Speaking to HR magazine, Jones said: "I believe we are now starting to see talent moving away from procurement savings and next year the HR function will begin to own external talent acquisition alongside their responsibility for internal staff and make those recruitment decisions it hasn't been making.
"We could also see a step up to board level for HR, in terms of the recruitment and talent retention decisions it will be making."
Jones' comments come as a survey of 100 finance, IT and marketing managers, published today, shows that only 34% of business managers outside HR believe the HR function should be represented at board level.
According to the survey from software company, Advanced Business Solutions, the strategic value of HR is valued little outside the HR function.
Grahame Russell, managing director of consultancy firm, Change Associates, suggests that HR is often viewed as a costly expense. He said: "Many senior business leaders in small to mid-sized organisations see HR as an unjustifiable overhead. Often, it takes something like preparation for an IPO or trade sale for organisations to look at broader people issues."
Rachel Ainsworth, senior research manager from consultancy firm, SourceforConsulting, said: "It is bizarre that discussions and decisions around recruitment, staff development and redundancies are made at board meetings rarely with a HR representative present."
Ainsworth added: "HR can bring significant strategic value to the boardroom, from identifying the staff costs associated with decision-making through to explaining the people implications of forthcoming changes, such as acquisitions, mergers and downsizing. This value needs to be fully appreciated by today's business leaders."
