Stanton Chase: What CEOs Want in Top HR Executives

Executive management faces a huge challenge in balancing the strategic human resource objectives for the company with retaining top leadership talent in this increasingly vital role.

When it comes to the pivotal function that human resource vice presidents play in any organization, there are fewer chief executive officers around today that view it as merely an administrative task of doing business.

“More insightful CEOs are seeing the human resources role as being a critical role and having a strong voice,” says Ron Parent, Vice President of Human Resources for global firm Trinidad Drilling in Calgary.

The reason so many talented and seasoned human resource executives leave the post include lack of input into the larger decision-making process, no clear expectations or understanding of “fit” within the role and a deficiency in communicating goals for that role. The result is an increasingly high level of turnover.

It is important that the vice president of human resources has clear direction from the chief executive officer and the rest of the C-suite, especially in the first year. The potential for disconnect early on is high if the direction isn’t clearly defined up front.

Numerous studies and anecdotal stories affirm that the role of the vice president of human resources is growing in importance as a competitive advantage.

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