{{item.videoDuration}}
{{item.title}}
{{item.text}}
{{item.videoDuration}}
{{item.title}}
{{item.text}}
An integrated and holistic solution to HR matters
It has never been more important to invest in your people.
PwC’s HR Operations Advisory team partners with businesses to provide strategic HR guidance, subject matter expertise and operational support across all stages of the employee lifecycle.
We partner with businesses of all sizes and across all sectors. From startups and family businesses with no HR function to large businesses with established HR teams who are looking for expert support on particular projects and initiatives.
Challenges faced by businesses
Businesses are facing monumental shifts in workforce expectations and increasingly complex operating environments. These challenges necessitate a new and fresh approach to managing your workforces.
In an environment driven by industrial reforms, greater compliance obligations and changing employee expectations of work, strategic and proactive Human Resources practices are more important than ever. Often businesses are not adequately resourced to make this shift from reactive to strategic HR, either through limitations in capacity or capability.
How can we help?
Our HR Operations Advisory team can provide advisory services to solve specific HR issues, consult on overall workforce strategy, or transform your HR practices or function. In addition, we can also provide specific HR compliance and operational support to bridge gaps in internal HR resourcing capacity. We bring industry-specific experience and leverage subject matter expertise across the full spectrum of HR processes. We support businesses to more strategically manage their people - their most important (and often most costly) asset.
Our approach
Our team has a wealth of HR experience and expertise, across a range of business sectors and sizes. We bring a unique combination of operational HR expertise, alongside strategic and transformational experience to provide practical insight and support.
Our HR specialists work collaboratively with our colleagues across PwC to deliver an integrated and holistic solution that draws on a wealth of experience in reward and remuneration strategy, employment taxes, payroll advisory, workplace law and diversity and inclusion consulting. We are hands-on and practical, and are at our best delivering work in partnership.
PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO survey has provided valuable insight into what is on the mind of local and global CEOs.
Our Human Resources (HR) Operations Advisory team has explored the key considerations that Chief People Officers and HR functions should focus on to effectively align themselves with their organisation’s strategic goals and create a robust, future-ready workforce.
Business as usual is shifting. Workplaces are evolving at a rapid rate, and HR functions must position themselves as a strategic enabler of business transformation and reinvention. With the rapid advancement of AI technology and changing business landscapes, transformation is not a nice to have, but a business imperative. HR functions can position themselves at the frontline of transformation and set their workforce up for success. By focusing on effectively harnessing AI, enhancing their workforce through reinvention and unlocking value in sustainability, Chief People Officers can secure a future-ready HR function and workforce.
HR Operations Advisory can support you on your workforce and HR optimisation journey, to align your HR function and initiatives to your business strategy and effectively prepare for the future.
AI driving strategy
With AI-driven efficiencies already delivering value and 40% of Australia’s CEOs anticipating profitability gains from AI within the next 12 months, AI adoption is clearly a top strategic priority. To best position your organisation amidst this change, HR needs to proactively anticipate the disruption of AI on their workforce and re-shape their people strategy accordingly.
45% of Australia’s CEOs report that AI adoption is hindered by internal skills gaps, while 85% cite lack of talent availability as a barrier. This shows the urgent need for workforce reskilling and upskilling.
The first step in this transformative journey is identifying the roles and skills that are most AI-exposed. This requires a careful analysis of current job functions and an understanding of how they may be impacted by automation and AI technologies. By recognising who is exposed, HR teams can better plan for the future.
The adoption of AI will inevitably impact career paths within organisations. As roles evolve, it will be crucial to reassess learning and development initiatives to maintain alignment with both current and future needs. This may involve redefining career trajectories and creating new development programs tailored for an AI-enhanced workforce.
To fully harness the potential of AI, we must address the existing skill gaps and support a workforce with varying levels of AI literacy to grow their capability. Continuous skill enhancement programs must be designed to ensure that all employees can effectively use AI tools and understand their implications. Explore whether upskilling or reskilling opportunities are most appropriate for those in AI-exposed roles and prepare your workforce to meet future demands.
Transforming and re-shaping operating and workforce models to facilitate cross-functional mobility is a key strategy to support the transition into AI-related roles. Organisations should foster an environment where employees can easily apply their skills and move between departments and roles, allowing them to acquire new experiences and optimise their value.
Strategic workforce planning will play a critical role in developing an AI-enhanced workforce, enabling organisations to align their talent strategies with emerging technology trends.
