Weekly With JC — CEO Speaks: The Winning HR Profile

By Angela Bartolome

It is said that HR professionals are the core of any organization as they are the thriving workforce that does not only supply the manpower needs of the company, but also plays a vital role in decision-making and creating a fair environment for employees.

Last April 15, 2021, John Clements Consultants (JC) was given a chance to be with distinguished CEOs of respected institutions in the country, who shared their thoughts, experiences, and expectations of a winning HR profile.

The webinar was moderated by Citibank’s Country Head, Sarab Singh, who emphasized that HR is an evolving function and change agent. He strongly believes that continuous learning is needed to add more value to the company.

The first speaker was Atty. Pilar Almira, President and CEO of Makati Medical Center. She discussed HR roles, core functions, and critical profiles at this time. According to her, HR acts as the barometer to the growing need of people and is also responsible for stirring the organization’s strength. In this time of pandemic, HR folks should be flexible and tough in performing sudden changes and providing quick yet effective decisions. It is also very crucial for one to be technologically proficient. HR professionals must also be articulate, creative, able to communicate well and motivate employees as the job insecurity of their people should be the least concern of organizations, especially during this time. She also firmly believes that one must be business savvy, heavy in relationship management and understanding of financials — acting like they run the company. Other important characteristics of HR professionals are being highly ethical, holistic in perspective, and healthy in all aspects (emotionally, mentally, and physically).

Ignacio Mijares, President and CEO of Cemex Holdings Philippines, shared that HR professionals should set up effective HR systems and be the gatekeeper of talents. They should act as cheerleaders and ensure that all of the organization’s leaders are engaged in order to encourage employees to give their best.

The last speaker, Ivic Mueco — Managing Director of Optum Global Advantage, said that CEOs desire HR professionals who help shape and run the business. A strategic profile leverages on AI and data science to sharpen decision-making and someone who is deeply embedded in the company. She emphasized that the pandemic should not stop us from looking ahead, instead, we should innovate and lead by example. She believes that HR should be part of the leadership rotation because the business, finance, and complexity is present there. HR Professionals should not limit themselves, instead, they should push themselves to continuously learn and be curious about what goes on inside and outside of their operating environment.

Human resources has a lot of functions and roles to play in the success of a company. Being able to hear insights from the speakers reminded me that HR professionals act as partners by proactively bringing talents, guiding stakeholders/hiring managers in decision-making, and upholding the right culture and environment. The winning HR profile is always evolving — challenging and agreeing on the best way forward.

As Atty. Almira quoted, “This is one single opportune time for every HR professional to shine!”

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About the author:

Joanna Angela Bartolome or Angela has been in with John Clements for almost six years. She loves traveling, going to different beaches and places with great sunset views. She likes road trips accompanied by a good playlist. She is also a fan of legal, medical, and romantic comedy series on Netflix.