The focus of the human resources department has evolved over the last century, from its roots in administration, to a focus on building functional practices, to an emphasis on being a strategic business partner and “sitting at the table”. The HR leader needs to continue to advance to not only be aligned with the business but become a strategic partner that looks outside of the business to help it grow, compete and win in the market. HR departments must become attune to changes in the business and talent landscapes and help organizations navigate the changes in pursuit of their goals. While some HR departments have re-focused or re-structured to align more closely with the business and drive business results, research indicates that many HR departments have a long way to go. In Deloitte’s recent global human resources trends research study, the reskilling of HR was identified as the third most urgent issue for 2014 (Global Human Capital Trends 2014, p. 8).

This article is written for HR leaders and explores the global human resources trends, the human resources function’s readiness to respond, and the associated implications for the HR leader. It draws upon insights from Deloitte’s 2014 Global Human Capital Trends report and the Corporate Education Board’s Global Workforce Insights Q3 2014 report and relates the trends identified to the evolution of the human resources field.