Which ladder are you climbing?

Where do you sit and where are you headed?

Let’s be honest, HR isn’t what it used to be. But if you’re climbing the HR career ladder, are you on the right one? The one that will help you achieve the goals that ultimately get you noticed?

I love having conversations with HR leaders about how things have changed and how we can be much more effective as a profession now than we were years ago.

Gone are the days when HR was just about ticking boxes, processing paperwork and planning the occasional office party. Today, HR is evolving fast, with technology reshaping not just how we work, but what we expect from work itself.

So here’s a question for you: where do you sit on the HR spectrum? And more importantly, where do you want to go?

There’s no right or wrong place to be, but understanding where you are helps you figure out what’s next.

Let’s explore the three core levels of HR and what the future might hold for each.

 

Foundational HR: The operational backbone

This is the engine room of HR and, from my experience as an HR recruiter, it’s where most people start out.

Foundational HR is all about making sure the basics run smoothly. Hiring, onboarding and compliance are all essential processes that keep the employee lifecycle moving. Without this layer, the rest of HR simply can’t function.

I’ve had conversations with people for years about how “we can’t do the strategic stuff if the basics aren’t in place and working”. That was true when I started my HR recruitment career 18 years ago and it’s still true today.

Technology is changing this space quickly. HR systems automate payroll, recruitment platforms screen CVs before you’ve finished your coffee and digital tools help keep compliance on track.

It’s not just about saving time. It’s about reducing errors, improving consistency and freeing people up to focus on more strategic work.

But let’s be realistic. If you work in this space, you’re already feeling the pressure. Foundational HR is the area most likely to be automated and many manual, transactional tasks are disappearing.

That doesn’t make this layer less important. It just means the future lies in how you build beyond the admin.

 

Partnership HR: The bridge between people and performance

Step up a level and you move into Partnership HR.

This is where HR becomes a business advisor, working closely with leadership teams to manage talent, shape employee experience and support organisational goals.

One piece of advice I’ve given people over the years is this: if you’re sitting in a leadership or board meeting, people shouldn’t immediately think of you as “the HR person in the room”.

You should be a commercial business influencer who understands how the organisation operates just as well as the leaders running it.

Sometimes HR professionals experience imposter syndrome in these environments because they underestimate the value they bring beyond reporting numbers.

This is where technology becomes a real advantage and personally, I love using data to help “tell the story”.

Analytics can show where engagement is dipping, highlight talent gaps and give employees a stronger voice. Used properly, that insight helps HR teams influence decision-making, improve retention and support business performance.

This level is sometimes overlooked, but it’s essential. It’s the layer that connects operational excellence with strategic value.

If you work in this space, your ability to influence, coach and use data will set you apart.

 

Strategic HR: Shaping the future of work

At the top of the HR pyramid sits Strategic HR.

This is where HR leaders shape vision, influence culture and future-proof the business. It’s about leadership development, succession planning and using people data to guide long-term decisions.

Strategic HR leaders use insight to make smarter investments in people, drive transformation and position their organisation as an employer of choice.

This is where HR truly earns its seat at the executive table.

Strategic HR professionals are proactive, not reactive. They’re not asking how to fill a gap. They’re asking what the business needs to become.

That brings us to this brilliant quote from Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD:

“Understand the strengths and weaknesses in your teams. Assess what capabilities will be needed and what tasks and skills should you build, borrow, buy or ‘bot’ (automate) in the future.”

In other words, it’s time to get intentional.

What skills will your business need next year, or five years from now? What can you automate? Where should you grow internal talent and where does it make more sense to bring in external expertise?

Because some of the tasks we hold onto today simply won’t exist tomorrow.

The question isn’t whether HR will change. It’s whether you’re ready to change with it.

So, where do you sit?

Are you keeping the wheels turning at the foundational level? Driving change and insight as a Partnership HR professional? Or shaping business strategy at the top tier?

Maybe you’re juggling all three and in most organisations, that’s completely normal.

Anyone who’s met with me over the last 18 years has probably heard me talk about something I call Andy’s HR Scale. Honestly, I think it should be taught on every HR course in the country.

The concept is simple.

At one end of the scale is the “tea and sympathy” side of HR, the supportive, listening ear employees value. In the middle sits the “rulebook custodian”, the person ensuring policies and procedures are followed correctly.

At the far end sits the Commercial HR Business Partner, someone who works alongside leadership teams, influences business decisions and can clearly demonstrate how HR contributes to commercial outcomes.

The best HR professionals know how to flex across the scale depending on the situation.

But if you want to progress your HR career and make real impact, your goal should be to operate as much as possible at that commercial end of the scale.

That’s where you influence strategy, drive change and make your mark.

As AI continues to evolve and the workplace shifts with it, HR professionals at every level will need to evolve too.

So wherever you are today, think ahead. What skills do you need to build, borrow, buy or bot?

Because ultimately, it comes down to this: evolve or fall behind.

HR’s future is strategic, digital and human, all at once.

So, are you ready to level up?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Where do you sit today and where do you want to be?