New CIPD chief: it’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it

HR’s new role must be as advocates for the organisation and customer service rather than simply advocates for employees, new CIPD chief executive Jackie Orme told delegates in her first speech at the annual conference.

Outlining the changing shape of HR, Orme said that while employee advocacy and “bringing the human touch to what we do” would always remain integral to the role, as business leaders did more of this themselves, HR would be freed up to spend more time “building a reputation in the marketplace that leaves talented young people fighting to join your organisation”.