HR practitioners are increasingly required to understand how to strategically manage human resources in line with an organisation’s intended future direction.
Explore our resources to discover factsheets and reports which cover strategic human resource management and how it differs from HR strategy. Also, find out about HR's role in business partnerships and how to develop best practice principles for the HR profession.
Factsheets
Regularly-updated factsheets provide overviews and information on a topic
7 Factsheets about HR role
Factsheets
HR shared services
Understand the principles of shared services, how they work, and the benefits they can bring to an organisation
Factsheets
Business partnering
Learn why organisations use business partnering, how it’s implemented and how it can shape successful relationships across the organisation.
Factsheets
HR outsourcing
An overview of HR outsourcing, its use within organisations and its alternatives
Factsheets
Strategic human resource management
Understand how strategic HRM works, and its relationship with business strategy, human capital management and business performance
Factsheets
HR policies
An overview of the purpose and benefits of HR policies and how to implement and communicate them effectively throughout an organisation
Factsheets
Retention of HR records
Introduces the legal issues in the UK around effective retention and organisation of HR records
Factsheets
HR and standards
Discover British and International standards in human resource management, and our role in their development
Reports
Research and analysis by experts from CIPD and partner organisations
16 Reports about HR role
Reports
People Profession 2023: International report
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in the UK, Ireland, Asia-Pacific, MENA and Canada
Reports
People Profession 2023: Asia-Pacific report
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore
Reports
People Profession 2023: Middle East and North Africa report
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates
Reports
People Profession 2022: UK and Ireland survey report
This year's report explores how global challenges have impacted people professionals in 2022
Reports
Career aspirations of future people professionals
CIPD post-graduate students’ perceptions on what they want from a career as a people professional
Reports
Global partnerships to support a global profession
Discover how our enduring partnerships with HR professional bodies across the globe inform our research
Reports
HR professionalism: what do we stand for?
Explores the work identities of HR professionals and implications for principled decision-making
Reports
HR Outlook
Published between Winter 2012 and 2016-17 this survey examined key issues for the HR function, highlighting current issues and emerging trends within HR
Reports
Employee Outlook: Mental health and wellbeing
Review the trends on mental health and wellbeing at work over the years with our Employee Outlook focus reports
Reports
CIPD reports for small businesses
Access research reports and guides focusing on working within small businesses
Reports
Maximising impact as an HR professional in an SME
Reflections on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by HR professionals working in SMEs
Reports
HR's role in the success of partnering arrangements
Provides practical guidance on how to deliver excellent people management beyond the organisation, to support the success of business partnering arrangements
Reports
Real-life leaders: Closing the knowing-doing gap
Opens the debate on the barriers preventing organisations from getting closer to effective leadership
Reports
HR and its role in innovation
This four-part research series looks at innovation in HR and HR's role in helping innovation flourish.
Reports
The role of HR in corporate responsibility
A report examining the HR function's role in embedding corporate responsibility in all areas of the business
Reports
Business savvy: giving HR the edge
The four foundations of business savvy, with an overview of what makes up business-savvy competence
Case studies
Learn from real world examples of how other people professionals and organisations work with the CIPD to approach key challenges and objectives.
4 Case studies about HR role
Case studies
A day in the life of an HR officer
A day in the life of Jonathan Le Brocq, HR Officer at Garenne Group
Case studies
A day in the life of an HR Vice President
A day in the life of Leslie Hayward, VP HR North East & South East Asia for Shell
Case studies
A day in the life of an HR manager
A day in the life of Claire Wishart, HR Manager at Calnex Solutions
Case studies
A day in the life of an HR adviser
A day in the life of Gina Keohane, HR Adviser at Ubisoft Leamington
Thought leadership
Insight and foresight from our experts in people and the world of work
11 Thought leadership about HR role
Thought leadership
‘Tech savvy’ HR practice
How does becoming ‘tech savvy’ improve your professional standing and the HR practice in your organisation?
Thought leadership
Optimising your operating models for the future
Natalie Sheils, Chief People Officer at Mosaic Group, explores ways to strengthen your operating models to thrive in a rapidly changing business landscape
Thought leadership
Bringing on the brain bots – a missed opportunity for HR?
Should HR be more involved in introducing or implementing intelligent automation?
Thought leadership
What monitoring is acceptable regarding remote workers?
