How to impress your CEO

As the reliance on Human Resources continues to
grow, how can you go above and beyond to impress your CEO and the c-suite?

In years gone by, it might have been uncommon for a CEO to consult data
from the HR Director whenever a business considered its strategy and future
direction. Fast forward to today and evolution in the workplace has turned this
on its head, making HR critical for business success. Whether it’s dealing with
the talent crisis, managing a new generation of worker, or boosting morale with
well-being initiatives, HR teams are constantly being asked for advice and
evidence that guides business leaders.

In our latest research report, 94% of CEOs said
they consult with HR before making business decisions, while the department
directly informs business strategy in 91% of organisations. As the pressure and
reliance placed on HR continues to increase, how can you overcome the practical
challenges and growing demand of your CEO?

Accurate Data, Even
Faster

Despite the best efforts of HR teams, the sheer amount of data to track
and report against raises questions about the timeliness and reliability of the
reports CEOs receive. Our research suggests that
two-thirds of CEOs want to see faster and more accurate reports from their HR
department. And with 77% of CEOs saying they would like to receive even more
data in the future – it’s a challenge that continues to grow.

To help meet and exceed the needs of your CEO, first establish what
metrics are important to inform your business strategy, then agree how
frequently that data will be required, and how regularly it should be updated.
If you’re struggling to process and summarise that data quickly – you’re not
alone. 10% of HR professionals we spoke to said they spend at least a week each
month pulling together reports, and nearly a third stating that creating
reports was the biggest drain on their time. Consider the processes involved in
capturing and maintaining any data, and the platform you use to compile key
analytics, then ask yourself whether they enable you to report on data
efficiently.

Simple and Specific

The ability for an HR department to communicate key analytics is crucial
for making decisions about staffing levels, resources and issues like
compliance. How you present this information to your CEO is also critical, with
22% of CEOs currently stating that reports are too complicated. This isn’t
helped by the fact that 56% of HR professionals say that their only source of
contact with their CEO is through digital reports. Without context and insight
from HR leaders, it’s likely CEOs will struggle to gain a picture of how
prepared their business is to face any challenges that lie ahead. By keeping
your reports lean and focused only on the things that matter, you’ll save time
and simplify the reporting process too.

Capture Key Metrics

So, what sort of information might your CEO require to track? Currently,
only 70% of HR respondents are tracking employee absence and attendance, while
just over half provide information on staff training (58%), recruitment (61%),
and career progression (50%) – and less than half are tracking staff retention.
These things are all vital for a CEO to make informed business decisions and
plan for the months and years ahead. So, if you aren’t already tracking
these you need to be!

HR Needs Better
Support

Better tools could be the answer to impress the boss. Fragmented
systems, siloed data sets and endless spreadsheets just add to the growing
workload of HR teams. Reporting tools should integrate with existing HR
systems, enabling users to pull together rich management information and map a
wide range of HR and payroll metrics in real time. Dashboards should provide
summaries of key intelligence that can be measured against a range of
predefined KPIs.

Our report highlights several areas where HR will be important to
business leaders. The increased visibility with the c-suite will mean accuracy
and timeliness of reporting will be essential. To cement its importance for the
long-term, HR needs to be delivering the right data, in the right way, at the
right time.