88% of local CEOs view AI as critical for future success, but only 33% trust embedding GenAI into key business processes, highlighting a trust and execution gap. In a high-risk function like HR, where trust in privacy, responsible and ethical AI use is crucial, CPOs must proactively manage AI risk in their teams.
Identifying HR-specific AI risks, especially within confidential and sensitive processes, and establishing robust mitigation strategies is crucial. This includes implementing governance frameworks that protect employee data, especially when relying on third-party vendors for HR systems and technologies.
Ramping up reinvention
Despite the clear link between reinvention and business growth, many of Australia’s CEOs remain overly optimistic about business viability without it. 74% of Australia’s CEOs believe their organisation will remain viable for the next decade without significant change, compared to 55% of global CEOs who are actively pursuing reinvention.
Reinvention requires a new era of transformative leadership and a culture of innovation. CPOs play a critical role in developing leaders of the future and evolving the organisational culture to be a strategic enabler to business model reinvention.
The cultural traits within an organisation can either enable or hinder the ability to reinvent and adapt. It is important to evaluate whether your existing culture promotes transformation-enabling behaviours and supports innovative perspectives on reinvention.
Ultimately, fostering a culture that embraces change and encourages a through-tenure perspective on leadership and key roles can greatly enhance an organisation’s capacity to secure a successful transformation.
For the HR function to effectively transform alongside the business, it needs to reflect the current and anticipated needs of the workforce. This requires a clear alignment between HR practices and business strategy.
With 58% of Australia’s CEOs planning mergers & acquisitions and 41% intending to increase headcount, there are increased considerations for workforce expansion and restructuring, including high levels of active human resource reallocation. CPOs must transcend traditional workforce planning and lead a proactive, strategic approach to ensure the workforce remains agile, competitive and future-ready. As industries evolve, the skillsets required for success will also shift, making ongoing training and development a necessity.
As the needs of your business change, enhancing and aligning your HR function becomes crucial to support these new demands effectively. As you explore the potential benefits of transitioning to new workforce models, consider how implementing parallel operating models during periods of transformation could help you through the transition.
By assessing whether your workforce models facilitate mobility and career progression, you can enhance your ability to attract and retain key talent, especially during times of transformation. These approaches could significantly enhance workforce productivity and adaptability.
Unlocking value in sustainability
Sustainability is increasingly a priority for Australia’s CEOs, with 56% now having personal incentives linked to environmental sustainability. This has introduced new workforce considerations, requiring strategic decisions to support them.
Decarbonisation and the transition towards net zero may have significant impacts on your workforce and their needs, both now and in the future. Consider how this transition is and will affect the requirements of your workforce and evaluate whether your organisation currently possesses the skills needed to meet both present and future challenges.
Beyond climate, holistic action on people, planet, prosperity and principles of governance as sustainability pillars offer a powerful opportunity to create value for society and our planet, as well as aiding in the creation of a compelling people strategy and employee value proposition (EVP).
The first step is clearly defining your sustainability priorities. As a CPO, the ‘people’ pillar of sustainability, should be front of mind. This includes considerations of
- diversity, equity, inclusion & accessibility
- culture
- health, safety & wellbeing
- sustainable performance
- leadership & development
- performance & reward, and
- modern slavery & human rights.
By defining your sustainability goals in these areas, you can develop your people strategy with a focus on fostering a sustainable workforce.
Maintaining focus on sustainability through transformation is vital to ensure your transitions are equitable. To aid the creation of your sustainable workforce, consider how digital tools can support your employee’s safety, as well as mental and physical well-being.
Once you have your sustainability commitments defined and in action, leverage this to enhance your EVP. Consider whether your current EVP and people strategy effectively convey your commitment to sustainability. It is crucial to evolve your EVP in response to the changing needs and demands of a multigenerational workforce in order to attract and retain highly competitive talent.
Our team is able to support with a range of services, including:
HR Diagnostics - Maturity & Compliance Assessment
Employee Value Proposition
Strategic HR Business Partnering
Performance Management
People Strategy
HR function and process optimisation
Job analysis, job design and career frameworks
HR data analytics and dashboarding
{{filterContent.facetedTitle}}
{{contentList.dataService.numberHits}} {{contentList.dataService.numberHits == 1 ? 'result' : 'results'}}
{{contentList.loadingText}}
{{contentList.loadingText}}
Contact us
Meredith Wallace
Senior Manger, Workforce, Brisbane, PwC Australia
Tel: +61 413 440 322
Follow PwC Australia
