Measure your influence
Download a copy of this self-assessment to ignite a discussion with your colleagues.
Aug 14, 2025
The CHRO’s era of power
There is an important power shift in the C-suites of the corporate world.
Leadership increasingly recognizes that human capital is essential to driving resilience, innovation, and financial success. The CHRO role is evolving from Chief Human Resources Officer to Chief Advisor on the Future of Work, bringing broader accountabilities and new challenges.
Through our conversations with HR executives across industries, we've identified how high-impact CHROs are building power through 3 critical levers:
- Build influence inside the business to create leverage
- Collaborate with intention by knowing when to align, challenge or lead
- Leverage the right partnerships to extend your reach
That's why we developed our CHRO influence index – a self-assessment to identify your strengths and next power moves.
The CHRO as a business leader
Organizational dynamics enable or undermine impact.
These CHROs understand the nuances of their companies – knowing when to align, when to challenge, and when to take ownership. Some operate in environments where HR’s strategic value is already recognized. Others must reposition HR from cost center to competitive advantage.
Collaboration and external partnerships must be managed with intention. When to push forward and when to build consensus are critical decisions.
External partnerships are enormously powerful. They extend HR’s impact and contribution by providing required expertise on an as-needed basis, scaling effortlessly. They work best when robust checks and balances are baked in and there is a free flow of information.
Collaboration requires respect, communication and commitment from both sides.
The power levers
To be effective in forming and driving business strategy, these CHROs point to three power levers that define success:
The CHRO’s role has never been more powerful – or more complex.
There are some who are more comfortable in a traditional reactive role and, once strategy has been set, see tactics as their sole domain. They will be left behind, replaced by the Chief Transformation Officer.
There are others, such as the respondents to this research, who are energized and eagerly embrace the new responsibilities, understanding and appreciating their unique strategic contribution. When they proceed with influence, collaboration and partnerships, they will define their company’s future.
This report is for the CHROs of the future, driving business outcomes.
Lever 1: Influence
Building influence inside the business
From cost to value
The CHRO power grid needs a solid foundation, and that begins with repositioning HR from cost center to value driver.
Larry Kleinman, EVP and CHRO of Highmark Health, stepped into an HR function that was considered “nonexistent and broken.” His challenge wasn’t just launching new initiatives; it was changing the perception of HR’s role altogether.
“Understanding what must change internally empowers HR to significantly boost business performance.”
– Larry Kleinman | EVP and CHRO, Highmark Health
Cathy Lamers, CHRO at Red Wing Shoes, is a great example of those who work in environments where leadership already recognizes HR’s strategic importance. This allows these CHROs to push workforce innovation without first vying for credibility.
When a CHRO is a new invite to the strategy party, it’s essential that they become a student of executive alignment.
It’s not just proximity. It’s about understanding the needs and priorities of each stakeholder and working with them to set the direction of the entire business. CHROs who align closely with CFOs secure more control over workforce investments. Others embed deeply with COOs to integrate talent strategy into business operations.
“I start with the CEO to ensure alignment, bringing data and best practices.”
– Cathy Lamers | CHRO, Red Wing Shoes
From data to traction
A CHRO’s strategy needs to be based in hard data so they guide the business on the most productive paths. Two kinds of data are required:
- Non-HR data
The first is to come prepared and prepped on the non- HR data that drives the business. This includes business constraints, economic shifts, competition, regulatory changes, geopolitical events, evolving workforce expectations, and rapid technological advancements. This situational fluency is essential.
“You need a perspective beyond the people space. You must understand the commercial and financial landscape, as well as systems, processes and technology.”
– Jayne Stutt | Chief People Officer, Priory
- Strong business cases
The second is information to build detailed business cases, which speak much louder than HR rationales. For instance, Blake Lowry, Global Head of Talent at Amgen, connects workforce decisions with revenue, efficiency and market positioning. This enables him to understand what the business needs and how HR can deliver.
AmgenThe future CEO isn’t standing on a mountaintop seeing everything ahead clearly. They’re dropped in a jungle, inspiring people to follow through uncertainty.
Lever 2: Collaboration
When to align, when to challenge, when to own it
Collaboration, credibility and consensus
Collaboration, when used cleverly and deliberately, builds credibility, because each stakeholder’s needs and priorities are part of the discussion. With that representation, the path to consensus is clear. Everyone becomes invested in success.
With all onboard, successful collaboration lets strategy unfold relatively unencumbered, with speed and purpose. CHROs have to know when to push forward, and when too many voices can stall progress. They must work proactively to bring leadership to a decision.
Cecilia McKenney, SVP and CHRO at Quest Diagnostics, has seen some initiatives take time to gain traction when management isn’t fully invested or doesn’t see their strategic value.
“We realized tuition reimbursement programs were unintentionally exclusionary. It challenged our assumptions, and we had to rethink our approach.”
– Cecilia McKenney | SVP and CHRO, Quest Diagnostics
Decision-making without delay
There’s a Latin phrase, tempus fugit – “time flies.” A primary reason for delayed decisions is lack of collaboration.
Stakeholders need to have their say and understand that their priorities are included and addressed, or know the reason why not. Collaboration creates participation, contribution and consensus.
Rohit Joshi, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Sanofi, applies a “one-way door vs. two-way door” framework: If a decision is easily reversible, there’s no reason to delay action. It’s a mindset shift that HR leaders increasingly adopt to prevent collaboration from turning into indecision.
“We didn’t have a global talent strategy, so we created one. Now, executing on it is our clear mission. But I always check in with key internal stakeholders – C-suite and line of business leaders, especially – to make sure they’re aligned with the vision.”
– Rohit Joshi | VP, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Sanofi
Data-driven persuasion
Data is a powerful tool for influence.
