Generation is on a mission to change education to employment around the world.

We operate in 17 countries, and my remit is to oversee the global hub of the organisation. The organisation has been running for around 11 years now offering training and job placement to get people into work and to support careers that might otherwise be inaccessible for them. Since we were founded in 2015 we’ve seen 155,000 graduates from our programmes, 81% of graduates are placed within 3 months and our work has helped people generate around 2.5 billion dollars in wages. This is not just about running education programmes but understanding what happens to recipients of our programs *our alumni) in the years after they graduate – are they employed and can they meet their daily needs. We’ve found 73% attain a living wage or above.

I joined the team 5 years ago having already been working for an international company. Generation works 100% remotely – I’ve never met my boss in person. We have 95 colleagues across 23 countries so while it’s not a large head count it is very complex from a people perspective. I lead a global HR team based in USA and UK.

Managing a global workforce means making sure everything is equitable and that we’re listening to everyone.

When I started at Generation the organisation did not have the best set up for the kind of workplace it was. We therefore started to engage with Employer of Record (EOR) providers which made things more straight-forward and opened up the opportunities to attract more global talent. In some locations employees are directly employed by us, but in others it’s indirect. However we offer equitable employment opportunities, and everyone needs to feel engaged to the same extent. 

Recently we’ve been updating the global employee handbook, and we’ve needed to make sure that each employee location is aligned to local labor laws and all the other globally applicable elements of life at Generation.

we need to ensure what we’re doing in one place comes across in the same way somewhere else.”

Working in this type of fully remote global organisation means having to deal with a level of ambiguity around the world, but we just  roll up our sleeves and get on with it. Also because we’re in the not-for-profit sector we need to be creative in what we offer to our people and very focused on the things that matter to them whilst still driving forward our mission and creating impact.

As part of this we carry out pulse surveys among employees covering employee satisfaction and and wellbeing. We aim to do this twice a year and it means we can demonstrate how things are developing and changing each year. We track the results from our surveys and take action to create the best employee experience we can. With people located in many different countries we need to ensure what we’re doing in one place comes across in the same way somewhere else and our teams feel engaged and a valued part of our mission, not left out. 

If you want to create a unified global workforce you need to get the culture right.

We’ve worked hard to build and protect our culture. We are intentional about how we show up for one another, treat each other, and live our values.

This balance has been important for Green as it has reflected and facilitated his passion – to be involved in organisations undergoing transformation. In this context his work has always shown how HR’s power and influence keys into significant business change. As former HR Director at the Royal Mail, Green was part of the team that took the organisation from losses of a million and a half a day and on the brink of being sold, to floating on the Stock Exchange with a valuation of £3.3 billion. This turnaround was made to a highly unionised business of 200,000 people with a huge legacy. The transformation required a clear direction and huge investment in systems and technology – with the leadership needing to convince the Government to invest in the business to realise its full potential.

Following on from that, Green was headhunted to become CEO at the REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) the UK’s largest membership body for the recruitment industry. Again change was firmly on the agenda. On the one hand he needed to shift the performance of the organisation in what was fast becoming a treacherous business landscape because of the financial crisis. On the other hand, the organisation was in prime position to lead a wider transformation of the recruitment sector itself, helping it to assume a more professional status. 

When I ask for investment at the start I have to make a clear business case.”

Having left the REC, Green sought to encapsulate some of his learning and ideas in his book Competitive People Strategy. He also took on a few non-exec positions as well as consultancy work. Some of that work involved acting as interim CPO with First Bus. “At that point the company was looking at cultural change,” explains Green, “and I was helping it to find a new CPO who would take that on.”

However, with a plan for managing change in the organisation forming, the company’s leadership suggested he took on the project in a full-time capacity. “My wife said I was mad to take it,” he says, “But it was the pull of transforming another legacy business was the thing for me. It was a chance to be successful in a different market place.”

From asset driven to service focus

The task facing Green and the leadership of First Bus was to take what had been an asset driven business and turn it into one that was service driven – focusing on the customer and the people rather than the buses. According to Green, the deregulation of bus services in the 1980s had seen the business expand through acquisition – including three in US businesses (Greyhound Buses among them). As a result the UK bus business was among the smallest of the company’s concerns and at the end of the queue in terms of investment. 

The firm took the step of selling its US businesses for £3.3bn and instead focussing on the domestic bus and train service, with the expectation that this would be the key to future growth. To make this happen the Bus business needed to shift from being asset-led to service-led. As such the change clearly needed a people strategy that would instigate and support such a transition.

Realising that making change from the top down would be problematic and not necessarily right for the business, Green’s strategy started with the frontline managers and staff. At that point the business had around 13,000 people and Green’s team set about gathering ideas from every depot, using those suggestions to create and pilot new projects, enabling staff to influence change and coaching managers to lead the change locally.

The business restructured at the same time and a new award winning leadership programme was established – called Leadership Lab. According to Green one issue that arose was that managers barely interacted with the good bus drivers, their time being taken up with disciplinary issues and absence management rather than highlighting excellent work when it occurred. They therefore introduced a 20 minute catch-up meeting between managers and drivers, rooted in a recognition of their work and checking on their wellbeing rather than foregrounding punitive measures.

Q: Please give a short guide to your career

A: I began my career in HR more than 20 years ago, having initially studied law at university. I didn’t set out with a fixed plan to work in people and culture, but I’ve always been interested in how organisations balance commercial outcomes with fairness, and what happens when the ‘human’ side of the business is either overlooked or done well. That curiosity, and a desire to work close to the day-to-day reality of business, is what drew me into HR.

