So, it is a wonderful time for the function, but the bar for individuals has been raised dramatically. Where maybe in the past HR might’ve carried some folks who were pleasant or good order takers or good caretakers, what HR is demanding now is being numerate, understanding the value tree, really knowing how to use analytics-all that kind of stuff. Now, as we come back and we adjust to the new normal, HR has an opportunity to continue to step up, to continue to innovate and continue to use data, facts, and insights in how they guide, not just intuition.īill Schaninger: There’s a little bit of “watch what you wish for.” Because now-while HR is unbelievably front and center, with critical roles and critical pools and “how are we going to respond to the return to the office,” et cetera-that same light shines on deficiencies in the function. The pandemic was a unique human event that affected individuals, that affected people. Good people analytics teams have been more focused around employees and understanding how employees are feeling at the various stages of the pandemic, and then are building that into their approach to hybrid work.īryan Hancock: I think that the role of HR and the role of the CHRO is going to continue to be elevated for the next few years. which means more expectations for the function, a thirst for data to drive decisions around people, more interest from the C-level, and more demands from the C-level as well. There’s an elevated role for the CHRO, 1 Chief human resources officer. What has this crisis meant for the role of HR?ĭavid Green: Well, I suppose it’s been HR’s chance to shine, and in many companies, it has.

It’s obviously been a massively challenging crisis that has put both lives and livelihoods at risk for employees across the globe. Lucia Rahilly: So, David, we are closing in on two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The McKinsey Talks Talent podcast is hosted by Lucia Rahilly. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent, HR expert David Green, coauthor (with Jonathan Ferrar) of Excellence in People Analytics (Kogan Page, July 2021), speaks with McKinsey’s Bryan Hancock and Bill Schaninger about a talent market in the throes of changes-and how HR leaders can use people analytics to navigate the current inflection point successfully.

And leaders are grappling with the hybrid dilemma-what an imminent return to the office might look like and why.

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