Strategic HR Digest | What Peter Cheese said about HR’s future at CIPD

HR INNOVATION

Accelerators like Microsoft's Founders Hub, ICL Group's BIG, and Google for Startups demonstrate to HR professionals the value of fostering internal innovation through inclusivity, structured mentorship, and resource access. By adopting strategies from these programs, HR can cultivate dynamic corporate cultures and enhance employee engagement. These lessons are vital for companies aiming to remain competitive and drive positive change.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) often overlook age discrimination, creating a blind spot that affects both older and younger employees, especially in India where legal protections are lacking. This gap results in missed opportunities and stereotypes, impacting morale and productivity. Integrating age into DEIB initiatives is essential for enhancing team cohesion, creativity, and equity in workplaces.

CORPORATE WELLBEING

82% of CEOs acknowledge wellbeing investments yield notable ROI, not just moral benefits. Wellhub's survey shows improved productivity, reduced absenteeism, and greater retention as key outcomes. CEOs prioritising employee wellness see significant financial returns, urging HR to present compelling, data-driven results to maintain wellbeing's prominence in corporate agendas.

WORKFORCE AUTOMATION

The private sector should observe the U.S. government's AI and workforce automation as a real-time case study, emphasizing strategic planning. Organisations must address workforce capabilities, governance, and continuous data integration before AI deployment, learning from public sector challenges to prepare for successful transformation.

HUMAN RESOURCES

The BSB40420 Certificate IV in Human Resource Management course from MCI Institute offers an online programme aimed at equipping future HR professionals with critical skills in recruitment, workplace relationships, and HR policy implementation. Individuals gain practical experience through simulated environments, ensuring readiness for HR roles. The nationally recognised certification boosts employability, granting access to entry-level HR positions and further educational opportunities.

LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES

In a business world often dominated by metrics and efficiency, it’s easy to overlook the quiet power of kindness. Yet research — and lived experience — tells us that kind leadership is far from soft. It creates psychological safety, unlocks trust, and encourages teams to go the extra mile not out of fear, but from genuine commitment.

Kindness doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations or lowering expectations. It means approaching others with empathy, respect, and a willingness to understand before judging. These are not innate qualities for everyone — but they can be cultivated at any stage of life or career. And in doing so, leaders often find their own resilience and emotional intelligence deepen.

In the end, kindness isn’t a trade-off — it’s a multiplier. For morale, for performance, and for the culture you leave behind.