Why T-Shaped HR Professionals Are the Future of HR
The world of work is changing constantly. On the one hand, it has never been more exciting to be in HR to witness and contribute to the transformation of workplaces. On the other hand, it requires people professionals to step up and embrace T-shaped HR in order to deliver real value to the organization.
Let’s dive into the details of the current HR challenges and how T-shaped HR professionals can address them and create an impact within the organization, the HR field, and for themselves.
HR challenges
A changing labor market. Talent and skills shortages. Economic uncertainty. Layoffs. Employee engagement concerns. Generative AI.
The list of complex problems faced by HR practitioners today goes on and on. Individual stars can’t solve these problems. Instead, businesses need multi-disciplinary teams that approach organizations as complex, holistic systems and recognize the value of collaboration.
Yet, not everyone in HR is on the same page. In large organizations:
- HR is characterized by specialized centers of expertise that create isolated solutions for internal clients they rarely meet.
- The client-facing HR business partners are often working on operational activities that require them to reinvent the wheel.
- HR specialists are single-point topic owners who rarely communicate with one another. As a result, they fail to create integrated HR practices and solutions that create true value.
Smaller organizations face problems as well:
- HR is seen as a transactional activity, mainly responsible for payroll and training.
- HR practitioners are often left out of the budgeting cycle because many lack financial acumen.
- HR practitioners don’t fully understand their own strategy or even how it can impact the organization’s bottom line.
As a result, and despite decades of rapid evolution of HR management as a discipline and science, HR often fails to become strategic or make a business impact.
How T-shaped HR professionals can solve these challenges
To successfully address these challenges, how HR operates needs to change, and HR practitioners need to develop the right competencies to adapt and navigate the complex reality. They need to become T-shaped.
What is a T-shaped HR professional?
In many cases, HR is too isolated from the business – and often from itself. There is an increasing demand for HR professionals who have expert knowledge in their respective HR disciplines and can collaborate across disciplines with different clients to manage a wider variety of projects.
We refer to this next generation of HR talent as the T-shaped HR professional.
The T-Shaped HR Competency Model is our perspective as AIHR on the competencies we believe all HR professionals need to have, regardless of their role or context, to be successful in the future world of work.
Put simply, a T-shaped HR professional masters five Core HR Competencies that empower them to enable both the business and employees (the horizontal part of the “T”). These are:
The Core Competencies are complemented by Specialist Competencies that depend on their specific role or organizational requirements (the vertical part of the “T”).
For HR leaders who manage people teams, being a T-shaped HR professional also entails mastering Leadership Competencies.
This combination allows them to:
- Be more agile
- Communicate effectively using data and;
- Align closely with business stakeholders to develop solutions that serve the business well.
T-shaped HR professionals are more adaptable and able to tailor HR solutions to the needs and context of the business. To put it differently, they have a broader arsenal of possible solutions to offer. The core competencies also allow them to be more impactful, relevant, and effective.
The value of T-shaped HR professionals
Becoming a T-shaped HR professional benefits practitioners, the HR field as a whole, and the organization. Here’s how:
1. Solving complex problems
HR practitioners can leverage their deep HR expertise (the vertical part of the “T”) while drawing on a broad range of knowledge and skills across different disciplines (the horizontal part of the “T”). This unique combination enables them to approach issues holistically, integrate diverse perspectives, and collaborate effectively with various stakeholders.
A practical example
At TechGenius, HR Lead Marco integrates his HR expertise with insights from the IT and customer service teams to revamp the remote work policy. This cross-departmental initiative addresses productivity concerns, enhances work-life balance, and results in a 30% uptick in employee satisfaction scores.
2. Agility and adaptability
The business world is constantly evolving, and HR professionals with a T-shaped profile are better equipped to adapt to these changes. They can understand and anticipate the impact of external factors on the workforce and the organization and adapt HR strategies accordingly.
Their competencies enable them to form multi-disciplinary project teams, including client-facing business partners, specialists, and data experts, to design value-adding, scalable solutions.
One of the best ways HR can add value to the business is through integrating Human Resources practices. HR has a rich set of powerful instruments that can enable the organization to reach its strategy through building workforce capabilities.
Oftentimes, HR solutions lack strategic integration. Encouraging people to become more entrepreneurial through training will fail if it is not supported through performance management, compensation, and selection practices that aim to achieve the same.
Creating this integration requires a more collaborative, T-shaped approach. This need is even greater for larger organizations as they offer more opportunities for specialization, increasing the available HR expertise.
A practical example
Chloe, an HR Generalist at Innovate.io, quickly responds to the generative AI boom by developing a generative AI training program for employees. This initiative equips the staff with cutting-edge skills to leverage AI in their roles, leading to a 50% increase in project innovation and a significant competitive edge in the tech market.
3. Customer-oriented approach
T-shaped HR professionals view employees as customers, use design thinking to develop effective solutions, and involve employees in developing these solutions, ensuring that they are practical and meet the workforce’s needs.
