The voice of the chief people Officer (CPO) has not always been the most prominent among the executive committee. Prior to the pandemic, it was often the C-suite leaders in more business-critical functions, such as finance or operations management, that held the ear of the chief executive.
But recently there has been a shift. During the pandemic, it was up to HR leaders to devise remote working strategies, find new ways to preserve employee engagement and look after staff's mental health. And now the lockdowns are over, difficulties with recruitment and employee retention mean talent and people remain top of the list of challenges. Chief executives surveyed by PwC listed labour and skills shortages as one of the top three areas affecting profitability within their industry this year.
As HR issues have become critical to business success, the role of the CPO is becoming increasingly influential. This is reflected in a recent survey of HR leaders from Qualtrics, which found that 74% say they are more involved in their company’s strategic planning now than they were before Covid. So, how are CPOs adapting to this more strategic role and has this given them more of a voice in the C-suite?