Already being feted as among the best films of all time, they have some shared themes, most notably a rather dystopian portrayal of the world and a central character fighting for good against the odds.
It brought to mind the current situation facing HR directors. With negative stories dripping daily into the country's consciousness, the Bank of England has finally whispered the R-word and businesses across the UK are sending out bleak messages of cost-cutting and redundancies. In such times HR directors need to be superheroes, using all their powers and abilities, relevant skills, and advanced tools and techniques to reassure their employees, thus defending productivity and keeping talent, while taking the necessary actions to protect the safety of the business. Of course, HR is not immune itself and the coming year is likely to see greater use of interims, the slimming of HR departments and a brake on recruitment.
There is another reason, however, for being an HR superhero in such times and that is to prove the business case for continuing investment in people. Yet there are still criticisms that many in HR are process-obsessed and failing to grasp basic commercial realities, making it hard to influence senior management in this way. But is this view an outdated stereotype? In a robust defence of its training the CIPD certainly believes so - citing its own strategic leadership course as just one example of how it helps professionals acquire the skills they need to become a top level HR director. But many remain unconvinced and few of the directors we contacted said traditional qualifications were vital for success at the top. So what skills are required if you want to become an HR superhero today?
Finally, we want to help HR directors become, and remain, superheroes and for that reason have completely overhauled our website to ensure you are up-to-date with the latest news, views, analysis and thought leadership (www.hrmagazine.co.uk). I look forward to your participation and welcome your comments.
- Email sian.harrington@haymarket.com.