My first role was in recruitment, which taught me early what ‘great’ looks like in practice: not just technical capability, but attitude, values and potential. I was fortunate to gain exposure to generalist HR early on at Balfour Beatty. Working in a complex, project-driven environment was formative. It taught me how to partner with operational leaders, stay close to what is really happening on the ground, and build the trust and credibility HR needs to make a difference.

Alongside work, I completed a Master’s degree in HR Management, which strengthened my grounding in employment law, organisational behaviour and strategic workforce planning. As my career progressed, I moved into HR Business Partner roles across construction, engineering and professional services, including Balfour Beatty, AECOM and KPMG. Working across sectors has given me a simple takeaway – the context changes, but people still want clarity, consistency and respect, and organisations perform best when leaders create the right conditions for teams to do their best work.

It’s not the result of one initiative, but of doing the fundamentals well and consistently.”

I joined WSP in 2018 as an HR Business Partner, and it’s been a brilliant place to grow and stretch. Since then I’ve progressed through roles including Head of HR for Transport & Infrastructure and Director of HR Partnering. In May 2025, I moved into my current role as UK HR Director at WSP in the UK & Ireland. I’m also the first to admit I’m not naturally someone who enjoys talking about myself; I prefer to focus on the work and the people around me, which probably says something about why HR has suited me so well.

Q: Please give us one or two stand‑out achievements

A: One of my proudest achievements has been helping to build and sustain a strong, people-focused culture at WSP during a period of significant change. The business has continued to grow, and my focus has been on keeping the employee experience front and centre while still supporting the pace and priorities of the organisation.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve achieved our lowest attrition in many years alongside our highest engagement scores, which suggests we are focusing on the right areas. It’s not the result of one initiative, but of doing the fundamentals well and consistently – clear expectations, supporting managers, being honest about what we can and can’t change, and listening properly to colleagues, particularly around workload and day-to-day pressures.

A second achievement I’m proud of is building a high-performing HR leadership team that can be operationally excellent and genuinely strategic at the same time.

A: Prior to HR, I initially considered a career in the performing arts and attended a school focused on that area. Following my studies, I decided to change direction. After travelling and exploring options and professional paths, I joined a software company in an administrative role. The business had lost its HR representative and I was looking to build a career. I put myself forward for the role and convinced the business that I could learn quickly and would commit to studying at night alongside completing all my existing duties, which enabled them to give me the opportunity. I then set my mind to completing the professional CIPD qualifications I needed to succeed.   

After working in software for three years, I joined a contact centre where I was exposed to a high level of employee relations work in a very fast-paced environment. 

I joined Dennis Eagle in 2009 as an HR Advisor, and that’s where I’ve been ever since. I never thought I would stay so long, but the company gave me a position where I’ve been able to develop professionally and personally, with the autonomy to shape a new function and effect real change. This has continued to challenge me for more than 16 years. I have had the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities, joining the Board in the role of HR Director in January 2024. At the same time, I also joined the Extended Board of our division of companies, Terberg Environmental, and started working with our international subsidiaries all over the globe. 

Dennis Eagle was a team of 500 people when I joined the business and now we’ve doubled to over 1,000 employees, so I have seen a lot of growth and change in that time. I continue to build on my knowledge and skills, and recently completed a coaching qualification. For me, learning is never finished and I’m now considering my next learning goal. 

Q: Please give us one or two stand-out achievements

A: At Dennis Eagle, we gained Silver status with Investors in People in 2022 and achieved this recognition again this year with even better scores, which was a really proud moment for us as a business. A lot of work, sustained commitment, and passion goes into achieving consistent and positive engagement results. This accreditation focuses on all elements of the employee journey, giving us impartial insights into our leadership culture, employee engagement, and continuous improvement practices. Where we are today is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in how we support, develop, and engage our teams, and we are continuing to reflect and improve, working towards achieving Gold in our next assessment. 

We’ve also focused on mental health and wellbeing and were very early as a business to recognise the importance of Mental Health First Aider (MHFA) training. As a male-dominated traditional sector, it was important to us to start this open conversation around mental wellbeing and the importance of talking and reaching out for support, breaking down the stigma around mental health. 

We embrace hybrid working, flexitime, and job sharing, all of which have made a difference to the work-life balance of our people.

As a result, we now have a cohort of MHFAs across our sites and Service Centres. We also rolled out mental health training for all our managers, have an employee assistance programme in place, and offer opportunities for occupational health support, counselling support, and general wellbeing check-ins. This includes internal events hosted around the business such as our Tea and Talk sessions that took place all over the UK to mark World Mental Health Day. 

I am also proud of the flexible working environment we’ve introduced in the business. We embrace hybrid working, flexitime, and job sharing, all of which have made a difference to the work-life balance of our people. We are committed to considering how we can afford accessible working options for employees in all roles within the organisation. This is challenging in a manufacturing organisation but compressed hours, staggered shifts, job sharing, and flexible holidays can work when you make flexibility a priority. 

Q: What attracted you to HR? 

A: Truthfully, I totally fell into the world of HR. But I quickly realised how much I enjoy the people side of business and the variety that HR brings.

I’m sure you are on the same journey as Strengthscope – building AI literacy, building it into strategic plans and product development, finding the best ways to use it to drive efficiency and reduce time spent on repetitive admin style tasks.

Once we all have managed to embed agents and assistants into our everyday, we have more time on our hands – and one thing that AI can’t quite do yet is develop your own human-centric skills. So many articles are talking about the following key skills that everyone in the workforce needs to develop:

• Communication
• Collaboration
• Emotional intelligence
• Adaptability
• Creativit /problem-solving

AI can help with hyper-personalised suggestions (based on how good your prompts are), but these are theoretical until you get into a room (virtual or otherwise) and see the whites of someone else’s eyes, especially under pressure. This becomes particularly important for leaders to consider and develop alongside their teams.

