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Australia – Study shows what it takes to reach the top HR job

09 February 2016

A new study by Hays Australia, The DNA of an HRD, polls HR directors on what it takes to get to the top with stakeholder engagement voted as the most important skill to have.

The study, which polled 461 HR director respondents from Australia and New Zealand, revealed that HR directors are typically women (64% of respondents) in their 40s and early 50s with 60% aged between 41 and 55.

As far as skills are concerned, over half (53%) of HR directors say stakeholder engagement is the most important skill for an HR director to possess, followed by commercial acumen (52%) and strategic planning (48%).

Most of the respondents did not always work in HR though 32% of respondents always had a career in HR.

Additionally, the survey showed that HR directors first enter HR with a wide range of qualifications and then undertake additional HR qualifications or certifications. Moreover, 61% are members of the AHRI (Australian Human Resources Institute) or HRINZ (Human Resources Institute New Zealand).

“HR directors tend to be highly experienced and well-educated professionals with sound stakeholder engagement skills and commercial acumen,” Eliza Kirkby, Regional Director of Hays Human Resources, said. “They work hard, play hard and genuinely believe they can make a difference. They nurture others and are resilient, collaborative, credible and adaptive.”

HR directors are split on the qualifications that HR professionals should attain.

“HR is an intuitive discipline and so everyone has an opinion,” Ian Cormack, HR Director at Woolworths Food Group, said. “If you study or read about psychology, you come to understand the underlying science and body of knowledge that supports your discipline and why we do what we do in terms of remuneration, bonuses, diversity and communication. Then you’ve got research, not just opinion, behind the positions you take.”

The study also showed that it takes experience to become an HR director with 59% having more than 16 years’ experience in HR and 54% received four or more promotions before becoming HR director.

Among the other findings included the average work week being between 46 to 55 hours (49% of respondents) with a further 26% working more than 56 hours each week. 67% of respondents say resilience has helped them succeed in their careers to date and 68% say that if they had their time all over again, they would still choose the profession.

“Reassuringly, the HR directors of today look back on their careers as time well spent, and say that given the chance they would do it all over again,” Kirkby said. “For most then, HR offers a very rewarding career.”