to review against, but by doing this it mitigates risk and makes everyone feel comfortable.”
Melanie agreed saying, “we all need to play our part in the educating and questioning – ‘we’ meaning interims, recruitment agencies and HRDs. I think IR35 will flush out the market – so becoming an interim will be a deliberate career change – and not just a stop-gap. You need to be sure and clear on what you will need to do as an interim, as there’s a lot to set up and think about, as well as a mindset shift! And on the other side of the coin, businesses will need to use interims in the right way, for the right projects. As we move out of the ‘greyness’, there’s going to be change. Businesses pay a premium for skills shortages that interims have.”
Melanie also highlight next year’s Budget and how that may cause an issue for interims – we will see.
From Simon’s perspective, the future is looking bright for interims. “It will help that you can recruit people from anywhere, as it will open up the opportunities and widen the talent pool.” He also rightly pointed out that the increase in change across industries gives more opportunity for specialist interims. “Big system implementation has been put on hold, this will need picking up again in the new year, which in turn will create more work. Interim opportunities will increase particularly for those interims who specialise in Organisational Change and Business Transformation where businesses are looking for fast-tracked expertise from experienced change catalysts. Interims can support organisations either as ‘skin in the game’ PMO work-stream leaders -offering a blended solution to source change programmes, or as seasoned executive advisors providing a sounding board to the C-suite LeadershipTeam as a coach or mentor.”
Sharon said she thinks things are still going to be ‘choppy’ – they’ll work out, it depends on what work you want, what quality and what rate. “There will always be new people entering the profession, perhaps trying it post redundancy, which can make the market crowded at times. I am an optimist. Getting a clearer definition of the roles and types of work needed in the workplace, considering all stakeholders, could be a good thing for everyone. It’s also important employers consider what interims want – we want to run our own business; we don’t necessarily want the security of FTC.”
She thinks there will be clients who get educated and start using interims for the right projects and some that have a fixed mindset on their workforce and don’t want to take the risk. They would rather use the ‘blanket approach’ and stick to it, especially if they see themselves as a big player in the market. But skills shortages are being discussed, which might impact that mindset.
“It’s down to us to ‘own’ what we do – ‘I run a business, this is how I run it, this is how I work’ and make it easy for the client to understand”. This comes as part of the education piece to help the client realise it’s possible. “There is space for interims and need for us, it’s just whether we can carve it out.”
Some really valid points here – in my opinion, I think in the longer term, the future will be bright for interim managers. If I think back to pre-2008 there was a clear divide between ‘proper interims’ and people who happened to be in the market. I am hoping that this distinction may become apparent over the long term and will inevitably lead to more interesting projects and higher rates for professional interims.
A huge thanks to Ian, Melanie, Simon, Sharon, and Carolyn for your views on the interim market.
If you would like to find out more about re:find and how we can support you and your business,with IR35 or anything else, please get in touch.
We work with IR35 Shield, an independent assessment tool that can accurately assess your contractor workforce IR35 determination. It helps both interims and the client organisations to cut through the mystique and ambiguity which often surrounds perceptions of IR35.
Organisational design, the dark art of a company restructure… the past 12 months have seen limited strategic change initiatives, my guess is that OD is going to be one of the most sought after skill-sets in 2021.
This increase in strategic change is likely to be accelerated as a result of the pandemic.
Although, the continuous disruption of industries means that companies now need regular shake-ups in order to succeed over the long-term.
As many leaders will already know, a high number of change programmes fail, with a large percentage simply running out of steam. In other cases, some fail to meet their objectives or improve performance once implemented. Could this be down to the organisational design or the actual implementation of the new model?
In a study conducted by Mckinsey, they found that; “the most successful organizations combine stable design elements with dynamic elements that change in response to evolving markets and new strategic directions. Corporate redesigns give organizations a rare opportunity to identify the stable backbone and set up those elements ripe for dynamic change.” The most successful companies see organisational redesign as a chance to rebuild the landscape and direct the future of the company.
