HR leaders as value creators: Get tips on linking strategy to execution at the HRD National HR Summit, 1-2 April

How can HR professionals ensure they fall into the ‘value creator’ category by successfully linking strategy and organisational goals to what people do in their day-to-day roles? That’s the topic Holly Barnes, Chief People Officer at Humanforce, will explore in four interactive sessions as part of the Director’s Forum at the 2025 HRD National HR Summit, 1-2 April. 

The road to now 

Experienced HR practitioners will recall a time when a key career objective was to obtain a seat at the executive table, to be viewed as a trusted advisor, and to have the ear of the C-suite. For many, that has occurred. Today, it’s about maintaining that position and ensuring the true value of the HR function continues to be demonstrated. 

Research indicates there’s still some way to go. An AHRI member survey in October 2024 revealed that just 36% of HR leaders believe the HR function is viewed positively by other organisational stakeholders, and only 45% said their work and efforts were adequately recognised by the rest of the organisation.  

On a positive note, a global Mercer report from 2024 found that 71% of CHROs report high alignment with the C-suite on HR and people priorities. The key to strengthening C-suite ties, according to 65% of CHROs, is to share data about employee engagement, retention and productivity.  

The path to being ‘value creators’ 

Holly says that other essentials for gaining influence and becoming a key strategic partner to the CEO include: 

• Being commercially focused and understanding not only the overarching business strategy but also the business drivers and potential risks, threats and challenges 

• Understanding why key company metrics matter and knowing what ‘success’ looks like 

• Being more adept at telling HR success stories to make the work and initiatives that HR teams undertake more visible for all stakeholders 

• Using data and analytics to demonstrate how HR’s actions have impacted the business  

• How will your board and CEO measure the performance of the HR team? 

• Having the skills to link strategy to on-the-ground implementation, to get people involved, engaged, and contributing in the right ways 

Linking strategy to execution: The missing element 

It’s the last point – linking strategy to execution – that is often the missing element. Organisational goals – let alone strategy – don’t mean much if they aren’t articulated effectively to those on the ground doing the work. 

In her interactive session at the HRD National HR Summit, Holly will share her experience about building a high-performance organisation where the gap between strategy and execution has been bridged, in part by ensuring that everyone understands how their work contributes to business success.  

Holly will outline the practical steps she’s taken to link strategy to execution, highlighting the role of OKRs to ensure that everyone is working towards a common end-goal. She’ll also touch on the metrics, analytics and technology that can help lay the foundations for impactful HR teams. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to share their own experiences and learn from their peers in a casual, facilitated roundtable setting. 

“HR isn’t just a cost centre,” Holly says. “It has the potential to have a significant impact on revenue generation, to be genuine value-creating function. That’s because around 60% of a company’s expenses are related to people. It’s those people who generate revenue, so HR plays a major role in managing the company’s largest investment aimed at revenue and building cultures where people thrive.”  

Keen to learn more? Register for the Director’s Forum to take part in Holly’s session.