This first article from our Technology, the workplace and people management series examines employers’ perspectives on monitoring remote workers
Thought leadership
Operating efficiently: Implementing HR information systems in SMEs
Practical insights from small and medium-sized enterprises on how HR information systems can be used to improve organisational efficiency and access to people data
Thought leadership
How can HR play a lead role in digital transformation in the workplace?
The expertise of people professionals can be leveraged to support their organisations and employees to navigate and implement technological change
Thought leadership
Employment in HR soars over past decade
New CIPD analysis highlights which occupations have seen the biggest employment growth in the UK over last 10 years
Thought leadership
Surveillance in the ‘data-driven’ workplace: is this the new norm?
As Barclays hits the headlines for rolling out surveillance software to monitor employees, how can the people profession use its expertise to inform the application of workplace technology?
Thought leadership
CIPD wins UK Government funding to test impact of HR support on small firms
Ben Willmott introduces CIPD’s UK Government-funded pilot scheme to test the impact of free HR support for small businesses in Birmingham
Thought leadership
Ethics and professionalism are intimate bedfellows
Laura Harrison investigates how we link professionalism with ethics in the workplace
Thought leadership
Changing HR operating models
A collection of thought pieces from lead thinkers, academics, practitioners and consultants on the future of the HR function
Podcasts
Listen to episodes from our podcast series on a range of topical workplace, HR and L&D issues.
2 Podcasts about HR role
Podcasts
What value does HR bring to today's organisations?
Episode 185: Climate change, the rising cost of living and the global pandemic are just a few catalysts that have seemingly recast the HR role and expanded its remit. How should people functions evolve to add most value for organisations?
Webinars
Webinar recordings providing expert guidance
6 Webinars about HR role
Webinars
Independent HR consultants – how to adapt for turbulent times
Watch this video and explore where can employers raise their employee value propositions, and critically where should you start?
Webinars
CIPD Careers webinar: What I wish I’d known – HR Directors
Have ambitions of becoming a HR Director? Unpack candid reflections from our panel of HR directors and former CIPD aspiring HRD mentees
Webinars
Career paths in the people profession
Watch our webinar to hear first-hand from experienced professionals on the various career paths available in the people profession
Webinars
Breaking into the people profession
Expert advice and strategies to help you kickstart your career
Webinars
How COVID-19 has changed people management
Watch a video and download the slides from our webinar where experts discussed how to support people managers during this crisis, and what it means for the future
Webinars
HR wellbeing: looking after yourself and your HR teams
Watch our webinar where experts advise on protecting the health and well-being of people professionals
Bitesize research
Your regular overview of current research, inspiring insights and cutting-edge ideas in bitesize
14 Bitesize research about HR role
Bitesize research
How to start using AI as an HRM assistant
An exploration of how generative AI tools like ChatGPT can be used effectively to support human resource management
For Members
Bitesize research
Key elements of day-to-day HR practice
Researchers investigate the daily obstacles faced by HR practitioners when trying to work proactively rather than reactively
For Members
Bitesize research
HR practices: What are the trade-offs for employee wellbeing?
Examining the impact of HR practices on employee wellbeing
For Members
Bitesize research
Mick Marchington’s legacy on the shape of human resource management
A summary of the enormous impact of Marchington’s work on the evolution of human resource management
For Members
Bitesize research
From strategic to sustainable: considerations for people professionals
Six areas of practice people professionals need to consider for sustainable HRM
For Members
Bitesize research
The business impact of HR in small firms
What’s the business case for HR practices in SMEs?
For Members
Bitesize research
Strategic HR in small firms
What HR practices do small firms adopt, and why and how do they do adopt them?
For Members
Bitesize research
HR in turbulent times
Political and social upheaval call for localised people practices
For Members
Bitesize research
Has HR become too specialised?
Proximity and the (mis)management of workplace conflict
For Members
Bitesize research
Linking HR’s feminine image with board representation
Are HR board positions typically occupied by women?
For Members
Bitesize research
Big data and human resource management
Reviewing the current research on big data
For Members
Bitesize research
Building a more strategic role for HR
Explore how HR can become more strategic
For Members
Bitesize research
The end of human resources management?
Read more about the issues facing HRM
For Members
Bitesize research
A dynamic framework for development
Discover how strategic HR development can foster unique dynamic capabilities that enhance the capacity of oganisations to be compertitive in turbulent business environments
For Members
Learning
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