Opening the CIPD Annual Conference in Manchester yesterday, Cheese said HR is at a tipping point and must seize the opportunity to shape future business agenda.
"The questions that business leaders in both public and private sector and in all sizes of organisations are looking to answer are those of people management and development: How to restore trust; build employee engagement; tackle skills shortages; and help solve economic and societal problems like youth unemployment and issues surrounding fairness in pay and reward," he said.
Cheese said HR and people development can be "masters of this changed game" and add significant value. But he said if HR misses this opportunity, then others will step in.
He said this is why the CIPD is developing a new framework for HR. "We'll be pulling together our previous work in collaboration with key thought leaders, practitioners and other bodies, and engaging and sharing the thinking far and wide to build a collective momentum for change," he said.
"Our framework positions HR and people development as better focused on understanding and adding value, with insight on the trends that are shaping the organisation of the future and the confidence to innovate, underpinned by a deep understanding of people, values and ethics."
Cheese said if HR gets this right then it, "truly can become the champions of better work and working lives, benefitting not just individuals and organisations, but also the economies and society in which we operate".