What is ‘Organisation Design’ all about these days?
All organisational change programmes should start with corporate self-reflection. Asking questions about the purpose and direction of your company is surprisingly effective when it comes to keeping the focus on a new design strategy.
A study conducted by Deloitte echoed this sentiment – it found that whilst effective organisation design delivers significant improvements in business performance, most companies fail as they don’t go far enough in addressing real organisational or structural issues, and that; “businesses embark on organisation design projects in search of benefits they can’t achieve through organisation design alone—or even at all.”
But – all hope is not lost! There are things you can do to encourage a successful redesign.
How can you get it right?
Spend time to define the purpose of the organisation. It is critical to engage with leaders and people in the business to ensure that they buy into the change – before decisions are made.
One of the key aspects of any change programme is to get the new changes to last! Make sure that you put time and resource into business change, which will likely include significant cultural change, comms and training. Otherwise, employees may revert to how they previously operated.
Interim executives have proven experience in moving the programme forward towards implementation. Typically, it’s right after the management consultancies have developed the top-level strategy.
Lastly, you’ll want to assemble a leadershipteam that has the right capability and is bought into the new strategy.
HR is always evolving, as is the importance of the function in business. But what makes a great HR professional? I have worked in the HR industry for over 15 years and still see many of the same topics discussed over and over.
Has anything changed? Here is my take on what makes a great HR professional.
What qualities should an HR professional have?
Develops trust
This quality is probably the most important one that any great professional needs, more so in HR than other functions. The HRD should be a confidant to the CEO and other business leaders, people will only open up to someone they can trust.
The easiest way to alienate an employee population is to create a ‘say do gap’. For HR to be effective, you need to role model the behaviours of the business and the best way to do this is to be consistent and authentic.
Although there is lots of talk that HR should be more strategic, I think the most effective HR practitioners are able to roll their sleeves up too and to really get to know what is going on in the business.
Known as a problem solver
As an HR professional, you will be responsible for solving problems and issues. I hear many stories of people continuously dealing with the same stuff in a reactive fashion… and guess what? That isn’t the best use of time or resources, and it doesn’t demonstrate commercial thinking.
Once a problem has been identified it is important to get to the root cause of the issue – there are many great books on RCA. The important steps are finding data to back up what is going on and then providing a workable solution.
The role of HR has moved on and can’t only work in coaching/facilitation mode. The best HR professionals I know have an innovative mindset and provide multiple scenarios, solutions, and options to problems.
Knowledgeable
Like any profession you need to have the relevant subject matter knowledge (in this case HR) – for me, this should be a given. HR needs to have a broader understanding of business drivers, and an ability to consider external factors. Things like competitors and the future direction of the sector and bringing ideas into the business from peers or thought leaders.
An easy way to develop this in HR is to read business books (or blogs, vlogs, audiobooks) and to become up to speed with modern concepts such as ‘Netflix – no rules’, OKRs, agile performance management etc. It doesn’t mean that all of these will be suitable or relevant to your business, but business leaders will be up to speed with the concepts and in HR you should have a view.
Understands the business
If you can answer YES to these questions, then it might suggest that you are a commercial HR leader:
Could you stand in for the CEO/MD or Operational leader at their next weekly/monthly stand-up or board meeting and give an update on business performance?
Could you meet potential clients/investors, give them a thorough understanding of the business, and sell the benefits of your organisation?
Do you understand the key drivers of your business and how it drives growth?
Please let me know in the comments section if you think anything else is relevant? I’d be interested to get other views.
Workforce planning in regulatory departments plays a vital role in ensuring the department’s ability to align the organisation’s workforce, with its regulatory responsibilities. With the ever-changing landscape of regulations, workforce planning is critical. It ensures each department has the appropriate number of employees equipped with the necessary skills.
What do you need to consider when workforce planning in regulatory bodies?
The first step in workforce planning is to assess the regulatory needs of the department. This involves identifying the specific regulatory functions and responsibilities of the department, understanding the regulatory landscape, and determining the level of expertise required to fulfil those responsibilities.
