A study from HR group CIPD has found that 49 per cent of the 1,502 professionals - from Ireland and the UK - who took part in The People Profession 2021 survey from CIPD in association with Workday, have had to upskill due to their workplace's response to the pandemic.
A further 11 per cent have had to learn entirely new HR skills in different areas of work to enable them to effectively respond to changes brought about by the crisis.
This contrasts dramatically with what HR professionals said last year - when 83 per cent of respondents to a survey believed they had the right skills to deal with any challenges.
Peter Cheese - CIPD Chief Executive - said:
“2020 was an exceptional year for our profession”
He added:
“The difficult external circumstances put great demand on all of us, and people professionals have been at the forefront of the organisational response, supporting people, implementing rapid changes, adapting and learning. It’s great to see so many colleagues recognising the need to strengthen their skills and ensure they have the right expertise to guide and make an impact in their organisations in an ever-changing world of work.”
After being asked about the contribution and impact people functions have on organisations, it was found that 52 per cent of respondents recognise links between HR practices and business outcomes that are agreed across their organisation; 58 per cent have a clear understanding of what success looks like in organisational outcomes and 73 per cent work collaboratively across business functions to meet organisational needs. A further 52 per cent feel they add financial value by supporting organisational effectiveness, with 40 per cent believing the standing of HR and people processionals has increased because of the work they have done during the pandemic.
Peter Cheese added:
“We’ve always been aware of the vital role our profession plays, but the pandemic has accelerated a focus to putting people much more front and centre in the business agenda and for our profession to step forward and demonstrate their skills and abilities. Now is the time to see people professionals build on the fantastic work they’ve done over the last year and continue driving change in their organisations as we continue to navigate the pandemic and the changing future of work and working practices.”
Mary Connaughton - Director of CIPD Ireland - highlighted one difference between responses from the UK and Ireland, saying:
"Among our UK colleagues, 41 per cent of respondents said that supporting line managers is a priority area for improvement across their HR capability, but the figure stands at just 29 per cent here. This is a source of concern as a lack of capability among line managers could form a barrier to the maximum contribution of HR practices to the organisation. We would encourage members and their employers to devote more energy towards supporting line managers with this part of their role".
Michael Douroux - Global Vice President, Northern Europe and South Africa at Workday - said:
"Those in the people profession have really risen to the moment in the last year, helping businesses and employees alike to overcome an incredibly challenging period. Amidst huge uncertainty and a fast-changing environment, leaders have helped people stay informed, engaged and supported. As we all strive to recover and make the world of work better, applying what we’ve learned over the last year, it’s clear that a data-driven agile culture is vital - leading to better-informed decisions and fewer surprises along the way."