So, beyond these wide-ranging topics, what are the most important behaviours and skills that leaders and teams need to develop to be most effective?

Our Team Effectiveness in the Workplace report reviewed data from 1,272 leaders and 1,588 team members over a period of 12 months – looking at strengths and productive habits for teams and leaders. We identified three key areas each where our data showed the best impact towards improving effectiveness.

Leaders – Vision, feedback and strengths

Develop and Articulate a Vision – Our advice to leaders is to spend time building a compelling strategy and most importantly, articulating it in a straightforward and inspiring way to stakeholders. This leadership habit around Sharing Vision and the team habit around Clarity were seen as the key drivers of effectiveness from raters. Continuing to provide simple, energising and realistic vision of success can ensure that your people have confidence in the direction of travel – and with ongoing waves of change within organisations, this needs constant review.

Leverage Feedback as a Leader – Gathering and acting on feedback from stakeholders is critical – not only for self-awareness, but also to achieve the clarity already mentioned. Leaders should communicate what actions they are taking based on this feedback to foster trust and alignment​. Our data showed a significant perception gap between leaders and their raters, so they should continue to solicit feedback to deepen their understanding of how to be more effective. Habits scores for both teams and leaders were also amongst the lowest rated across the board.

Recognise and Use Strengths Effectively – Leaders need to recognise their achievements and be less self-critical, as stakeholders often view them more favourably than they perceive themselves as mentioned. They should proactively use their strengths to deliver value and build confidence​ through authenticity. This also allows them to leverage the strengths and skills of the team(s) around them to give stretch opportunities in areas where leaders are not naturally energised or knowledgeable and develop talent management pipelines for succession planning.

Teams – Trust, Clarity and Looking Outside

Invest in Building Trust – Continue to encourage teams to build trusting relations by deepening their understanding of each other’s skills, strengths and performance risks. Encourage learning through project delivery and reviews, making it experiential and contextual, allowing for better embedding of new behaviours. Alongside this has to come continued investment in psychological safety.

Enhance clarity – If a leader can create a compelling, well-understood vision, the team then needs to find their way of delivering on it. However, things change far more rapidly these days, so we recommend that all teams keep their purpose, goals, plan and individual responsibilities under review, adjusting as required depending on context. Being conscious of upcoming change is also a key part of this and trying to look ahead rather than react to circumstances.

Look for ‘role model’ teams – It is easy – especially when there are significant flexible working options – to remain siloed in thinking and not look outside for inspiration on how to develop as a team. Our report assessed this on both an industry and function level and there were some interesting differences. For example, consider looking to Marketing teams if your team needs to develop greater trust. Seek out Finance teams if you want to build greater accountability. Find Manufacturing teams if you need to learn how to stay flexible in the face of change. And look for inspiration in Media / Communications, Sales and Marketing teams when it comes to sharing successes and seeking feedback.

No where is this more apparent than in the HR function. Rapid technological advancements, globalisation, shifting workforce demographics, and evolving consumer expectations have transformed the way organisations operate. This has had a huge impact on how organisations need to be led, and in particular every aspect of how an organisation’s workforce should be managed – from attraction to reward, communication to productivity. In short, leaders are no longer expected to simply manage operations, they need to age able to inspire innovation, foster inclusivity, drive sustainability, and navigate unprecedented change with agility and resilience.

Businesses are subject to constant change requiring an agile approach to managing an organisation. Businesses need to be ready to change what they are doing – their products and services and therefore the people they need and the skills they should recruit and develop. Digital transformation, market forces, geopolitical influences and even environmental events, can all have impacts on what businesses need to do and what they need from their people. All leaders, and particularly HR leaders, need to be adaptable and forward-thinking, able to make decisions with limited information and yet still inspire confidence in their teams. This requires not only strategic foresight but also emotional intelligence and strong communication skills.

The rise of remote and hybrid work models, the need for excellent work-life balance, and the care of mental health have also redefined the employer-employee relationship and the work of HR. HR leaders must look to prioritise employee engagement and well-being while maintaining productivity and accountability. Moreover, with diverse teams spanning multiple generations, cultures, and values, effective leadership demands inclusivity, empathy, and the ability to foster collaboration across differences.

Ethical and social responsibility is also paramount for employers. Stakeholders – including customers, employees, investors, and the broader public – expect organisations to take a stand on social justice, environmental sustainability, and ethical governance. Navigating these expectations while maintaining profitability and stakeholder trust presents a massive challenge.

Finally, the rise of digital tools and AI introduces both opportunities and challenges for every HR department. On the one hand there is potential here for new and exciting ways to drive value and efficiency from your business, at the same time there is the potential for taking a wrong step – for creating great risk within operations as new and sometimes complex technology is introduced. Leaders must understand how to integrate new technologies to enhance operations without displacing human value or compromising data privacy and security.

Given this level of challenge, who’d be a leader? Without a doubt it’s a role that you need too commit to in every way. From your own personal development through to your ability to make decisions and take people with you, being a leader will never be run of the mill, will always offer new challenges and deliver fantastic rewards.

What HR Leaders Do

There are many facets to being a great leader. Leading with the HR function actually positions yourself in a great situation for seeing what an organisation requires and being able to pull on and affect diverse areas that can have a great and positive impact for the business. Since HR professional are therefore in a great position to start with, they can become incredible leaders.

Since HR is included in practically everything that happens within an organisation HR leaders are critical to success for every business. Without them it can be impossible for company-wide initiatives to be successfully implemented. HR leaders are critical to creating the best culture for a company, for attracting, retaining and rewarding great employees and for ensuring the business always has the skills it needs.