Based on the regulatory needs, HR directors forecast the future workforce requirements. This involves analysing factors such as workload projections, regulatory changes, emerging technologies, and policy priorities, that may impact the department’s staffing needs.
HR directors work closely with departmental leaders and subject matter experts to identify the required skill sets and competencies for regulatory roles. They assess the specific knowledge, qualifications, certifications, and technical skills needed to effectively enforce regulations and ensure compliance. They also need to evaluate the existing workforce within the regulatory department to determine any skill gaps, shortages, or areas of excess.
Workforce requirements
Based on the workforce requirements and skill gaps identified, HR directors will need to develop recruitment strategies to attract individuals with the required regulatory expertise. They may collaborate with hiring managers to design job descriptions, define selection criteria, and engage in targeted recruitment efforts.
As a HRD you will need to ensure that training and developmentprograms are in place to enhance the skills and competencies of regulatory staff. This may involve providing regulatory-specific training, organising workshops, encouraging professional certifications, and promoting continuous learning opportunities. This will keep employees up-to-date with evolving regulatory requirements and best practices.
Engaging in succession planning ensures a smooth transition of key regulatory roles. It will allow you to identify high-potential employees and create development plans to develop them for future leadership positions. Succession planning helps maintain regulatory continuity and prevent any disruptions in regulatory oversight due to retirements or turnover.
Challenges faced
As regulatory boards operate in dynamic environments, it can be difficult to keep up and align workforce planning strategies accordingly. The need to adapt to new technologies, emerging industries, and changing priorities adds complexity to forecasting future workforce needs.
Regulatory roles often require specialised knowledge and skills. Finding individuals with the specific expertise needed to enforce regulations and ensure compliance can be challenging. There may be a limited pool of candidates with the desired skill sets, particularly in niche regulatory areas, leading to intense competition for talent.
Advancements in technology, such as automation, artificial intelligence, and dataanalytics, are reshaping regulatory processes. Workforce planning must account for the impact of technology on job roles and skills required. Identifying which tasks can be automated and which need human expertise is essential to effectively allocate resources and train employees accordingly.
Regulatory boards often interact with various stakeholders, including other government agencies, industry associations, and the public. Collaboration and coordination with these stakeholders can be challenging, particularly when aligning workforce planning efforts and sharing data or resources. Building effective partnerships and communication channels is crucial for successful workforce planning.
Retaining Talent
Once regulatory boards recruit skilled professionals, retaining them becomes crucial. Highly qualified individuals in regulatory fields may be sought after by other organisations, including private sector companies offering more lucrative compensation packages. Retention strategies, career development opportunities, and competitive compensation structures must be in place. It’s also important these are communicated from the start of the recruitment process, to ensure you retain top talent.
OUR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
At re:find we believe that recruitment is not a one-off transaction but rather a long-term partnership. We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and advice to help them find and retain the best talent for their organisation.
We understand that every organisation is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to recruitment. That’s why we offer bespoke recruitment solutions that are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you need help with a single hire or a full recruitment campaign, we can help.
We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality service. We take the time to understand your organisation’s culture and values, as well as the specific skills and experience needed for each role.
If you’re starting a journey to a new HR role, (or any other role!) then there are lots of things to think about.
We want to break the process down into manageable chunks, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming. So, over the next few weeks, we will be updating this page with all the things you need to consider when starting that journey to a new role.
Your personal profile
First things first – your personal profile needs to show you in the right way, your skills and experience as well as your personality. LinkedIn is the number 1 tool recruiters use, and prospective employers are likely to look at your profile, so it’s important you get your LinkedIn profile right and utilise it in your jobsearch.
Here you can not only share your experience and skills but engage with your network and raise your personal profile.
How you can achieve an All-Star profile on LinkedIn:
Make sure you have a professional photo – forward-facing, clear background, smiling.
Headline – utilise all characters to tell people what it is that you do.
