Factor Analysis - Managing Expectations A CEO-CHRO Saga

Although much has been written and spoken about CHROs and their capabilities to be strategic business partners, there is usually no communication between the CEO and the CHRO on many things. CEOs expect HR leaders to be partners, but they are frustrated by how far HR leaders are from becoming actual business partners; on the other side, these very expectations have proven to be the top challenges that the CHROs face today

- Suparna Chawla Bhasin

The VUCA world is unrelenting. Whether CEOs or the CHROs, challenges continue to evolve with unprecedented speed — from volatile markets, increased regulations, technology, data security, and a diverse workforce, to other newer areas of risks and opportunities. It is well appreciated that CEOs can derive a lot of value from having HR leaders at the table. But although much has been written and spoken about CHROs and their capabilities to be strategic business partners, at the end of the day, there is usually no communication between the CEO and the CHRO on many things.

Where on one hand, the CEOs expect HR leaders to be partners, but are frustrated by how far HR leaders are from becoming actual business partners; on the other, these very expectations have proven to be the top challenges that the CHROs face today.

Through this cover story, we seek to understand the expectations of the CEOs and CHROs from each other. Although CEOs expect HR leaders to deliver the core HR processes and contribute beyond their functional roles, do they really care about processes beyond the fact they are done? Are CEOs only interested in business and talent issues, but not HR issues? What do CHROs think the CEOs should understand to enable them to be better decision makers at the table? How can the CHRO balance such expectations of the CEOs with their own roles?