Today, HR leaders are proactive within their businesses. They identify opportunities for improvement within businesses, places where businesses can improve the way they manage their people and therefore get more from them. Their communication skills mean they’re able to inspire others and instigate positive change across the business.

Developing the Skills You Need as a HR Leader

The theories and approaches of leadership can be attained and explored in the classroom, but real-life experience and practice will always secure these skills and give individuals a greater insight into what works and what doesn’t when leading organisations. Generating the right skills requires a combination of learning experiences – personal study, attending webinars, events, organised training and development events, recognised education courses and even personal one-to-one interventions such as mentoring and coaching.

1. Understand the Fundamentals of Business Leadership

• Take courses on management, communication, strategy, and organisational behaviour. Secure an official management related qualification such as an MBA etc.
• Read books on leadership
• Observe how others lead 

2. Practice in Real Situations

• Volunteer for leadership roles at work or even for voluntary organisations. Even on a small scale – leading a project, chairing a meeting, mentoring a new colleague will give you an insight into what it means to be a leader.
• Accept side projects/team management whenever you can. Even if these are small scale projects they will give you experience in decision-making, problem-solving, accountability and working with others.
• Join professional organisations or networking groups. This will bring you into contact with other leaders and give you a chance to understand what others do and the impact they have.

3. Get a Mentor or Coach

• You can find people who offer coaching and mentoring services or approach someone you admire and ask if they’d be willing to support you in this way.
• A mentor can help you spot blind spots, set goals, and navigate challenges with practical advice.

4. Work on Public Speaking and Communication

• Leaders need to be ready to present ideas to group of people. Take advantage of opportunities which enable you to do this – even outside leadership roles.
• Writing articles, blogs, and just getting your idea down will help you develop clear communication skills both in writing and in person.

5. Study Business Leaders You Admire

• Analyse how CEOs or entrepreneurs make decisions, handle failure, and lead teams.
• Watch interviews, TED Talks, or read biographies of the leaders you admire – or simply successful leaders.

Watch our webinar “Is HR ready for the C-suite, is the C-suite ready for HR?” to see how senior HR leaders are ensuring HR has an independent voice among the leadership team.

From Being Good to Being a Great HR Leader

To be a great HR leader, you need to combine strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and a deep understanding of people and business. HR is no longer just about policies and compliance –modern HR leadership is about shaping culture, driving performance, and enabling growth.

To be a great HR leader you should:

1. Understand the Business Inside-Out

• Learn your company’s goals, financials, competitive landscape, and customer base.
• Align HR strategies with overall business objectives (e.g., talent planning tied to growth plans).
• Ask yourself: How can HR drive measurable impact on performance, retention, and culture?

2. Build Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

• HR leaders must handle sensitive issues with empathy, discretion, and confidence.
• Be approachable but professional – trusted by both employees and executives.
• Practice active listening, conflict resolution, and reading non-verbal cues.

3. Develop a Strategic HR Mindset

• Move beyond admin tasks – focus on workforce planning, change management, DEI (diversity, equity & inclusion), and organisational development.
• Partner with senior leaders to influence long-term talent and culture strategies.

4. Master Communication and Influence

• Speak the language of both people and business – bridge gaps between employees and leadership.
• Clearly communicate policies, changes, and company values in ways that engage and inspire.
• Influence decisions through data, insight, and storytelling.

5. Leverage People Analytics

• Use data to drive decisions (e.g., turnover trends, engagement scores, DEI metrics).
• Build dashboards or reports that help leaders understand what’s working—and what’s not.

6. Champion Culture and Employee Experience

• Lead initiatives that enhance employee engagement, well-being, and purpose.
• Create inclusive environments where people feel valued and supported.
• Be the guardian of culture during growth, mergers, or restructuring.

7. Be Ethical and Fair – Always

• Set the tone for integrity in all things: hiring, firing, evaluations, benefits, etc.
• Balance business needs with fairness, transparency, and compassion.
• Be the person others trust in difficult moments.

8. Build and Lead High-Performing HR Teams

• Hire people who are skilled, curious, and aligned with your values.
• Delegate strategically, coach regularly, and create a culture of accountability and learning.

9. Keep Learning and Evolving

• Stay updated on HR trends: remote work, AI in hiring, pay transparency, mental health support, etc.
• Get certified: CIPD, or similar.

10. Be a Change Leader

• Help the organisation manage transitions (technology upgrades, leadership changes, restructuring).
• Prepare, communicate, and support people through change—this is where great HR leadership shines.

Qualifications v Experience

As mentioned previously, the key to becoming a successful leader is to understand the theory behind running businesses and leading people and to be able to put those ideas and theories into practice. While some may argue that it is only really through experience that one will discover what leadership is all about, securing a recognised qualification will open doors for you and demonstrate clearly that you intend to take leadership roles within organisations. There are a number of recognised qualifications that can be attained by those aspiring to leadership roles including:

1. Master of Business Administration (MBA)

An MBA is one of the most recognised and versatile qualifications for business leaders. It provides a broad foundation in strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and leadership.
Why it matters:

• Builds strategic and financial thinking skills
• Enhances decision-making in complex, high-stakes environments
• Expands professional networks through alumni and executive connections

2. Chartered Management Professional (e.g., PMP, or similar)

Professional certifications in management, like Chartered Manager (CMgr) or Project Management Professional (PMP), signal strong leadership and organisational capability.
Why it matters:

• Demonstrates validated leadership and project execution skills
• Adds credibility in managing teams, change, and cross-functional work
• Often required or preferred for senior-level roles in complex organisations

3. CIPD Qualifications

In the UK the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) is the professional body for HR and people development. They have a series of qualifications and membership levels that reflect the ability and experience of the HR leader at every level. CIPD qualifications are a swift way to indicate your competence and ability within the people management profession. 