Summary – here is your chance to sell yourself (more on this later).
Add your location – so you’ll be found in searches for roles in your area.
Experience – list your relevant experience, with main achievements.
Skills – pick your most relevant skills to showcase.
Here are top tips for successful job searching on LinkedIn from Ellie Rich-Poole – the recruitment coach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UEs-I7ESAY&t=12s
It’s worth checking your settings on LinkedIn to select what is shared and what people see. If you have any other social media accounts, it’s probably a good idea to check the privacy settings on there too.
Your CV is the other part of your personal profile which is crucial to your job search. It’s often the first thing a potential employer sees of you, so you need to make sure you get it right.
Things you can think about before writing or updating your CV include – your biggest achievements, why they should employ you, what you can bring to their company and what desirable skills you have.
Demonstrate your skills and experience – commercialsuccess, problem resolution and achievements.
Keep it simple – your font and layout are important, simple works best.
Don’t be generic –
Check and check again for mistakes – anything from spelling and grammar, incorrect contact details or employment dates that don’t add up. It doesn’t give a great impression.
Keep it up to date – you should regularly review your CV, so it’s not outdated and make it specific to the roles you’re applying to.
Here are tips on how you can stand out from the crowd with a commercial and impactful CV.
Your summary or personal statement sits at the top of your LinkedIn profile and your CV. This should not be longer than a couple of paragraphs, succinctly showing off your strengths and aspirations. It’s important you keep to the point, market yourself well and reflect the job specification in your statement. Don’t overuse buzz words, waffle or mix the grammatical person – use either first person or third person, but not both!
Transferable skills
Don’t forget that some skills can be applied to any role or company – portable skills could have come from your current role or a past role, educational background or from hobbies or voluntary work. They might help in roles even if it is not obvious at first that they are directly relevant. Having examples of the transferable skills you’ve developed, can help to show you are right for the job.
Here are some examples of transferable skills:
Leadership – strong interpersonal skills and the ability to inspire others.
Analytical thinking – or problem-solving skills – are desired by businesses, to help solve challenges and problems within the business.
Communication – good communication skills are so important in all roles, as they contribute to smooth operations. These skills include verbal communication, written communication, listening skills, presenting, and negotiating.
Technical skills – it is important to keep up to date with technological advances, so you have at least a basic knowledge of computer systems in a digitally evolving world.
Teamwork – being strong in collaboration, relationship building, communication, motivating, problem-solving and conflict resolution are all key skills to have.
All of these transferable skills are important and desired by businesses, so don’t let these be forgotten in your job search planning. Sometimes organisations will use psychometric profile testing in the process to check personality type as well as skills and ability and will measure potential as opposed to just experience.
Networking
Networking can be key in finding that next role, you can get a lot out of networking, whether that’s through online profiles, talking to your networking, reaching out to a wider network or attending networking events.
These points are important to bear in mind before you start networking:
Know what you are looking for in terms of the role, the company and the culture. Have an idea of the things that are non-negotiable and the things that
Use your existing network – think about who you already know or have worked with.
Create profiles and keep them updated to reach a wider audience.
It’s always good to ask for feedback, to check you’re coming across how you want to and so you know if there are areas you can improve on.
Get out (or online!) to networking events.
If you find networking intimidating, you don’t need to – here are tips on how to navigate them effectively.
You can gain a wide range of things including:
Grow your self-confidence
Build long lasting relationships
Sharing ideas and creativity
Find new opportunites
There are all different kinds of networking events, so find one that suits you! We run a breakfast event – in person and online – which is informal and fun. You can find more info here.
It is worth considering setting up a profile on some of the sites below, with your up-to-date CV, plus any other important info, to broaden your network, so recruiters have a higher chance of finding you.
Once you make it to the interview stage – well done, it takes some work to get here. Now make sure you do the right preparation work and smash your interview.
Make sure you do your research – get to know the business, the role and be prepared to answer questions on both.
Dress to impress – find out what their culture is and what is deemed appropriate.
