Heading up the people function has evolved into a crucial c-suite role. The authors of How to be a Chief People Officer Anne Kiely and Jennifer Geary outline how to start shaping culture and executing change in your first 14 weeks
For a long time, the people function fought to exert the right level of influence on an organisation. It is only very recently that most CEOs are seeing the people function for what it truly is – a core element of the success of their organisation. This is what makes it such an interesting career path for the graduates of today.
Some 40 years ago, personnel management was ‘done’ by a team of people pushing paper around and was not seen as adding much value. Fast forward and the function now has a seat at the c-suite table and is a key driver of differentiation for the organisation.
Why aspire to the CPO role
If you take on the role of chief people officer (CPO), you will have a unique opportunity to harness and develop the human capital and human capability of your organisation to help it achieve its goals. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the culture, in aligning the full organisation behind the strategy and in executing change at critical points in the organisation’s lifecycle. You will be responsible for every stage in an employee’s journey, from attracting new people and helping them reach their potential, to managing their exit from the organisation. You will preside over a team – small or large – of HR experts, all of whom must execute complex functions, from performance management to pensions, repeatedly and accurately.
Your first 100 days
Once in the CPO role, your CEO, c-suite peer group, direct reports, team and organisation will be looking to you to understand your plan for the organisation. Expectations are high, so where do you begin?
Whether or not you formally publish a plan for your first 100 days, this is approximately the amount of time you will have to get settled, understand your brief, build relationships and decide what to prioritise. A strong, structured start will set you up well because 14 weeks is not a long time. Below is a plan for where to look first.
The foundations
Before addressing the technical areas of your new CPO role, there are some foundational questions you need to ask yourself:
- Culture. What is the culture of the organisation? Is it where it needs to be? What does the CPO need to reinforce/remediate?
- Strategy. What is the strategy of the organisation? How does it differentiate and create value? What does this mean for the people strategy?
- Execution. What stage is the organisation in its lifecycle? Growth? Retrenchment? Acquisition? Differentiation? What major programmes of work are required and how will you execute them?
Employee lifecycle and talent management
Next, look at the organisation through the lens of the employee experience at each stage of the lifecycle. Your aim is to offer your people a brilliant experience for each of the following stages. How does your orgnanisation currently measure up?
- Talent acquisition: attracting, interviewing, assessing, offering and hiring the right people
- Talent assessment: performance management, talent planning and succession planning
- Talent mobility: creating an internal workforce marketplace, allowing employees to curate their own career development, acquiring skills and adding value
- Talent development: building organisational capability through a range of learning opportunities
- Talent off-boarding: whatever the reasons, giving employees a great leaving experience, so they continue to be ambassadors for your organisation
Delivering the goods
To deliver the great experience that employees of today demand, you need your team to deliver consistently and excellently. This includes delivering on your legal framework; policies and procedures; remuneration; benefits and wellbeing; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); and your systems and data.
You also need to address people risk and ensure your own team is set up for success. Finally, as CPO, you will need to lift your head above the parapet, look to the future, anticipate the next wave of needs and future-proof your organisation for success. That’s where day 101 comes in.
CPO roles are hugely satisfying but they are not easy. Of all the c-suite roles, we would argue that the CPO role carries the highest emotional toll. You are in role because of your love of people and your natural empathy. You will get to see the best and – at times, sadly – the worst of people. You will be privy to highly personal and sensitive information. You will witness elation, success, disappointment and devastation. It really is a rollercoaster ride. For the right person, it’s exhilarating.
This article contains edited extracts from How to be a Chief People Officer: Enabling people in the evolving world of work, by Anne Kiely and Jennifer Geary.
Anne Kiely (left) is an HR Director with 20 years’ experience in the finance, technology and consultancy sectors.
Jennifer Geary is a COO with more than 25 years’ experience in finance, technology, risk and legal.
