Building critical skills and competencies are the No. 1 priority for human resources leaders in 2021, according to research by Gartner Inc. Its survey of more than 750 HR leaders found that 68% said building critical skills and competencies for their organizations was their top priority. The survey took place from June through August.
Other top priorities included organizational design and change management, cited by 46%; current and future leadership bench, 44%; the future of work, 32%; and employee experience, 28%.
“In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, HR leaders are moving away from crisis management toward focusing on what will make their organizations strong, both today and in the future, including having the right skills and competencies, building resilience and having a strong cadre of leaders,” said Mark Whittle, VP of advisory in the Gartner HR practice.
The poll also found that 50% of HR leaders report their organization’s leadership bench is not diverse, and Gartner said trust in leadership is undermined by lack of diversity. Organizations that implement diversity networking programs are 3.4 times more likely to report they are effective at increasing opportunities for talent mobility.