82% of HR Leaders Struggle to Align with Business Strategies! Survey Findings
A recent Eightfold Talent Survey reveals a significant disconnect between HR leaders and business strategies, with over 80% of HR leaders acknowledging misalignment. The findings, based on responses from 500 HR leaders in large organizations (5,000+ employees), highlight key challenges and opportunities for HR departments to become strategic drivers.
Key Findings
- Widespread Misalignment
- Only 18% of HR leaders feel fully aligned with their organization’s strategic goals.
- Over half (53%) report that talent strategies fail to align with overall business objectives.
- Root Causes
- Limited involvement of HR in foundational business discussions.
- Lack of executive-level support for HR as a strategic function.
- Competing priorities between HR and executive leadership.
- Impact on Employees
- 61% of employees are satisfied with their roles, yet 82% have sought new jobs in the past 12-18 months, citing pay, culture, and motivation issues.
Skills-Based Workforce: A Path to Alignment
The survey found that organizations fostering a skills-first approach are better aligned:
- 90% of aligned HR leaders reported strong collaboration with executives.
- Regular HR-leadership interactions lead to improved awareness of organizational weaknesses and reduced resistance to initiatives.
Eightfold Co-CEO Chano Fernandez emphasizes the need for upskilling and reskilling to meet rapidly evolving skill demands. He argues that this approach not only addresses skill gaps but also improves retention by equipping teams for future challenges.
AI: The Catalyst for HR Transformation
Artificial intelligence is emerging as a critical tool for HR departments to bridge gaps with executive strategies.
- Adoption Trends: 21% of HR leaders are advanced AI users, and 32% are scaling up their AI capabilities.
- Key Applications: Cross-skilling, reskilling, and aligning talent strategies with business objectives.
Fernandez highlights AI’s potential to enhance HR efficiency:
“HR is now in the driver’s seat for AI, enabling faster and more effective operations. For instance, AI can process thousands of resumes for a single role, revolutionizing recruitment speed and precision.”
The Way Forward
To address these gaps, HR leaders must:
- Take a more active role in strategic decision-making.
- Focus on creating skills-based workforces.
- Embrace AI as a transformative tool to align talent strategies with business objectives.
With the right tools and collaboration, HR can evolve from an administrative function to a strategic powerhouse, driving growth and harmony across organizations.