A Journey to HR Leadership

An HR leader often begins their career in an entry-level role such as an HR Assistant or Coordinator, handling foundational responsibilities like scheduling interviews, maintaining employee records, processing payroll documentation, and supporting onboarding procedures. While these tasks may seem administrative, they offer valuable insight into the core functions of the HR discipline. Early in their career, a future HR leader actively seeks to learn beyond the job description – pursuing certifications such as MBA, or PMP, attending HR workshops, and staying current on employment law and industry trends. By building strong relationships across departments and demonstrating reliability, they gain exposure to broader HR functions. Over time, this dedication typically leads to advancement into roles such as HR Generalist or Specialist, where they handle more complex work like employee relations, policy development, and performance management support. In these roles, the leader can hone their critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and the ability to connect employee needs with organisational goals.

As they gain experience, the HR professional begins taking on strategic projects that contribute measurable value to the business. Leading initiatives such as onboarding improvements, employee engagement surveys, or diversity and inclusion programs, they build credibility not only within HR but across leadership teams. Their ability to approach HR as a business partner – linking people strategy to organisational outcomes – paves the way for advancement to roles like HR Business Partner or HR Manager. Here, they work directly with department heads and senior leaders, advising on talent planning, succession strategies, and organisational change. Their influence begins to extend beyond process management to cultural shaping, helping to align HR practices with the company’s mission, values, and long-term objectives. Through consistent performance and a growing strategic mindset, they position themselves as a trusted internal consultant on both people and business matters.

Transition to HR Leadership

The transition from operational HR work to formal leadership typically occurs when the individual is promoted to a role such as HR Director or Head of HR, now responsible for managing a team and overseeing multiple HR functions. In this capacity, a strong HR leader fosters a collaborative and forward-thinking culture, encouraging their team to take ownership while providing mentorship and guidance. They prioritise aligning HR strategy with business performance, often leading major initiatives like overhauling performance management systems, launching employee development programs, or introducing workforce analytics tools. These efforts demonstrate their ability to lead both people and change. By connecting talent development to business objectives, they contribute to higher retention, improved productivity, and a more engaged workforce. Their leadership philosophy centres on trust, transparency, and continuous improvement – traits that inspire confidence in both their team and executive peers.

As the organisation grows in complexity – through expansion, mergers, or digital transformation – the HR leader is often elevated to an executive position such as Vice President of Human Resources or Chief People Officer. At this level, the role becomes highly strategic, involving close collaboration with the CEO and other senior leaders. The focus shifts to long-term workforce planning, shaping organisational culture, and ensuring the company can attract, retain, and develop top talent in a competitive market. The leader may oversee global HR strategy, integrate diverse cultures following acquisitions, or implement leadership development programs that prepare the next generation of managers. They use data-driven insights to guide decisions and champion HR as a critical business function. Their rise from entry-level HR to executive leadership reflects a combination of technical expertise, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and a relentless focus on aligning people initiatives with business success.

Conclusion

While starting out in an HR role can come through lots of different way becoming a great HR leaders needs to be intentional and properly done. Great HR leaders don’t just concern themselves with HR, they concern themselves with the whole business. Their impact is felt across the board. Great HR leaders will be proactive within their businesses, identifying opportunities and initiative to drive the business forward. They will have moved HR from simply being a reactive function to one which will push then business forward in many ways.

FAQs

Q: How do I know I can be a great HR leader?

A: To some extent you will not know until you start trying. Once you start taking on leadership tasks and roles you will quickly learn if you feel capable and comfortable. When you take on leadership roles also listen to feedback and assess your impact. You can determine quickly whether people feel happy to follow you and be led by you. The important thing is to always be aware of your impact and to learn by doing at all times.

Q: What should I do to make sure I get the skills and experience required?

A: Create your career so that you gradually take on more leadership responsibility. Explore training and educational opportunities and make sure you always have a blend of learning opportunities – from the classroom (virtual or in real life), in the workplace and from others around you. Getting a mentor or coach who can feedback on your work and work with you on creating your next steps is always going to be effective.

Q: Should I only work in one sector?

A: Not necessarily. Being a great leader comes from extensive and diverse experience. Even if you intend to work in HR spending some time working in other functions will help your career. You can understand how other parts of the business work and that means the decisions and actions you take as a leader will be better informed and work better for the entire business. Great HR leaders understand how their work contributes to the work organisation, not just their function.

The World of Work Institute’s one day conference at Henley Business School took as its theme Leadership Futures: Rewriting the rules for Industry 5.0. The day brought together leading thinkers, researchers and practitioners from across industry and academia to share and develop ideas about the future of the workplace, the impact of technology and what challenges future leaders would need to face.

Kicking off the day, Paul Lindley OBE, Chancellor of the University of Reading and Founder of Ella’s Kitchen gave an insight into how he built his business and how being successful now means more than just making money. He noted how his own brand has become part of his customer’s lives – children dressing up as the product for example – and how leaving a legacy has become a crucial part of building a business.

Technology featured heavily in the morning presentations as speakers informed and challenged the audience to consider what they needed to do to get the best from technology for their businesses and people. Alex Tatham, former Executive Director of Westcoast Limited went beyond asking whether companies had clear AI policies in place to ask if companies knew that their staff were complying with those policies. He also pointed out that simply automating processes did not have a great deal of impact – technology has to truly augment existing processes to be worthwhile.

Flash Insight sessions from Jonathan Passmore, Professor of Coaching & Behavioural Change and Patricia Riddell, Professor of Applied Neuroscience also offered new and incisive insights into the integration of technologies into the workplace and consequent implications: Core skills used to change every five years, now they’re changing every 12 months; the use of AI and automation to take on ‘low level’ work means the work for humans may be harder, more challenging, and therefore perhaps more likely to lead to burnout. ‘Best practice’ starts to become difficult because the pace of change is so fast, best practice keeps changing.

