CHROs and CPOs are rapidly moving from “people experts” to “people-and-tech” leaders as HR and IT functions begin to converge in many organisations.

This phenomenon was recently discussed in a roundtable hosted by HRD and ADP where a group of senior HR professionals all agreed that IT and HR are converging into a singular function.

The need for people leaders to be tech-savvy is only going to grow. The rise of AI and its rapid deployment across all facets of business is a major reason behind this.

This trend wasn’t just recognised among the attendees of this roundtable. In conversation with HRD, LinkedIn’s senior director, ANZ talent and learning solutions, Adam Gregory noted that the skills profile of HR leadership is transforming far faster than most anticipated.

Gregory described a “very different” conversation with HR leaders compared with just a year ago, with AI and technology now central to the CHRO remit.

“AI literacy is really important, tech literacy, far more a sought-after skill,” he said, adding that leaders need a strong “growth mindset” to set and meet expectations for how their organisations adopt new tools.

No longer can HR just be “good with people”

The traditional view of HR leadership as primarily about relationships, coaching and conflict resolution is no longer sufficient on its own. Gregory pointed to a growing expectation that HR leaders be as comfortable talking about systems, automation and data as they are about engagement and culture.

In some organisations, the convergence is already formalised. Gregory described experiences of seeing the CTO be handed the HR function completely as companies begin to realise just how intertwined the functions have become.

While these instances are not too widespread at this stage, the signs are there that more organisations could follow suit.

Gregrory sees it as a logical response to the simultaneous demands of people strategy and tech enablement.

For CHROs, this shift means becoming deeply conversant in how technology supports the workforce – from talent acquisition and learning to workforce planning and productivity.

The reliance on IT partners is growing, but so is the expectation that HR can engage at a sophisticated level on “what are the systems, what are the processes that can be automated through AI… and what they need to bring into the business”.

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