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.

All topics A-Z

Factsheets

Regularly-updated factsheets provide overviews and information on a topic

Seven Factsheets about HR role
Factsheet
Strategic human resource management
Understand how strategic HRM works, and its relationship with business strategy, human capital management and business performance
Factsheet
HR policies
An overview of the purpose and benefits of HR policies and how to implement and communicate them effectively throughout an organisation
Factsheet
HR and standards
Discover British and International standards in human resource management, and our role in their development
For Members
Factsheet
HR shared services
Understand the principles of shared services, how they work, and the benefits they can bring to an organisation
For Members
Factsheet
Retention of HR records
Introduces the legal issues in the UK around effective retention and organisation of HR records
For Members
Factsheet
Business partnering
Learn why organisations use business partnering, how it’s implemented and how it can shape successful relationships across the organisation.
Factsheet
HR outsourcing
An overview of HR outsourcing, its use within organisations and its alternatives
For Members

Guides

Designed for practitioners, our guides provide recommendations and advice on how to apply good practice in the workplace.

One Guide about HR role
Guide
AI use in the workplace: Practical advice for HR professionals
Guidance on how to develop a policy on AI use for your workplace and how this technology can be used to support HR functions across the employee lifecycle
For Members

Reports

Research and analysis by experts from CIPD and partner organisations

14 Reports about HR role
Report
People Profession 2023: International report
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in the UK, Ireland, Asia-Pacific, MENA and Canada
Report
People Profession 2023: Asia-Pacific report
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore
Report
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
Report
People Profession 2023: A Canadian perspective
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in Canada
Report
People Profession 2023: UK and Ireland report
Insight into how global issues are impacting people professionals in the UK and Ireland
Report
Putting people professionals on the road to net zero
Insight from senior leaders on how they have led responsibly and maintained trust and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic
Report
People Profession 2022: International survey report
Insight from senior leaders on how they have led responsibly and maintained trust and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic
Report
People Profession 2022: UK and Ireland survey report
This year's report explores how global challenges have impacted people professionals in 2022
Report
Career aspirations of future people professionals
CIPD post-graduate students’ perceptions on what they want from a career as a people professional
Report
People Profession Survey: 2020 global results
This report, produced in partnership with the WFPMA, SHRM and AHRI, provides valuable international insights into the state of the profession
Report
Global partnerships to support a global profession
Discover how our enduring partnerships with HR professional bodies across the globe inform our research
Report
People Profession 2030: a collective view of future trends
Drawing on collaborative research, our report explores the key trends influencing the future of work and how they will shape the people profession
Report
People analytics: driving business performance with people data
A global survey of multiple professional perspectives on people data and people analytics
Report
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.

Three Case studies about HR role
Case study
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 study
A day in the life of an HR manager
A day in the life of Claire Wishart, HR Manager at Calnex Solutions
Case study
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

21 Thought leadership about HR role
Thought leadership
Thought Leadership | Evidence-based HRM: Navigating evidence for creating effective HR practices
Claire McCartney, Policy and Practice Manager at the CIPD, invites Brigitte Kroon, Associate Professor for Human Resources at Tilburg University, to share her thoughts on the importance of evidence-based human resource management (HRM) practices and solutions which are contextually appropriate
Thought leadership
Analysis | Recognition of the HR function in organisations
Find out what our recent pulse survey of people professionals said about current challenges, how the HR function has changed and how it is perceived within their organisations
Thought leadership
Analysis | Career and development opportunities in HR
Find out what people professionals said about their working lives and career development prospects in our recent pulse survey
Thought leadership
Analysis | Evolution of the people profession
From navigating societal shifts to leading through crises, HR has proven its strategic value like never before – we explore the key milestones, challenges, and innovations that have propelled the profession forward
Thought leadership
Briefing | AI in focus: Role of people professionals, regulation and the CIPD
As artificial intelligence continues its rapid advancement and becomes the much touted focus for investment and development, we highlight the critical role of the people profession and explain how the CIPD and its members will be involved shaping its impact at work
Thought leadership
Analysis | Devolving HR management to people managers
When HR tasks are devolved to line managers, how can people practitioners best support them and improve people management practices within organisations?
Thought leadership
Critical role of HR business partnering in HR operating models
How can people teams balance line managers’ need for operational people management support while growing their team’s strategic influence through the HRBP role?
Thought leadership
Analysis | Quantifying the impact of generative AI on HR
We examine and outline recent research investigating the impact of generative AI tools on the HR profession
Thought leadership
HR operating models
Our series on current practices, future models and successful transformations
Thought leadership
Do current HR operating models serve future needs?
We look at what’s driving change in HR structures, what emerging models look like and what to consider when evolving your current model
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.

Four Podcasts about HR role
Podcast
HR People Pod
Listen to episodes of HR People Pod, the CIPD’s fortnightly podcast providing expert insights from HR leaders discussing the topical issues impacting the world of work.
Podcast
HR's next top operating model
Is the traditional HR operating model still fit-for-purpose or do we need to consider a new model?
Podcast
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?
Podcast
Integrating HR and L&D
Episode 141: Integrating HR and L&D

Webinars

Webinar recordings providing expert guidance

Six Webinars about HR role
Webinar
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?
Webinar
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
Webinar
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
Webinar
Breaking into the people profession
Expert advice and strategies to help you kickstart your career
Webinar
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
Webinar
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

Evidence reviews

Evidence reviews enable you to ask the critical questions and use evidence for better decision-making.

One Evidence review about HR role
Evidence review
Impact of human resource management: An evidence review
We examine research evidence to understand if and how HR practices influences organisational performance and key workplace outcomes

Bitesize research

Your regular overview of current research, inspiring insights and cutting-edge ideas in bitesize

15 Bitesize research about HR role
Bitesize research
Factors influencing ChatGPT adoption in the workplace
What are the barriers to the adoption of generative AI tools at work and how can they be overcome?
For Members
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

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