The day then offered delegates the choice of one of three streams, concentrating either on managing a combined human/non-human workforce, re-imagining talent approaches or how leaders need to communicate in the tech age – each led by specialists in their fields and encouraging debate and discussion among those attending.

This was followed by a presentation from Lord Chris Holmes of Richmond, who gave a thorough and inspiring presentation which examined how the future would see a constellation of technologies coming together to change work and the workplace. He emphasised that regulation was not to be resisted – good regulation can be good for everyone – and that legislation done well can also keep up with the speed of change.

The afternoon session pressed home the emphasis on leadership challenges and what the future might hold for those at the top of organisations. There was also a chance for delegates to share their thoughts and experiences, in a session which followed on from a keynote presentation by Tim Johnson, Lead Partner, Crisis and Resilience at Deloitte. Johnson’s presentation looked at leading through the disruption, risk and opportunity presented by technological change and while challenges are evident, the outcome could still be positive and uplifting for everyone.

Finally, the HR World’s own Mike Beesley hosted a panel session which brought together some leading HR thinkers to discuss the challenges and opportunities that lie in the development of the multigenerational workplace. As more generations co-exist at work than ever before, panellists gave their views and first-hand experience of managing and being within multigenerational workplaces.

With panellists ranging from Juliet Crisp, former Head of People Strategy, Governance and Planning at The Post Office to Tanvir Nagra, Project Manager, Broadcom, and Henley Alumna who brought the perspective of Gen Z to the discussion, this was an excellent way to round off a stimulating and productive day, bringing the focus back to the here and now as leaders prepare for the future.

Taking HR to this next level isn’t straight-forward or easy, but it marks a clear step away from being a reactive function to assuming a proactive strategy – and there are initiatives HR leaders can take immediately that will make a difference to how senior leaders experience and relate to them.

According to Stuart Cheesman, a strategist from workplace culture and recognition specialist, O.C. Tanner, while the pandemic heightened awareness of HR’s importance it also put the function on the back foot, requiring it to be effective at responding to the challenges thrown at it by extreme and non-negotiable circumstances. 

“If we rewind to a few years ago, heightened people risk suddenly thrust HR functions into a state of reactive flux,” he observes. “Now there’s a necessity to install proactive people strategies to drive business resilience and growth, and this remains an omnipresent ‘must’ for every HR leader.”

People remain a business’ greatest asset says Cheesman and he describes HR as the ‘sole engine’ within any organisation that can strategically drive a proactive culture, with an engaging purpose, to improve the bottom line.

Leveraging data

“The most forward-thinking organisations place their HR functions and people-centric approach at their core, and this is achieved by leveraging data to drive their EVP’s and realising that employee experience is a strategic lever rather than just a ‘nice to have’,” he says. With this level of influence, argues Cheesman, HR has to be proactive, not just having a seat at the table but setting and delivering the agenda.

This shift should look to elevate the ‘People and Culture’ function from simply addressing issues to actively shaping the future.

“Moving HR from a reactive fire-fighting position to a proactive, strategic partnership is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for thriving businesses,” he adds. “This shift should look to elevate the ‘People and Culture’ function from simply addressing issues to actively shaping the future.” The days of transactional tasks and acting on gut feelings are over says Cheesman. HR is now about data-driven insights and evidence-based practices, all of which position the function as a key driver of organisational success.

Know what’s happening

Jacqueline Smith, Head of People and Culture at digital marketing agency Hallam, advises HR to take the initiative by ensuring it is always aware of what is going on in the business: “One crucial tactic is implementing a ‘pulse check protocol’,” she explains. “This could take the form of regular discussion with key teams and leaders to identify potential challenges and opportunities before they escalate or develop into problems. By having open communication and actively seeking input, we’re able to anticipate needs in areas like change management and skills development, especially vital in the ever-changing digital marketing landscape.”

For Smith, this is precisely the kind of shift that takes HR away from the run-of-the-mill daily administration work to being proactive across the board. “This proactive approach allows us to lead change initiatives effectively, ensuring the workforce adapts seamlessly.” This in turn, she says, fuels business agility and strengthens HR’s role as a strategic partner.

Interestingly, Liz Raymond, VP of Global Talent, at digital employee experience company Nexthink believes the future of HR lies in a closer relationship with IT.

“To become a proactive function, HR needs to partner with IT to take a leading role in managing the employee’s experience with workplace technology,” she says. “From the outset, IT and HR must collaborate to ensure that HR recognises every tech initiative impacts the employee journey.” For Raymond this includes keeping an eye on whether applications, networks and devices used in the workplace are running efficiently or need to be updated or replaced.

This kind of vigilance, argues Raymond, gives HR an immediate insight into common IT problems that can slow work down and give a poor employee experience. “Through better collaboration between HR and IT, staff maintain access to crucial applications and stay productive,” she says.

Taking the lead

According to Charlie O’Brien, Head of People at Breathe HR, HR is already well on its way to achieving a new status within organisations: “HR is actively repositioning itself as a more proactive and strategic function in businesses, moving away from what was once considered a primarily administrative and reactive department,” she says.

HR is actively repositioning itself as a more proactive and strategic function in businesses

This shift is a positive one and has to take place, she argues, as traditional admin-focussed HR roles are becoming increasingly redundant. HR software automates tasks such as managing annual leave requests and scheduling team away days leaving HR teams with the opportunity to step into more proactive roles. “HR teams are increasingly guiding leadership on employment laws, keeping employee wellbeing afloat and building inclusive workplaces,” she notes.