Know your CV inside and out, so you can confidently and articulately talk about your background and experience.
Be in control – it’s not just them grilling you, you want to find out about the company and find out if it’s the right fit for you.
Practice examples to key questions and prepare your answers using the STAR model (Situation, Task, Action and Result).
Being resilient/dealing with rejection
Unfortunately, it won’t always go the way you want and you will get rejections, which is why being resilient in your job search is important. It is important you control what you can – and realise what you cannot. Getting feedback is always good, so you know what you can improve on.
Many things that affect resilience and that you need to factor into your quest to be more resilient include:
Physical energy: falls into 3 categories – sleep, nutrition, exercise.
Emotional intelligence: the higher the intelligence, the higher the resilience.
Multitasking: has a direct negative influence on work and negatively impacts resilience.
Inner voice: internal commentary can be a negative force.
Purpose in life: high purpose in life acts as a protective factor against stress.
Recovery: Recovery in all dimensions, agility, physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and recovery are dependent on the creation of new individual habit.
You can see more about these tips from organisational psychologist and resilience expert Fran Costello here.
Resilience is closely linked with looking after yourself physically and mentally, so here are some tips on looking after your wellbeing throughout that new career journey.
Your wellbeing throughout
A routine is important for many people as a foundation for good mental health. These simple steps apply in all situations, but between jobs, they are even more important:
Start your day well – get dressed, have your normal breakfast, get ready for a working day.
Get some direct sunlight.
Stick to your regular lunchtimes and eat well.
Don’t sit for too long – get up regularly and go for a walk at lunchtime.
Even when job hunting set a time to switch off. Close your laptop, enjoy your evening, and continue tomorrow.
Tools that can help:
Mind – mental health charity, giving advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem.
Headspace – a meditation app with a mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world.
Speak to people – Speak to a family member, friend or loved one, or call the Samaritans on 116 123. Alternatively, you can text Shout to 85258 and a member of their team of crisis volunteers will call you back as soon as they can.
Over the last few years, you may have noticed more companies are advertising for commercial awareness when hiring prospective new employees.
I can tell you from personal experience, that lack of commercial awareness is one of the key reasons that good candidates are rejected at interview stage. “They were really great, but just lacked the commercial edge we were looking for.”
So what exactly is commercial awareness and knowledge, and is it something that you can learn?
First of all, yes, anyone can learn commercial awareness and knowledge. It does, however, take hard work and dedication to become good at it. It should be noted that commercial knowledge isn’t the same as general knowledge.
Commercial knowledge refers to a sound understanding of what a business does, how it makes its money, the market in which it operates and how you and your role can fit into it. Often this means considering things such as, how you can increase revenue or market share, customer service levels, improved productivity levels, a better and more efficient team environment, great levels of quality assurance, less waste – I think you get my drift here!
If you want to actively increase your commercial knowledge you can consider these top tips to help you get it right:
You must understand what a business does and have a good understanding of its competitor environment.
Do your research and look at their online presence e.g. Glassdoor, LinkedIn groups, Twitter, Feefo. These can give indicators of customer service levels and employee satisfaction rates.
Look out for important events. Are there any future projects a company is about to begin working on? What have they done in the past?
Be aware of how economics can affect that business.
Think about the challenges that a business could be facing and formulate ideas on how you can help solve them.
If you’re at an interview, a great way to demonstrate your commercial knowledge is to have a couple of ready-made questions prepared.
There is no quick fix for getting commercial awareness but by putting the effort in, potential employers will give you kudos for trying, even if you don’t get it 100% right! Good luck.
With over 20 years of experience working in HR and as a search consultant specialising in placing senior HR professionals, I’ve seen first-hand how strategic HR can transform businesses. It’s not just about hiring and firing—it’s about creating a robust people strategy that drives business performance, fosters innovation, and ensures long-term success.
