Abstract: Human resources faces renewed calls for reinvention amid threats of obsolescence and executive distrust. SHRM CEO Johnny Taylor's recent call for HR to become the "Chief Work Officer" reflects longstanding tensions about HR's strategic value. This article argues that HR's marginalization stems less from competency gaps than from structural power imbalances rooted in the function's demographic composition and its historical role as a check on executive prerogative. Drawing on workforce economics research and organizational case evidence from Costco, Sam's Club, and other high-performance employers, the analysis demonstrates that HR's path forward requires anchoring professional authority in measurable business outcomes generated through actively respectful workplace cultures—cultures where respect functions as operational strategy rather than rhetorical commitment. The article presents evidence-based organizational responses including transparent compensation architecture, procedural justice frameworks, and distributed accountability systems, then examines capability-building requirements for HR practitioners who must increasingly say "no" to protect businesses from their own short-term instincts. The conclusion positions respect not as HR's obstacle to executive acceptance but as its most defensible basis for strategic influence.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Powered by the WRKdefined Podcast Network.
Sponsors
