Changes in the way we work, and the expectations placed on companies, have transformed the HR sector – both in Australia and globally. The role of HR has expanded from being a support service to an essential, organising function of businesses.

Talent acquisition, staff retention, workplace culture and social impact now come under the remit of HR departments.

Deloitte’s 2023 Global Human Capital Trends report shows that important topics like climate, equality, and human risk have become fundamental to company’s success in this new environment, with more than 80% of organisations reporting that these issues among their top focus areas.

Yet there is also significant room for improvement, with less than 15% of organisations saying their leaders are very ready to consider broader societal and environmental risks when making workforce decisions.

Digitalisation will assist HR departments in many ways, such as utilising employee data for decision-making, and automating and streamlining administrative tasks. Yet, the need to find and retain quality HR staff has never been more pronounced.