These are all practices that future-proof businesses and are essential for shaping a more positive, productive world of work. “I see more and more organisations repositioning HR in this way, which is key to remaining resilient and aligned with growing workforce trends,” says O’Brien.

HR is the backbone of any business, responsible for supporting, developing, and protecting its people.

“HR should be at the forefront of every organisation,” she asserts. “It’s the backbone of any business, responsible for supporting, developing, and protecting its people.”

Currently HR many not always receive the recognition it deserves. It is sometimes left out of key decisions, expected to pick up the slack or just make things happen when asked. However in the face of so many challenges, leaving HR on the shelf is to ignore the huge potential positive that the function can deliver. Those involved in the function have the opportunity now to make a greater contribution to their businesses and move the function forward to the leading position where it belongs.

Its position within organisations certain gives it a view over everything that happens: a new IT system – HR needs to help ensure everyone knows how to use it; a new product line – HR needs to ensure the right skills are there to deliver; company expansion or contraction – HR is intrinsically involved. But by being proactive about this position, rather than reactive, HR can at last secure its place in leading organisations forward.

According to Denise Flavin, HR Business Partner and specialist in L&D at Totalmobile, success for HR differs from business to business, according to what approach works best in each instance. However, one thing that unites success for HR is building a proactive HR strategy plan. “At Totalmobile, we have achieved success through strong business partnership and engagement models,” she explains. “Our approach as a team is to anticipate and prevent issues arising with a strong focus on providing strategic support to our business leaders.”

Decisive data

According to Flavin, the function has stopped trying to predict the future based on the performance of the past. People data and analytics are now front and centre to support business leaders in all their decision making including forecasting future talent based on business objectives, promoting employee engagement and overseeing the automation of HR admin to further enable emphasis on strategic initiatives.

We moved from a support mindset as a team to a strategic enabler, improving our skills in data, strategy, and change management.

The result is HR positioned as a strategic driver. “It’s a mindset change,” says Flavin. “We moved from a support mindset as a team to a strategic enabler, improving our skills in data, strategy, and change management.”

Jeanette Wheeler, Chief People Officer, MHR agrees with the shift towards strategy: “Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed HR transform from an administrative support role into a true strategic partner,” she says. “That’s why it’s earned its place in the C-suite.”

Again, analytics are now revealing trends in performance, engagement, and retention, allowing businesses to anticipate needs, shape workforce planning, and drive long-term business outcomes.

Collaborative role

Jeanette also highlights a mindset and attitude change that goes with these activities: “To move from reactive to proactive leadership, HR must reposition itself as a ‘people intelligence’ function, collaborating closely with finance, operations, and IT to align on shared goals, and ensure every decision made across the employee experience reflects the business’s broader vision,” she says. 

M&E Global deploys skilled workers to fulfil defence sector contracts at military bases worldwide. According to their HR specialist, Ashley Round, being proactive in HR also means anticipating and resolving potential challenges before they become obstacles. On one level, this involves managing tasks, such as visas and housing arrangements, which if handled incorrectly will result in delays in deployment or cause housing difficulties and unnecessary stress. “By establishing a proactive approach bound by robust systems and processes, we are able to ensure smoother operations and a better experience for our workers, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and productivity,” says Ashley.

However, HR’s work in making things run smoothly goes further: “Beyond administrative efficiency, well-being and supportive resources should also be readily accessible to everyone without the need for to request them,” Ashely says. “For example, we are working with many ex-forces individuals, helping them transition into civilian life and supporting with PTSD and mental health issues. The goal should be to foster an environment where mental wellbeing is actively nurtured through thoughtful and compassionate strategies.”

Proactive strategies are integrated into the everyday operations of the business, creating, says Ashley, a supportive workplace environment that safeguards its people at every level. “In return, this creates a workforce that is highly productive and more likely to remain at a business for a long period of time,” he concludes.

Working in the wider context

Part of the potential now offered to HR lies in what is happening in the wider world of work: “We are living through a period of seismic transformation,” says Michelle Carson, Founder & Chairwoman of executive search firm Holmes Noble. Alongside an increasingly diverse, distributed, and discerning workforce organisations are also facing immense pressure trying to deal with everything from AI disruption to geopolitical volatility.  “In this environment, a business’s ability to adapt and thrive hinges on how well it understands, supports, and activates its people,” argues Carson.

A business’s ability to adapt and thrive hinges on how well it understands, supports, and activates its people.

However, despite HR’s worth being high, outdated perceptions are still holding the function back. “Research shows that over 70% of employees question whether HR truly represents them,” says Carson. “This erosion of trust limits HR’s influence – at a time when organisations urgently need its leadership to navigate change.”

According to Carson, the most forward-thinking organisations are elevating HR as a strategic catalyst – essential to innovation, resilience, and growth. This means elements such as workforce design, cultural intelligence, and data-driven insight are now at the heart of boardroom decisions.

“Those already leading this shift are proving just how powerful HR can be when it’s positioned to lead,” she says. “To those on the cusp – step in, not back. This is HR’s moment – not to support from the sidelines, but to lead from the front.”

A pivotal moment

For David Liddle, President of the People and Culture Association and CEO of The TCM Group believes the HR profession is facing a pivotal moment, describing it as perhaps the most consequential in its history. “As the world of work continues to shift, HR stands at a crossroads,” he says. “It can either rise to become the most strategically important function within the modern organisation, or it can retreat into the background as a transactional, administrative department clinging to outdated practices.

“The choice is stark, but the opportunity is extraordinary,” he adds.

