People Profession 2030: a collective view of future trends for HR and people development

Digital transformation and D&I strategy among the key themes identified in the @CIPD’s new report 

A new report from the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, sets out the key trends that will have an impact on the future world of work and how these will shape the profession and the roles and capabilities of people professionals.  

People Profession 2030: A collective view of future trends shares the findings of a joint collaboration between the CIPD and hundreds of people professionals from around the world, to create a collective understanding of the future of the profession. It combines findings from the CIPD’s People Profession 2030 Hackathon and roundtables with senior HR leaders that took place earlier this year.

By identifying external drivers of change and how this will impact the ever-changing world of work, the report explores what these trends mean for the positioning of the profession, and the skills and capabilities of people professionals and people teams going forward. The findings aim to inspire and equip people professionals to position themselves at the heart of business and drive positive change in their workplace. 

The five key trends influencing the people profession over the next decade have been identified as: 

• Internal change: evolving organisational models, structures and processes. The modern workplace will require agile, adaptable business models, and managers and employers will need support to thrive in a changing world – a trend that has been accelerated through the business response to the Covid-19 crisis
• Digital transformation: People professionals will need to understand how to put people at the heart of digital transformation and ensure fairness and positive opportunities for all, not just those who are tech-savvy.. The profession will also need to harness digitalisation and automation to improve processes and generate insights, for example using data and analytics for increased strategic impact.
• Changing demographics and a clear focus on D&I: Inclusion should be a key element of organisational strategies going forward and people professionals will be important drivers of change and improvements on equality, inclusion and diversity, in their organisations.
• Diversifying employment relationships: People professionals will play a crucial role in supporting line managers to fairly and effectively manage hybrid teams with different work schedules and working arrangements, such as contract and gig workers, those in portfolio careers, as well as employees working part-time and remotely.  
• Sustainability, purpose and responsible business: There is increased demand from employees, regulators, investors, customers and consumers for a more values-based, purpose-driven approach to business. People professionals can be at the heart of organisational purpose and champion responsible people management practices.

Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD, comments: 
“2020 has been a monumental year for the people profession and for many organisations it has highlighted the importance of the profession and function like never before. The demands placed on our profession since the pandemic began have never been greater and we have seen many teams and individuals rise to the challenge. There are a number of urgent priorities for HR teams in the short-term, not least the many adaptations to working practices, wellbeing, skills and diversity and inclusion, but we must still be thinking beyond the current crisis.

“The key trends identified in this latest report help us to look towards longer-term priorities and think strategically about how people professionals can put themselves at the heart of business. This important work, co-created with people professionals around the world, helps us all to drive and shape the future of the profession over the next decade. The CIPD is committed to supporting the profession to position for positive impact and growth in the future of work, and will equip people professionals with the tools and resources they need to thrive and influence the direction of their organisations for the better.”

The People Profession 2030: A collective view of future trends report is now available on the CIPD website. To build on this research, the CIPD will continue to monitor the drivers of change in the world of work and will further extend its engagement outside of the profession by consulting with business leaders and thought leaders. More information about the People Profession 2030 Hackathon can be found here