Evolution in the HR Industry

Tiffany Calvert, Director - People & Organizational Development, Brown-Forman

This article is based on an interview with Tiffany Calvert, director - people & organizational development, Brown-Forman.

Major Challenges and Trends Impacting the HR Industry

From my perspective, the major challenge that the HR industry faces today is hiring workers that have the ability to adapt and change quickly to the dynamic work environment. Whether it is working remotely as companies globalize, responding to the increase to the volume or pace of work, or responding to the need to digitally transform the traditional ways of working, the ideal worker will adapt positively and accept the changes as opportunities, not obstacles.

Major Predicaments in the HR Industry

When I think about the trend toward automation, I get really excited about the potential to use technology to make some processes faster and some decisions easier. However, since HR is in the business of people, I am concerned that HR may over-index toward structuring work that removes the human touch. I believe that the best resource to help a person is a person. So when a worker is in need of counsel, development, feedback or structure, a live person is still going to be the best resource. There’s still plenty of nuance in a worker-to-company relationship to require human interaction.

“I think the most exciting tech trend is the generation of technology that supports the hybrid work environment.”

Latest Project That You Have Been Working On and Some of the Technological and Process Elements Leveraged to Make the Project Successful

Lately I have been working with teams to identify the skills and capabilities necessary to achieve success in their department and/or function. Once the skills and capabilities needed are identified, the individual can then be assessed about their ‘what’ and ‘how’ which is, for the most part, unique at the individual level. This information is stored in an human resource management system and can be used to understand who’s ready for a change. This approach moves companies from guessing about the potential of a worker to determining if someone is ready or prepared to take on more or move to a new role using a fact-based process. Ideally this flips the thinking from what does the employee need to fill their personal gaps to what does the employee need to fill the gaps in work. It’s a balance of the art and science of talent and workforce planning.

Exciting Technological Trends for the Future of the HR Industry

I think the most exciting tech trend is the generation of technology that supports the hybrid work environment. I believe the workplace was headed toward hybridization but was accelerated by the need to work remotely during the pandemic. Now we have a hybrid work mentality, we are using remote tools more and getting better at it every day. Not only does remote technology tools support a workers’ work/life balance but these tools also support the global workforce environment by connecting people and work in ways that were cumbersome before. Workers feel less tethered to their desks and can work whenever needed to make the greatest impact.