At BetterCulture, we’ve long had a guiding principle we call The Prime Directive for Human Resources (HR). If you’re a Star Trek fan, you know what a prime directive means: an overarching non-negotiable mission. Ours is simple – yet profound. HR’s Prime Directive should be: attract, build, motivate, and retain great talent.
When BetterCulture first penned this directive for HR over 20 years ago, we didn’t realize how far some HR departments would drift from that core purpose.
Today, it’s not uncommon to find HR departments devoid of people who are passionate about developing and supporting great employees. Some departments have fallen into this narrow administrative trap on their own; others were pushed there by short-sighted employment attorneys or risk averse CFOs or CEOs.
Either way, reducing HR to a compliance arm – divorced from leadership and culture – is a big mistake.
If we were advising a new CEO who had the power to fill just one top executive role as they entered the company, I wouldn’t hesitate: I’d tell them to hire an exceptional leader of human resources.
Why? Because nothing drives success more than extraordinary people – and it takes extraordinary HR leadership to find and keep them.
Hire Teammates, Not Referees
Somewhere along the way, many CEOs accepted a faulty premise – that HR should be a referee focused on rules and compliance. But here’s the truth: We don’t have to choose between management and leadership. We can – and must – do both. Yes, walking and chewing gum is possible!
So, why are referee-style HR departments now so common? Because they’ve been given the wrong prime directive. They’ve been told their #1 job is to avoid risk. To stay current on labor laws, to create and enforce policies, to ensure fairness and equity, etc.
To be fair, these are all reasonable functions for HR to play. But those functions should not overshadow or trump what should be HR’s Prime Directive: to attract, build, motivate, and retain fantastic talent.
We need HR leaders. Not administrators. Not paper pushers. Leaders. Which means investing in leadership development and encouraging high-potential individuals to step up. Human resources should put human needs first. What a concept.
What Great HR Leadership Really Looks Like
Here’s what a CEO should expect from a high-impact HR department:
- Innovative recruitment strategies that attract top-tier applicants
- Interview experiences that make top candidates say “yes”
- Dynamic onboarding that sets a cultural tone from day one
- True partnership with frontline supervisors to build thriving teams
- Creative, equitable compensation strategies
- Loyalty-building perks that show appreciation
- Education around total compensation to deepen employee satisfaction
- Growth-focused development programs and training
- Friendly, helpful benefits operations
- A sharp eye for identifying future leaders
- Plans to grow bench strength for every key position
- Protection of a workplace where good people work with other good people
- Re-recruitment efforts to keep top talent engaged
- Routine check-ins on cultural health – and a plan when it’s off track
Selecting HR Leaders: Insist on a Passion for People
We want to conclude this article with two more important thoughts:
- When hiring your top HR executive, don’t obsess over credentials. Experience in HR is nice, sure. But technical skills can be trained or delegated. On the other hand, passion for people and culture? That can’t be taught. Look for that first!
- Good CEOs understand this BetterCulture insight: making money is easy; leading people is hard. That’s why it is a HUGE red flag if a CEO shunts the HR department off to report to the CFO. If they have the right person in charge of HR, that person must report to the CEO to avoid being captured by a numbers-oriented or risk-averse CFO. But if you’ve got the wrong person leading HR? Don’t worry about who they report to – it won’t make a difference.
Join us at BetterCulture Live
Want to build an HR function that drives culture, not just compliance?
Join us at BetterCulture Live – our 2-day, in-person experience for leaders who believe in better. You’ll leave equipped to shape culture, lead people, and build a workplace where top talent thrives.
