New Zealand academic says people managers taking initiative to upskill themselves
“HR is crucial and it’s becoming more and more a frontline issue – more businesses are now aligning their values and initiatives with people managers to grow.”
So says Katharina Naswall, Professor of Organizational Psychology at the University of Canterbury, in discussing the importance of upskilling.
Her comments came as new figures show HR is one of the fastest-growing jobs with competitive salaries in Australia.
The figures, released by Indeed, show the 25 fastest growing, high-paying roles in Australia offering median salaries above $NZ86,340 and sizeable growth in job postings – with ‘Director of People and Culture’ at $NZ121,950.
Businesses are prioritising operational efficiency and workforce planning which is driving demand for HR leadership and management roles, said Indeed.
New Zealand businesses are also seeing the benefits of people managers, Naswall told HRD.
“It can be seen through people taking the initiative to upskill themselves instead of being forced to. In Australia, there’s legislation around engaging with psychological health, but that’s not reached here yet. The fact people are doing this off their own backs shows the importance of being the best possible people manager.”
Naswall highlighted the advantages to both employee and business from upskilling.
“Policy, compliance and strategy will all benefit from utilising HR and upskilling your people managers. It will ensure your leadership team is highly functional and able to engage, inspire and implement changes to your workforce,” she said.
“Companies who see the future are working to futureproof their staff – and engage in similar practices to that of Australia. It’ll give companies a competitive advantage because their people are better equipped to do their work if psychosocial risks are managed well, prevented or eliminated.”
Training in organisational psychology, which looks at how people behave at work and how performance can be improved, is also important, Naswall said.
“Without that knowledge, it will be hard to predict how initiatives will land with people, how change can be managed, how people will react to certain pieces of news," she said.
“We’re seeing a bigger focus on psychological wellbeing in the workplace and the people managers investing time in it now will futureproof themselves.”
Investing in people management skills isn't just something to benefit you now, but ensures you’re ready for the future, according to Naswall.
She concluded that upskilling – and understanding the importance of HR – can be the difference between success and failure.
“When you’re change-ready and better able to adapt, people feel like the company has your back and aren't going to just churn through staff as people leave. Increasingly, talented staff are choosing companies that are known for treating their staff well, so there's another competitive advantage. If you want to attract the best, then you need to treat them well as well.”
