The Evolution of HR Over the Decade
Every year on May 20, organisations around the world come together to celebrate the heartbeat of every company: its Human Resource professionals. Over the past decade, HR has evolved from being merely a support function to playing a strategic, culture-defining role within organisations.
From navigating global crises to driving inclusivity and well-being, the modern HR professional wears many hats while ensuring that people, the true assets of any business, remain protected, productive, and championed. Even the moniker, “Human Resources” has changed to better reflect what HR means to the organisation. Whether it be Talent Management, People Solutions, Culture and Capability or even People Operations, the scope of this function has grown from being transactional to the strategic.
Then vs. Now: A Decade of Transformation
A decade ago, the HR department was often viewed through a narrow lens, focused on payroll, recruitment, and compliance. Fast forward to today, and the function has expanded dramatically. People operations is now at the forefront of:
- Shaping organisational culture
- Driving strategic business goals
- Spearheading digital transformation
- Enabling learning & development
- Leading diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) efforts
- Ensuring mental health support and employee well-being
The pandemic served as a major turning point. According to a 2022 Gartner survey, over 70% of HR leaders reported being deeply involved in C-suite decisions during COVID-19, a testament to the strategic value HR now commands. It is no longer optional to include HR in company decisions, but an almost mandatory checkpoint to ensure that these decisions are carried out successfully
An organisation that is embarking on restructuring its business or that is merging with another relies heavily on HR not just to action but to plan the shift. What makes the function so valuable is not only their expertise but the understanding they bring about the people in the organisation. HR often is the function that has its finger on the pulse of the people. They know how employees are evaluating their work, their career, and yes, their options. These insights are valuable as, globally, we are fighting for capable talent, and not just bodies to bill.
Human-Centric, Yet Data-Driven
A key driver for this change has been technology. With many of the traditional HR tasks now being managed via technology, it allows HR to step up its game and be a partner to the business it supports. With tools like AI-powered recruitment, predictive analytics for employee attrition, and automated onboarding systems, HR can harness insightful, data-driven strategies and not rely on intuition alone.
Yet, despite all the tech, the human aspect has never been more important.
The 2025 theme for International HR Day, Humanify AI: Leading Change Together, emphasises this exact sentiment, bringing the human back into Human Resources, especially in a tech-dominated world.
Creating Safe, Inclusive Workplaces
Another major milestone in HR’s evolution is its deepened focus on inclusivity and safety. Today’s workforce has 4 active generations of people employed across various industries and functions. These generations may share a common business objective, but the way they view their jobs, their priorities are drastically different. Not to mention, how they want to be recognised, rewarded, and how they define success can sometimes be at loggerheads with each other.
In this melee of people, today’s HR departments are expected to build not just efficient but empathetic work environments that address each generation’s expectations from the workplace. This includes:
- Rewards and recognition processes that align with what employees want (hint – it’s not always about money or promotions)
- Engaging in and being vocal about social and inclusive programs that align with employee values
- Prioritizing learning and development for personal growth and not just business needs
- Providing psychologically safe and respectful workplaces that enable people to be their unique selves
- Creating a value system that reflects people’s own values and shows zero tolerance for deviation
An inclusive workplace is not just a good-to-have but a must-have. Research from McKinsey shows that diverse companies are 36% more likely to outperform their peers in profitability. And that begins with HR leading the way. HR is not just the policy maker but also the enforcer and gatekeeper. In that respect, some things never change 🙂
Celebrate International HR Day with Purpose
While titles and tech have evolved, the heart of HR remains the same – to support, empower, and nurture people.
So, as we celebrate International HR Day, let’s applaud the professionals who are creating safer, more inclusive, and people-first workplaces. Whether it’s enabling leadership, handling conflict with care, or driving DEI and PoSH initiatives, HR professionals are the silent architects behind thriving organisations.
Let’s take a moment to thank HR, not just for what they do, but for how deeply they care.
To know more about how our experts help build inclusive and safe workplaces, reach out to us at www.kelphr.com