Again, Liddle is calling for a mindset change, taking the function away from its support service role and instead becoming the architect of that strategy – embedding purpose, values, and people-centred thinking at the heart of every leadership decision. “This evolution requires a complete reimagining of the function itself,” he says. “We must stop thinking in terms of ‘Human Resources’ and start thinking in terms of ‘People and Culture’.”

Liddle positions HR as the custodian of the organisation’s cultural integrity ensuring that the stated values of an organisation are not just words in a handbook, but principles that are felt, experienced, and enacted daily. “This involves creating spaces where employees are heard, valued, and supported,” he says. “It means fostering environments of psychological safety, restorative practice, and relational leadership. And it means taking bold steps to ensure that fairness, inclusion, and sustainability are not mere aspirations, but strategic imperatives.”

As challenges to business become more sophisticated and as organisations become more reliant on their people to adapt, perform and deliver, HR has everything to play for. “HR isn’t waiting for an invitation – it’s shaping the agenda,” says Holmes Noble’s Michelle Carson, “And in today’s climate, that’s exactly what leadership looks like.”

Organisations are working with different technology, working to different objectives and measuring their performance through different metrics. Consequently, the task of a leader has grown and expanded. It is a more holistic role and demands diverse skills and outlooks. It is certainly not just a question of decision making, command and control. 

Developments in leadership mean HR professionals have had to adapt to take the lead. According to Dr Kiera Dempsey-Brench, Assistant Professor in Human Resource Management at Trinity Business School HR leaders have a dual role, helping to drive the business forward for success on the one hand whilst also advocating for employees on the other. “Balancing these two – sometimes competing – needs can be challenging,” she says, “especially when motivations to implement strategy, policy or practices are different for different stakeholders.”

The ability to influence, says Dr Dempsey-Brench, can help HR leaders find that sweet spot, helping them to navigate how to package up and sell the rationale behind the implementation of a strategy, policy or practice.

The second crucial skill for HR to lead effectively is data analytics. “Decision-making needs to be informed by evidence,” asserts Dempsey-Brench. “Data analytics not only provides a snapshot of what is currently going on in the organisation, but it can also help leaders to anticipate future trends through predictive analytics.” That said, the only way data is really going to help someone lead is if it is of good enough quality. “Bringing the evidence-base into the debate is great way to substantiate and elevate insights, moving them from subjective claims to objective measures,” says Kiera.

“To me, leadership is about consistency, compassion, and the courage to act even when it’s hard,” says Carol Paddon, Founder and CEO of online education provider Atompi Academy. “It’s not about having all the answers – it’s about creating a space where others feel safe to ask questions, try, fail, and try again. That’s especially important in education, where young people are looking to us not just for subject knowledge, but for encouragement and belief.”

To maintain leadership and ensure the organisation can move forward as one, Paddon lists a number of techniques and activities that have a strong impact. The leadership team regularly check in on their tutors, not just making contact when there’s a problem. Through this relationship the team is given ownership and input on how the business works, the timetables, tools, and training they need to continue to be effective.

When HR works hand-in-hand with the core purpose of the business, it becomes much more than policies and paperwork. It becomes a driver of growth, wellbeing, and impact.”

Finally she says HR is firmly connected to the business’ mission – after all, happy and confident tutors will always deliver better outcomes for students.

“When HR works hand-in-hand with the core purpose of the business, it becomes much more than policies and paperwork,” Paddon concludes. “It becomes a driver of growth, wellbeing, and impact.”

“To be a truly effective HR leader today, you need to blend foundational expertise with future-facing capabilities,” says Archana Mohan, a leadership expert, COO, and author of The Through Line. Mohan believes knowledge of area such as employment law, organisational design and talent strategy should be taken for granted among HR leaders. She cites research from Deloitte and McKinsey that shows that what differentiates great HR leaders is their ability to operate as integrators, connecting human systems to business outcomes with empathy, data fluency, and systems thinking.

“Great HR leadership is not just about having the right knowledge,” says Mohan. “It’s about cultivating meta-skills like emotional agility, adaptive thinking, and the ability to work in ambiguity.” HR leaders, says Mohan, always stay close to the people, they listen deeply, experiment often, and design solutions around real human needs, not assumptions.

Growth today comes from lateral mobility, cross-functional exposure, and real-time feedback loops, not just promotions.”

Securing the right skills is not a linear journey. “Growth today comes from lateral mobility, cross-functional exposure, and real-time feedback loops, not just promotions,” says Mohan. “Partnering with peers in product, operations, or finance can expand your thinking and spark innovative approaches. Stay curious. Stay porous. The most effective HR leaders are always in beta testing, constantly evolving alongside the organisations they serve.”

Georgina Waite, CEO of the Association of Business Mentors indicates another route to build leadership skills. If leaders are aiming to transition into C-suite roles she argues they need more than just technical expertise. “It requires leaders to juggle multiple priorities and have the resilience to lead and influence decisions across the whole organisation,” she says. “The best leaders will balance self-awareness, adaptability, and the ability to inspire and influence others, combining emotional intelligence with commercial insight and constantly evolving in response to change.”

It is into this context that Waite sees the power of mentoring: “Through mentoring, aspiring leaders gain not just confidence, but the clarity and perspective needed to make meaningful impact,” she says.

Research from the ABM suggests 41% of business leaders believed that developing new leadership skills was one of the tangible improvements they’d seen in their performance as a result of business mentoring. 

Leaders must be well equipped to handle the transition to such roles, argues Waite, and making this change successfully is not just important for themselves, it goes further than that. Bringing forward successful leaders means bringing forward talent that will have a significant impact on the wellbeing of those they are leading, the teams and the organisation as a whole. As such HR have a double role in leadership – to ensure the skills of leaders are ready across the organisation, and to ensure they are ready for the challenge themselves.