HR and OB Club

 On Thursday, November 20, Alison Peterson wowed an HROB club audience with her deep experience about the evolution of consulting and human resources.  No longer are human resources personnel merely paper processors, making sure that paydays, benefits enrollment, and hirings (and firings)  run smoothly.  Now, more than ever, Ms. Peterson sees HR professionals having a place at the senior management table, advising other departments and executives on the human impact of strategic decisions. 

With the increased prominence of HR and OB skills, Ms. Peterson acknowledges that two main career paths remain: the classically trained and the "accidental."  In the classically trained path, HR professionals launch their careers upon learning business fundamentals, analytics, a client focus, and adaptability.  She sees this as an increasingly important path relative to the "accidental" option of learning on the job--and usually being limited in their influence throughout the firm.

Ms. Peterson sees human resources professionals becoming even more savvy in business skills, such as using data and predictive models to produce insights for their firms.  She envisions a "human capital supply chain" that keep organizations well supplied with talented, seasoned personnel.  HR leadership, Ms. Peterson adds, will take more accountability for the organization's performance--not just their hiring, compensation, and other traditional HR duties.  Perhaps most importantly, she sees human resources as "building a sense of community, trust and integrity, and even spiritual meaning for the organization."

Alison Peterson brought enthusiasm, candor, and inspiration to the HROB audience.  It is up to us to make her vision come true.

--bstoker for HROB