Talent, Data & People - The Strategic CHRO with Kim Sullivan

We all faced new dynamics and uncharted waters as managers and leaders navigating a pandemic, social unrest and different ways of working. But if you considered the corporate role that felt the most impact, the CHRO, Chief Human Resources Officer, would rank high in terms of the toughest leadership positions over the last few years.

And that's why this episode is so timely. In this episode, Sally talks to Kim Sullivan, who has been an HR leader for three global companies and a CHRO for more than six years which means pre-pandemic, post-pandemic and during the pandemic, giving her great perspective and comparison. Tune in to hear Kim's take on today’s leaders, employees, company cultures, and perhaps a few insights on expectations that all of us need to adapt to.

More about Kim Sullivan:

With more than 20 years in the HR industry, Kim Sullivan has had an extensive career, including a mix of strong business acumen and the desire to develop people, while also identifying the business drivers and complex issues of every organization she’s worked with. She has experience modernizing the People Solutions (HR) function by implementing new HR service delivery models; redesigning, eliminating, and repositioning roles; and implementing a digital HR strategy to address short and long-term business needs. Kim is a thought leader in all things transformation, including organizational culture. She is passionate about elevating HR team performance to ensure people and culture strategies enable a company’s value agenda. She holds a master's degree in Human Resources Development from the University of Houston and a bachelor's degree in Speech Communications and Organizational Psychology from Texas Southern University.

 

Show Notes:

• CHRO - Chief Human Resources Officer
• What has been the change of the CHRO role over the years?
  • Typically tucked under the CFO
  • There is a heightened need for the CHRO role to be at the table helping to make decisions that support the stratic outcomes for the business
• CHRO in the Global pandemic
  • Continued to reflect on the overwhelming impact on the world
  • Defining digital transformation
  • Moving people from worksites to their homes in three weeks or less
  • Keeping the lights on
• CHRO continues to learn from March 2020
• Essential skills to be a CHRO
  • Understanding the business and how to business makes money
  • How to solve problems that positively impact the organization's business goal
  • Understanding what are the people implications and cultural implications
  • Must be talent savvy, biz savvy, data-savvy - how do you use data to make decisions
  • Coaching and advising the leadership team
  • Engage with leadership and with the frontline staff
• Employee Experience - everything a worker learns, does, sees, and feels at each stage of the employee lifecycle.
• How do companies define reset?
  • Hybrid/ Virtual work
  • Plan what the "return to the office" looks like for their organization dependent on the organization and employees
  • People value flexibility - What is the why, and when should they come together? What happens when they get there?
  • Define what roles should be remote, in-person, or hybrid.
• Mid to senior career-level workers feel more productive and focused at home; recent graduates want more in-person networking opportunities but do not want to be in the office every day
• How to define what is valued as work-life integration?
  • Collect data to find what is the desired work style
  • Use that data to establish the workplace strategy
• Leadership is culture; culture is leadership.
  • Be deliberate about the culture you want to create and who you are as a company.