Profession Map updates

In the November 2024 review we fully revised the specialist knowledge areas of Resourcing, Reward and Talent management.

Resourcing standards

We updated this area to better reflect the work that resourcing professionals do. We made changes to all standards in this area, except the standard on worker types. We added two new standards and removed two standards. Changes included:

• Making the links with strategic workforce planning clearer.
• Expanding the knowledge needed around branding and market position, as well as attraction and sourcing.
• Broadening the standard around assessment approaches to include assessment and selection, and to set out what they should achieve.
• Adding a new standard on AI in recruitment.
• Adding a new standard on candidate experience.
• Broadening the standard on employability programmes to encompass a variety of programmes, not just those linked with education providers.

We removed the standard on using social media in recruitment, as this is now an established part of attracting and sourcing candidates.

We also removed the standard on recruitment approaches, which focused on the response of candidates to recruitment methodologies. This is now captured in the new standard of candidate experience.

Reward standards

We reviewed and updated this area to better reflect the work that reward professionals do.  We made changes to all standards in this area, except the standard on international reward, and we included two new standards. Changes included:

• Broadening reward approaches to include recognition and to set out what these approaches should achieve.
• Revising the standards on salary benchmarking and remuneration committees to reflect the knowledge that reward professionals need at each level.
• Clarifying that reward, recognition, engagement, culture and performance can impact each other.
• Strengthening the focus on data and metrics in reward data and reporting.
• Adding a new standard on job evaluation.
• Adding a new standard on pay negotiations.

Talent management standards

We updated this area to better reflect the work that talent management professionals do. We made changes to all standards except the standard on global talent. We included one new standard and removed one standard. Changes included:

• Strengthening the focus on the use of data and insights to identify, predict and monitor talent.
• Refocusing the standard on partner organisations to include all external talent pipelines.
• Clarifying the links between talent management and workforce planning.
• Emphasising the need to plan for critical roles, as well as broader succession planning.
• Adding a new standard on career pathways.

We removed the standard on self-managed talent as this no longer reflected what talent professionals are working on. Part of this standard has formed the basis of the new standard on career pathways.

After going through our evidence-based approach to reviewing the Profession Map, we concluded there were no changes necessary in this review cycle. 

In this review cycle we made changes to five areas of the Map.

People analytics standards

We updated this area of specialist knowledge to make it more practical and to better reflect changing terminology and the work that people do in this area. We fully reviewed and made changes to every standard in this area and changed the definition. Key changes included: 

• A greater focus on using data to generate business insight and support decision-making across the employee lifecycle.
• More practical standards on how to use analysis tools and data visualisations.
• Greater consideration of the responsible use of data, and data integrity. 
• Changes to language, such as ‘data science’ to reflect the broader approach to techniques such as data modelling.

Technology and people standards

We updated the standards in this area of core knowledge, which applies to all people professionals, to reflect the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the people profession. We also took the opportunity to update a couple of other standards in this area to reflect the changing ways of working. Changes included: 

• Modifying some of the language to highlight the changing role of AI.
• Introducing a new standard focusing on how people professionals should use AI in a responsible way to support their work.
• Amending one standard to reflect the impact of technology on data privacy.
• Changing some language to create a greater emphasis on the worker experience.

Business acumen standards

With the greater emphasis on the role of AI in the profession and the tools that people professionals use, we updated the standard on ‘Supplier management’ in this area of core knowledge, to reflect the selection and management of responsible suppliers, and using suppliers who will fit your organisation’s principles and ways of working.

Resourcing standards

Based on feedback from the profession and a review of this specialist knowledge area, we made some minor changes to language for clarity, and to reflect current ways of working.

Talent management standards

Based on feedback from the profession and a review of this specialist knowledge area, we made some minor changes to language for clarity, and to reflect current ways of working.

After going through our evidence-based approach to reviewing the Profession Map, we concluded there were no changes necessary in this review cycle. 

Wellbeing

Wellbeing is an increasingly important part of all our roles. That’s why we already have wellbeing standards in our core knowledge and core behaviours.

We have now developed wellbeing specialist knowledge standards:

• to support you if you deliver and lead on wellbeing in your work
• to outline the knowledge you need to create a positive culture of wellbeing
• that recognise you often work with subject matter experts (such as health and safety teams or occupational health) on areas you are not expected to be a specialist in.

Employee experience

The definition of the employee experience specialist knowledge standards – and some of its detail – has been amended. 

This reflects the addition of the wellbeing specialist knowledge standards and removes any duplication.

Working inclusively

Creating psychologically safe environments is an important part of how our organisations treat people and how we build effective workplace cultures.

We have now included psychological safety in our working inclusively core behaviour standards:

• because creating a safe environment is something we all can and should do, whether for our teams, our colleagues or others in our organisations
• to show that working inclusively includes enabling people to feel safe to admit mistakes, share concerns, share their ideas and challenge ways of working.

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

We’ve updated the title of our Inclusion and Diversity standards to equality, diversity and inclusion specialist knowledge standards because

• to reflect the majority use of the term across organisations
• to describe the full, end outcome this work aims to achieve
• because the term ‘equality’ is enshrined in the Equality Act 2010.

This review cycle highlighted the need for changes in two areas.

OD&D specialist knowledge:

• clearer, broader standards with language more specific to OD&D practice
• more practical examples and application of theory
• new standards on OD&D models, operating models, structures and processes, and the use of self
• a Foundation level that’s more accessible and relevant.

Business acumen core knowledge:

• a new environmental sustainability standard now included
• clearer focus on how work practices support environmental sustainability and how the people profession can contribute changes to the standard on brand to remove any duplication. 

After going through our evidence-based approach to reviewing the Profession Map, we concluded there were no changes necessary in this review cycle. 

In this review cycle we revalidated the Profession Map as the international benchmark and strengthened its relevance and practical value for our growing community by:

• focusing throughout on flexible ways of working, with new standards and support about adapting people processes for hybrid and remote workforces
• focusing on wellbeing throughout to show how individuals and organisations have a shared responsibility to enable and maintain wellbeing
• shifting from ‘Digital working’ to ‘Technology and people’ to reframe the role of technology
• shifting from ‘Analytics and creating value’ to ‘Evidence-based practice’ to reframe the broad approach needed by people professionals
• consulting on and reviewing ‘Inclusion and diversity’ to reflect changes in work and society broadening ‘Employee relations’ in response to practical and research-based feedback.