In today’s competitive landscape, HR plays a pivotal role as a strategic partner, enabling organisations to adapt, thrive, and outperform the competition. This guide delves into the critical functions of HR, the benefits of strategic HR partnerships, and how leveraging HR expertise can elevate your organisation to new heights. Whether you’re building your HR function or looking to maximise its impact, this comprehensive overview will provide valuable insights into the modern role of HR.
Businesses depend on three primary resources: physical, financial, and human. Among these, the human resource—employees—is the most dynamic and critical. HR is responsible for nurturing this resource to achieve better profitability, stronger leadership, and higher employee engagement.
HR is more than a function; it is a strategic partner that aligns individual goals with organisational objectives. By doing so, HR ensures that businesses remain competitive, adaptable, and primed for growth in an ever-evolving market.
What Does HR Do? Key Responsibilities
HR encompasses a broad array of responsibilities, all aimed at supporting employees and driving organisational success. Here are its primary functions:
1. Recruiting and Onboarding
Partner with leadership to anticipate and address workforce needs, ensuring alignment with business goals.
Develop employer branding strategies to attract top-tier talent.
Develop and implement robust performance management frameworks, ensuring continuous feedback and careerdevelopment.
Handle workplace conflicts and disciplinary actions with professionalism and fairness, aiming for resolutions that benefit both the employee and the business.
Offer resources for work-life balance, including flexible working arrangements and counselling services.
Foster inclusivity and belonging through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Leadership Development
Train and mentor future leaders to strengthen management capabilities across the organisation.
Provide support for managers to effectively lead their teams and drive results.
Leverage leadership analytics to identify and develop key leadership competencies.
When Do Companies Need HR?
1. Rapid Growth
HR helps businesses scale effectively by managingrecruitment, onboarding, and workforce planning during periods of expansion. A well-structured HR function ensures that the organisation attracts top talent, integrates them seamlessly, and prepares for future challenges. Without HR, rapid growth can lead to inefficiencies, employee dissatisfaction, and a misalignment of business objectives.
2. Legal Compliance
Staying updated on employment laws and regulations is critical, and HR ensures the organisation remains compliant. Non-compliance can result in hefty fines, lawsuits, and reputational damage. An HR department acts as the gatekeeper of legal adherence, ensuring contracts, workplace policies, and practices meet current standards.
3. Managing Workplace Issues
As organisations grow, so do employee concerns. HR mediates disputes, fosters a positive work culture, and prevents costly conflicts. By addressing workplace grievances effectively, HR not only protects the organisation from potential legal action but also nurtures employee trust and loyalty, creating a cohesive and motivated workforce.
Strategic Benefits of Working with a Dedicated HR Business Partner
A strategic HR business partner offers tailored expertise, aligning HR functions with the overarching goals of your organisation. This partnership provides numerous advantages:
Improved Workforce Planning: HR business partners analyse workforce trends, ensuring the right talent is in place to meet business objectives.
Enhanced Employee Engagement: By implementing targeted engagement strategies, HR partners create a motivated and committed workforce.
Risk Mitigation: Strategic HR partners proactively address legal compliance and workplace issues, reducing risks and protecting the organisation.
Data-Driven Insights: Utilising advanced HR analytics, they provide actionable insights to inform strategic decision-making.
Stronger Leadership Development: They identify leadership gaps and implement programs to build strong, future-ready management teams.
Scalability: HR partners ensure that HR infrastructure and policies scale seamlessly as your business grows.
What is HR Management?
Human Resource Management (HRM) is a strategic approach to managing people within an organisation. Its primary focus is on creating value through a motivated, skilled, and satisfied workforce.
Core Functions of HRM
Managerial Functions
Planning: Forecast workforce needs to align with business objectives.
Organising: Structure teams and workflows to maximise efficiency.
Directing: Ensure employees are focused on achieving organisational goals.
Controlling: Monitor performance and implement corrective actions when needed.
Advisory Functions
Advise leadership on employee engagement strategies and morale improvement.
Provide department heads with guidance on recruitment, performance appraisals, and talent retention.
