More than 60% of the commercial HR leaders want to progress their career beyond HR – but as few as 11% actually realise their ambition, according to research from Mullwood Partnership. Among the greatest obstacles are a perceived lack of ambition and confidence, negative perceptions of HR and limited commercial understanding.
For this reason HR magazine runs its annual HR Most Influential ranking, celebrating the HR directors whose ideas and practices are pushing the profession forward, demonstrating its commercial value and helping to overcome the negative perception.
According to 2012 HR Most Influential sponsor Ceridian, the ranking "has become more and more of a force with each passing year."
Says managing director Doug Sawers: "It is ever more important to recognise great HR influence and leadership as the people agenda grows still further in importance, both here in the UK and increasingly, globally. Increasingly in our society we seem to be let down by the behaviour of individuals, businesses and should-be respected institutions. This needs to be countered by placing more emphasis on values, which in turn need to be personified in our HR leaders of today and for the future. This listing exhibits the best and most influential in this respect, and hence carries more weight than ever before."
Fellow sponsor Robert Bolton, partner in KPMG Management Consulting, adds: "HR magazine's HR Most Influential ranking reminds us that HR can and should seek to drive significant organisation value and improve the experience and performance of employees in the world of work. The ranking is a welcome antidote to the view that HR is a ‘back-office’ cost.’’
We now want to know who has influenced you the most during 2012/13. Who are the most influential HR directors in these sectors:-
Retail
Hospitality
Manufacturing
Professional services (legal/consultancy)
Public sector
Banking/financial and insurance
IT/hi-tech services
Print/media/publishing
Third sector/not-for-profit
Pharmaceuticals
Construction
Transport and distribution
Utilities
Oil and gas/mining
Small business
Plus, which academics have an impact on your thinking and practice? And which consultants are leading the way?
EMAIL your top three suggestions in any category confidentially to HR magazine’s editor on sian.harrington@markallengroup.com saying why they have influenced you