In other words, by adopting a customer-oriented mindset, HR practitioners focus on understanding the diverse needs and preferences of their ‘internal customers’ – the employees. This approach is integral to creating a more engaging and satisfying employee experience.
Ultimately, a customer-oriented approach in Human Resources transforms the traditional top-down decision-making process into a more inclusive and dynamic one, aligning HR strategies more closely with employee satisfaction and organizational goals.
A practical example
After noticing a pattern of employee feedback regarding the lack of flexible work options, Liam, an HRBP at RetailWorld, acts to redesign the scheduling system. He introduces a flexible hours program that allows employees to tailor their work schedules to better fit personal commitments, resulting in a 25% decrease in turnover and a marked improvement in employee engagement.
4. All-round professionalism
At large organizations, some HR professionals can afford to be hyper-specialized. These companies have more resources to deepen the vertical part of the “T”, making more room for specializations.
However, smaller organizations operate in a different space. To be impactful, HR practitioners need to understand multiple domains in-depth, meaning they need to evolve into T-shaped professionals as well. They must develop a new set of skills:
- Financial and business acumen to design budgets and better understand the business.
- Data-savviness to track how the business is doing, assist where the business is struggling, and set up strategic HR KPIs (key performance indicators) that add value.
- Technology savviness to ensure that the right questions are being asked, the right HR systems are then purchased and implemented, and the right data is being solicited and analyzed.
A practical example
Sarah, an HR specialist at EcoSolutions, leverages her financial acumen to align the HR budget with sustainability goals. Her strategy to invest in green-skills training leads to a 15% increase in operational efficiency and positions the company as a leader in sustainable practices.
5. Creating impact
Organizations can leverage HR as a source of competitive advantage by developing HR staff into T-shaped professionals, enhancing HR operating models, understanding business stakeholders better, and improving internal alignment and collaboration.
By doing so, HR can transition from a support function to a strategic partner, driving business outcomes through people-focused initiatives. T-shaped HR professionals are able to align HR strategies with business objectives, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and leverage data-driven insights.
That way, HR can significantly influence key organizational metrics such as employee productivity, innovation, and customer satisfaction, creating a substantial and measurable impact on the organization’s bottom line.
A practical example
At HealthCare Inc., Jay, the HR director, uses his T-shaped skills to link employee wellbeing programs with patient satisfaction metrics. This strategic alignment leads to a 20% improvement in patient care scores, demonstrating the profound impact of HR initiatives on core business outcomes.
6. Balancing strategic priorities and immediate needs
In a fast-moving world, HR needs to balance short and longer-term priorities to guide the business while being cognizant of the current challenges and reality and being able to address those.
This balance requires HR to be agile and able to pivot quickly to address immediate concerns, such as changes in workforce dynamics or urgent talent needs. At the same time, they can’t lose sight of long-term strategic goals like building a robust talent pipeline and fostering an inclusive culture.
Effective HR professionals are those who can navigate this dual focus, ensuring that the immediate actions contribute to and align with the broader strategic vision. This balance is key to maintaining organizational stability and growth. It enables the company to be responsive to immediate market and internal changes while steadily moving toward its strategic objectives.
A practical example
Jean-Pierre, an HR Generalist at FastDelivery.Com, has analyzed the results of the company’s latest employee pulse survey. It turns out that a lot of people report an intense workload and a lack of training and development opportunities. Jean-Pierre decides to immediately organize a brainstorm with the affected teams and their managers to find and implement impactful actions to decrease people’s workload.
He also shares a set of upcoming L&D initiatives with a time frame for completion to demonstrate that the organization takes the concerns of its people seriously and is working on improving its L&D offering long-term.
7. A wealth of work opportunities
HR professionals with T-shaped competencies are particularly well-positioned in the job market. Organizations are increasingly recognizing the value of such versatile professionals who can navigate complex challenges, drive organizational change, and contribute to strategic decision-making. Their deep expertise in HR functions, combined with a broad understanding of various business areas, makes them invaluable assets.
As a result, T-shaped HR professionals are likely to find a wealth of opportunities, both within their current organizations and in the broader job market, as they embody the ideal mix of specialization and versatility that modern businesses require.
At LuxeResorts, HR specialist Emma employs her T-shaped competencies to elevate the employee experience, focusing on exceptional service and a vibrant workplace culture. Her initiative revitalizes the resort’s reputation as an employer, attracting skilled professionals passionate about hospitality.
This strategy not only improves staff morale but also enhances guest satisfaction, reinforcing LuxeResorts’ standing in the hospitality industry. Emma’s blend of business acumen and sector-specific insights raises her profile in hospitality HR, opening up advanced career opportunities for her.
Key takeaway
There are plenty of opportunities for HR professionals to add value to the organization and create business impact in today’s rapidly changing world of work. In order to do so, they need to embrace becoming a T-shaped HR professional, as this will benefit not only them but also the organization and the HR function as a whole.
So, unlock the door. Assess how T-shaped your HR professionals are. Upskill them in future skills and encourage them to step out of their traditional HR roles. You may be surprised at how effective they will be at solving today’s complex problems and driving business results.
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