Here’s what companies admired for their HR have in common

Human resource departments are critically important components of any company, and that’s especially true in the era of COVID-19, with more employees working remotely needing support and guidance from HR leaders.

So who does HR well, and what do those companies have in common? Human Resource Executive and Korn Ferry recently released their annual list of the most admired companies for HR, and they focus on four key attributes: management quality, people management, product/service quality and innovation.

This year, they also focused on one additional area: “workforce transformation.” It’s a fitting focus area, given how much the working world has evolved and changed in 2020 due to the pandemic and the rise in remote work.

When looking at companies near the top of the list, HRE and Korn Ferry observed that these organizations treat transformation as a “capability” rather than a “process.” Put another way, companies that shine when it comes to HR are always looking to transform. It’s part of what they do every day, not something that happens from time to time.

Looking at your own HR — and global mobility — functions, do you approach transformation as a capability? Challenging times often are the best moments for transformation, but if it feels more like a process or chore, now is a great opportunity to build “transformational capability.”