CHROs should embrace a fluid mindset at work

Employers need to adapt in order to attract new talent — and that adaption shouldn’t begin and end in the recruitment process. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Today’s work environment is unlike one that most chief human resource officers (CHROs) have previously encountered. The talent marketplace is massive, though selective. The workforce has evolved. Technology is disrupting everything. CHROs, meanwhile, are responsible for handling many of the challenges of this new, post-pandemic normal. Rather than enter this unknown territory without a plan, CHROs should seize the opportunity to capitalize on the chaos, ditch outdated legacy management styles, and embrace a more fluid vision of their role in moving their enterprises forward.

Today, CHROs oversee recruitment and retention amid intense competition. They manage professionals spread around the globe with widely varying experiences, expectations and skill sets. They manage IT systems for onboarding, training, upskilling, and more as their companies adopt automation and undergo digital transformations. They answer to CEOs and boards. And they do not in the slightest resemble the human resource departments of a generation ago.