CHROs Have an Expanding Role

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Now more than ever, chief HR officers need to ensure their organizations have the best possible talent to achieve success. But it goes well beyond that. CHROs must also help foster a culture where staff remain engaged and productive, which is no small task in the current climate where burnout is rampant.

Now more than ever, chief HR officers need to ensure their organizations have the best possible talent to achieve success. But it goes well beyond that. CHROs must also help foster a culture where staff remain engaged and productive, which is no small task in the current climate where burnout is rampant.

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Further, CHROs must do their jobs with a keen tactical eye to address today’s challenges as well as anticipate and prepare for tomorrow, including factoring in the role of artificial intelligence. As Gartner notes regarding its “2026 Top HR Trends and CHRO Priorities,” CHROs need to “develop a ‘now-next’ talent strategy for a blended workforce. CHROs must plan for various human-AI scenarios to ensure the organization is prepared for the future of work.”

Further, CHROs must do their jobs with a keen tactical eye to address today’s challenges as well as anticipate and prepare for tomorrow, including factoring in the role of artificial intelligence. As Gartner notes regarding its “2026 Top HR Trends and CHRO Priorities,” CHROs need to “develop a ‘now-next’ talent strategy for a blended workforce. CHROs must plan for various human-AI scenarios to ensure the organization is prepared for the future of work.”

Impetus for the change

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According to Deloitte’s Insights From Coalesce 2024 Office of CHRO , shifts in four areas are redefining business:

According to Deloitte’s Insights From Coalesce 2024 Office of CHRO, shifts in four areas are redefining business:

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  Workforce values and culture

  Workforce values and culture

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  Technologies and their accompanying automation and analytics

  Technologies and their accompanying automation and analytics

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  Ways of creating business value, illustrated “by simplicity in complexity, agility and innovation, and demanding consumer expectations”

  Ways of creating business value, illustrated “by simplicity in complexity, agility and innovation, and demanding consumer expectations”

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  Resource dissemination, such as in geographic and economic diffusion and the demographic composition

  Resource dissemination, such as in geographic and economic diffusion and the demographic composition

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AI has advanced more rapidly than most people would have thought, and skills shortages may mean employers must recruit talent globally rather than within a limited radius.

AI has advanced more rapidly than most people would have thought, and skills shortages may mean employers must recruit talent globally rather than within a limited radius.

Manage talent

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Business no longer relies solely on full-time, defined employees, but rather a workforce that includes skilled gig workers, part-time workers, and contractors—all augmented through AI tools. While managing that array of talent, CHROs need to look to the future and plan for how business gets done.

Business no longer relies solely on full-time, defined employees, but rather a workforce that includes skilled gig workers, part-time workers, and contractors—all augmented through AI tools. While managing that array of talent, CHROs need to look to the future and plan for how business gets done.

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Diana Scott from the Conference Board’s (TCB) Human Capital Center notes that challenge in her interview with TCB President and CEO Steve Odland while discussing CHRO priorities for the latter part of 2025. Scenario planning can help organizations identify emerging skills and talent needs that are likely to arise in the future. “You have to think about [scenario planning] in the context of where we are today and the skill sets we have today, and where we potentially are going in the future and what that means,” Scott says.

Diana Scott from the Conference Board’s (TCB) Human Capital Center notes that challenge in her interview with TCB President and CEO Steve Odland while discussing CHRO priorities for the latter part of 2025. Scenario planning can help organizations identify emerging skills and talent needs that are likely to arise in the future. “You have to think about [scenario planning] in the context of where we are today and the skill sets we have today, and where we potentially are going in the future and what that means,” Scott says.

Partner strategically

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To reach the full potential of the new CHRO role, leaders must use data to achieve influence, aid in AI adoption, work cross-functionally, tie HR’s work to business priorities, and speak the language of the C-suite, advises SAP .

To reach the full potential of the new CHRO role, leaders must use data to achieve influence, aid in AI adoption, work cross-functionally, tie HR’s work to business priorities, and speak the language of the C-suite, advises SAP.

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“A majority of C-suite leaders believe the HR partnership is trending in a positive direction—47% say it’s improving, and 70% believe their function would benefit more than HR would from strengthening the relationship,” SAP explains.

“A majority of C-suite leaders believe the HR partnership is trending in a positive direction—47% say it’s improving, and 70% believe their function would benefit more than HR would from strengthening the relationship,” SAP explains.

Tall order

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New opportunities and challenges abound for talent leaders as they seek to be an inner part of the C-suite while cultivating successful business operations and an engaged and intrinsically motivated workforce.

New opportunities and challenges abound for talent leaders as they seek to be an inner part of the C-suite while cultivating successful business operations and an engaged and intrinsically motivated workforce.