HR

HR Transformation and continuous career opportunities

Like with most careers there is always a typical route however sometimes you fall into your life career. HR, People & Talent can be one of those. We have seen HR’s journey transform over the past 20 years. HR was part of another role, perhaps an office manager or operations role – It was also known as Personnel. With employment law changes increasing and businesses realising HR was a necessity, it moved away from personnel and administration to an essential role which required qualifications and experience. Fast forward another 10 years and we have seen HR become a strategic role and often the driver behind any organisation change or transformation and in the last 5 years now sits within the C suite level. HR professionals transform organisations through stakeholder engagement and commercial mindsets.

Talent roles have evolved strategically over the past 10 years, originally starting from an internal recruiter or resourcing position, but we have now seen these roles become an integral part of a company’s growth and success. Attracting top talent and using different methods of assessments to identify the right talent to drive the business forward. The utilisation of digital technology has meant there is a more streamlined process for this, and reach of top talent worldwide. 

People, Learning & Development – With the ever-changing platforms within an organisation People and L & D have to ensure they not only upskill themselves but they continue to do so whilst driving employee engagement and upskilling across the business. Some would say the days are gone for classroom training on-site, and most companies would agree to this but learning and development will always be a very key part to an organisations growth and employees personal development and with the help of HR driving digital change across this business, this has allowed People and L&D teams to deliver exceptional training online, via teams or other corporate platforms. A survey completed most recently showed Learning & Development is still one of the top agendas for employees seeking new opportunities.  

Recent changes in the HR industry

In the UK and Europe, Digital Transformation has meant HR teams have had to have a greater knowledge and insight to data protection and GDPR issues – ensuring policies and best practice is in place to safeguard employees and organisations.

This has meant that Recruitment and L & D teams have benefited from being able to upskill staff efficiently and with speed, and blind shortlisting is an effective way of how digital transformation has positively affected the ED&I Agenda.

Agile working practices, and the opportunity this has provided for new ways of working, driving greater efficiencies and encouraging creative and innovated ideas, whilst providing challenges for HR in the communication of the change and keeping up with the paces as well ensuring staff are provided with the skills to use it 

Working remotely has also proved a huge change ripple across organisations. The effect on HR continues, are people set up correctly? Do they have enough management support? Is there wellbeing looked after? There is continuous pressure on HR to adapt to the ever-changing environment across all industries.

Salt’s advice for getting a job in the HR, People & Talent industry

• Employers’ Requirements

  HR roles require excellent communication skills, an understanding of the employee life cycle, analytical skills, and in most cases a tertiary degree. Employment Law regulations are ever-changing, and HR needs to be at the forefront of these changes and educate stakeholders ensuring employee engagement. 

• CV Requirements

  When applying for jobs in HR positions, there are several key elements which should not be omitted from any CV. Key skills and competencies, experience, and achievements are all essential inclusions. Employers will want to know that you can work well across departments, address employee engagement, drive change and be up to date with Employment law regulations. </span>
  

• Interview Preparation

  Interviews for HR, Talent & People are often split across several stages, with the first usually being a behavioural assessment with jobseekers. If that goes well, you will be invited for further meetings with senior management or key decision-makers within the company. These may involve psychometric testing, demonstrating computer skills, giving a prepared presentation or, for delivering a mock training session. 

• Educational Requirements

  Organisations will often prioritise candidates who have relevant qualifications in business, employment law or human resources management. Humanities degrees in subjects like psychology may also stand you in good stead. For more specialised HR roles, postgraduate courses in HR will improve your chances in the eyes of any prospective employers.