HR Tech: The Game-Changer
The rise of HR technology has revolutionised the way organisations manage their workforce, enabling more efficient, data-driven, and employee-focused processes. Tools such as applicant tracking systems (ATS) streamline recruitment workflows, employee engagement platforms provide real-time insights into workforce morale, and performance management software offers detailed analytics to identify and reward high-performing individuals.
During the pandemic, HR technology became a cornerstone of business continuity, facilitating essential functions like remote work, virtual recruitment, and online training programs. This period demonstrated the critical role technology plays in fostering adaptability and resilience in businesses. Today, the integration of advanced solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics within HR tech further enhances decision-making, allowing organisations to forecast workforce needs, personalise employee experiences, and mitigate potential risks.
Key players in the HR technology space, such as Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, and BambooHR, continue to lead innovation by providing comprehensive platforms that support end-to-end human resource management. Their tools have transformed the HR landscape, helping businesses not only optimise operations but also foster a culture of continuous improvement and employee satisfaction. As technology advances, the synergy between digital tools and human expertise remains essential for building workplaces that thrive in a competitive and evolving environment.
Why Choose re:find?
At Re:find, we specialise in placing senior HR professionals and helping organisations build exceptional people strategies. With over 15 years of experience, our MD, James Cumming, has a proven track record of finding niche HR talent. Connect with James on LinkedIn here or get in touch with us to learn how we can support your business.
Why partner with re:find?
Proactive Search: We don’t just post job ads—we headhunt the top 5% of candidates who match your needs, even those who aren’t actively looking.
Deep Sector Expertise: From consumer goods to defence and digital transformation, our experience spans multiple sectors and complex industries.
Proven Track Record: We’ve placed senior leaders and specialists in roles that others struggled to fill, ensuring our clients can continue driving success.
Broader Talent Management Services: Beyond recruitment, we support organisations with transformation, restructuring, and leadership challenges, providing a full lifecycle solution.
Whether you’re looking for a strategic leader or a niche specialist, we delivers results.
Visit refind.co.uk to explore our services or book a consultation today.
Struggling to fill a critical role? Need support with hard to find talent? Don’t let it hold your business back.
Contact our Managing Director James Cumming at re:find today to discover how we can help you find exceptional talent, fast.
Visit refind.co.uk or call us on 0121 314 0350 to schedule a consultation. Let’s take the stress out of recruitment and get your team back on track.
Setting strategic objectives is a fundamental aspect of effective leadership, providing a roadmap for organisations and individuals to achieve their goals. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the essence of objectives, exploring their significance, benefits, and the strategic considerations behind their formulation. If you are steering a business or seeking personal development, understanding how to articulate, assess, and align objectives is key to your success.
Understanding Objectives: What Are They and Why Do We Have Them?
Objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) targets that guide actions and decisions. Those objectives will then serve as the building blocks of success, offering clarity and direction to both leaders and their teams.
Clarity of Purpose: Objectives articulate the purpose and direction of an organisation or individual. They answer the fundamental question: “What are we trying to achieve?”
Motivation and Focus: Clear objectives motivate individuals by providing a focal point for their efforts. This helps everyone understand their role in achieving a common goal, collective motivation and focus increase.
Measurement and Evaluation: Objectives offer a measurable framework for evaluating progress. They provide benchmarks against which performance can be assessed, aiding in the identification of strengths and areas for improvement.
The Benefits of Setting Objectives
Setting objectives yields a plethora of benefits for leaders, teams, and individuals alike. Let’s explore these advantages:
Alignment of Efforts: Objectives align everyone towards a shared purpose, fostering collaboration and synergy within the team or organisation.
Enhanced Decision-Making: Clear objectives provide a basis for informed decision-making. Leaders can assess options against established goals, ensuring choices are in line with the overarching strategy.
Improved Performance: Objectives set performance expectations, motivating individuals to achieve their best. Regular assessment against objectives helps identify and address performance gaps.
Adaptability: If we plan well-structured objectives, this allows for adaptability in a dynamic environment and helps leaders to pivot their strategies while ensuring alignment with the ultimate goals.
