Post 2007, the priority for most businesses was cost, compliance and operational efficiencies which resulted in more siloes and less collaboration. This time round, I think we all agree the memo looks a bit different.

Topics such as mental health, values, culture and purpose have stopped being a ‘tick box’ and ae now business critical aspects of daily working life.

In line with this, I believe the HRD’s role is in need of a new – or increased – remit to address today’s challenges, and, at a time of rapid change as we are now in and may be in for the foreseeable future, how HR leads this transformation is significant.

Employees want more from their employers. They seek purpose, value, wellbeing, security and company culture will only permeate the entire organisation if employees live and breathe it every day.

Developing this, and many other core business areas, now sit firmly within the HR remit. From design to communication, restructuring to remuneration, technology to incentive strategies – HR is central to how we recover, which is why the CEO–HR relationship is increasingly key.

“We believe that finance was at the forefront of the last recession.”
HR can lead us through this one.

This is especially important during a recession and we have created Maru HR to ensure that we not only support HR in its quest for excellence, but to help ensure the individuals within this specialist area are supported and advanced in the right way for the right reasons.

Put simply, we’re counting on your superpowers to get us through the next few years in one piece. So, while not all heroes wear capes, we know who you are and are here to help.

Hannah Waddington
November 2020