Strategic Objectives: The Backbone of Organisational Success
Strategic objectives form the backbone of organisational success, guiding long-term planning and decision-making. Here’s how leaders can develop and articulate strategic objectives effectively:
Alignment with Mission and Vision: Strategic objectives should align seamlessly with the organisation’s mission and vision, ensuring a cohesive and purpose-driven approach.
SMART Criteria: Apply the SMART criteria to strategic objectives, ensuring they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This ensures clarity and accountability.
Prioritisation: Prioritise objectives based on their impact on the overall strategy. This ensures that resources are allocated efficiently to achieve the most critical goals.
Stakeholder Involvement: Involve key stakeholders in the development of strategic objectives to gather diverse perspectives and foster a sense of ownership among the team.
Crafting Effective Strategic Objectives: The Art of Wording
The language used in articulating objectives plays a crucial role in their effectiveness. Here are some tips for crafting objectives with precision and impact:
Use Action Verbs: Begin objectives with action verbs that clearly convey the intended outcome. An example of this when talking about improving on the Market Share, we could say “Increase market share by 10%” which is more impactful than “Improve market share.”
Be Specific and Concrete: Avoid vague language. Specify exactly what needs to be achieved and provide quantifiable metrics for success.
Consider Stakeholder Perspectives: Craft objectives that resonate with stakeholders. Understand their priorities and concerns, tailoring objectives to address shared goals.
Ensure Clarity: Objectives should be easily understood by all stakeholders. Ambiguity can lead to confusion and hinder progress.
Assessing Strategic Objectives: Monitoring Progress and Driving Improvement
The journey towards achieving objectives doesn’t end with their formulation. Regular assessment and adaptation are critical components of successful objective management:
Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Define KPIs aligned with each objective to quantitatively measure progress. These indicators serve as benchmarks for success.
Frequent Evaluation: Regularly assess progress against objectives. This can involve weekly check-ins, monthly reviews, or other cadences, depending on the nature of the objectives.
Adaptability: Be prepared to adapt objectives in response to changing circumstances. Flexibility is essential for overcoming unforeseen challenges.
Celebrate Achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate milestones and achievements along the way. This fosters a positive workculture and motivates individuals to persist in their efforts.
Business Objectives vs Employee Objectives: Bridging the Gap
While business and employee objectives may seem distinct, aligning them is crucial for overall success. Here’s how leaders can bridge the gap:
Clear Communication: Clearly communicate how individual employee objectives contribute to broader business goals. This enhances understanding and motivation.
Alignment of Incentives: Align incentives to ensure that achieving individual objectives aligns with the success of the business. This creates a mutually beneficial relationship.
Regular Feedback: Provide regular feedback to employees on their performance against objectives. This helps them understand their impact on the organisation and course-correct if necessary.
Encourage Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where employees can see how their contributions fit into the larger organisational picture. This enhances teamwork and collective success.
Conclusion: Empowering Leadership Through Effective Objective Setting
In conclusion, effective leadership involves mastering the art of objective setting. Whether guiding a business or personal development, the ability to articulate, assess, and align objectives is paramount. By understanding the significance of objectives, embracing strategic thinking, and fostering adaptability, leaders can steer their teams towards success. Objectives serve not only as a roadmap but as a source of motivation and collective purpose, propelling individuals and organisations towards their fullest potential.
OUR FOCUS ON LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS
At re:find we have been in Executive Search for over 20 years. We believe that recruitment is not a one-off transaction but rather a long-term partnership. We aim to build long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and advice to help them find and retain the best talent for their organisation.
In addition, as a business, we understand that every organisation is unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to recruitment. That’s why we offer bespoke recruitment solutions that are tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. Whether you need help with a single hire or a full recruitment campaign, we can help.
We are committed to providing our clients with the highest quality service. As part of this, we ensure that we take the time to understand your organisation’s culture and values, as well as the specific skills and experience needed for each role.