Persuasive CHROs frame contributions, input and decisions with hard data that correlates to the company’s business goals. Jayne Stutt, Chief People Officer at Priory, emphasizes being “very data-driven” to move discussions past opinion and toward clear, decisive action.
Effective collaboration requires CHROs to know when to align stakeholders, when to challenge assumptions, and when to own decisions outright. By leveraging collaboration to build credibility, streamline decisions, and support strategies with compelling data, CHROs accelerate organizational progress and reinforce their role as essential drivers of strategic outcomes.
“Numbers matter, but qualitative feedback matters just as much. Real insight comes from combining both.”
– Jayne Stutt | Chief People Officer, Priory
Lever 3: Partnerships
Leveraging partnerships to extend value
Trust and transparency deliver success
Partnerships provide the executional confidence CHRO leaders need to set strategy to a high bar, extending corporate capabilities and expertise, and increasing profitability. They also provide the leverage needed to scale rapidly without sacrificing quality.
The most effective CHROs extend their influence outward, knowing that the right partnerships expand possibilities and accelerate impact – but the wrong ones can underperform and do reputational harm. HR isn’t just operating within the walls of the company anymore.
Financial Services CompanySometimes you need an external voice to lend credibility internally. You can’t always be a prophet in your own land.
Partnerships to increase speed and profitability
Potential partners, from SaaS providers to strategic consultants, must understand and share the company’s values, goals and ambitions. Some CHROs, like Cecilia McKenney at Quest Diagnostics, fully leverage strategic talent acquisition partnerships to manage core hiring elements, like assessing future needs and sourcing specialized skills, and freeing up internal team focus for other strategic work.
“Too many CHROs are insecure about outsourcing – but external partners often hold the freshest ideas.”
– Cecilia McKenney | SVP and CHRO, Quest Diagnostics
Others, like Christian Wilfling, Senior Vice President of HR at ASML, use external partners for their specialized knowledge and expertise. The distinction isn’t about whether to partner but how to make the best use of both internal and external resources.
“We rely on external experts for specialized knowledge we don’t have in-house. That depth of insight is critical, especially when you’re working within a specific leadership or organizational model.”
– Christian Wilfling | Senior Vice President, Human Resources, ASM
Owning HR tech decisions
AI and workforce analytics are reshaping talent strategy. HR must retain oversight of its tech stack.
Some CHROs work closely with Chief Information Officers to ensure alignment of the HR tech stack and the enterprise’s technology strategy. It’s critically important that the CIO/CTO understands HR’s mission, complexity and importance to the corporation so they can advocate for the necessary resources. In many corporations, HR doesn’t have the internal priority for IT expertise, integrations and hands-on management.
To get the most out of any technology investment, partnership is key, from the selection of the provider to any third-party support that enables the integration and ongoing optimization. With core functionality or custom use cases, value is reliant on the end users’ capabilities. CHROs must choose wisely to ensure, whether it’s “build or buy,” that their teams or their partners have the specific skills required for cutting-edge tech execution.
“Implementing new technology isn’t just about turning it on. It’s a massive exercise in change management.”
– Kristin Ruzicka | EVP, CHRO & Sustainability, Oil & Gas Company
The partner advantage
Companies with ambitious hiring needs, like Sanofi, rely on external partners to scale talent acquisition up and down efficiently. Others, operating in more stable environments, focus on building internal recruitment capability.
“Strategic talent acquisition providers exist because they bring flexibility, scalability and agility to our talent acquisition function that’s extremely difficult to build internally.”
– Rohit Joshi | VP, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Sanofi
Strategic partnerships amplify HR’s capabilities, but only when managed deliberately. CHROs must maintain clarity and oversight, ensuring every external relationship strengthens the organization rather than dilutes its influence.
“Cielo brings valuable insights into what’s happening in the industry. They share best practices not just broadly across HR, but specifically within the niche areas we operate in. That kind of perspective helps us stay sharp and informed.”
– Christian Wilfling | Senior Vice President, Human Resources, ASML
CHRO influence index self-assessment
Measuring and strengthening your power
CHROs need to communicate the impact of HR in terms that the C-suite will understand. Some CHROs tie success to business metrics, others to workforce engagement, but the common thread is that influence must be quantifiable.
Key areas to measure your power include:
Driving business performance
Resilience, innovation and financial success are dependent on talent.
Example: Lamers ensures workforce strategy is linked to Red Wing Shoes’ corporate values, tying talent decisions directly to revenue and growth objectives.
Delivering tech-driven ROI
Automation and AI simplify processes, increasing productivity while decreasing cost. AI implementation should be prioritized based on execution needs.
Example: Ruzicka prioritizes utilization and efficiency metrics in HR tech implementation, ensuring investments translate into real value.
Securing workforce stability
The stability of the workforce and the tenure of key talent impact the ability to set and achieve strategy.
Example: At Priory, Stutt tracks colleague turnover, absences and engagement scores, using the combination of these metrics to predict talent stability – an essential factor.
Leading with data authority
Data tells a story. Numbers drive influence, whether it’s showing HR’s role in profitability, demonstrating the ROI of upskilling programs, or proving that a well-run HR function lowers operational risk.
Example: Wilfling, at ASML, is focused on investing in analytics to generate insights and connect data in more meaningful ways, moving past basic reporting to enable deeper analysis.
Take the assessment to discover areas of strength and opportunity
Take it offline
Download a copy of this self-assessment to ignite a discussion with your colleagues.
Cementing influence
To cement influence, CHROs must measure impact using the language and metrics that the broader business understands and values.
“The conversation has to shift from tasks to ‘what value are we providing?’”
– Tom Olenchock | Former Director of Talent, Financial Services Company
“We have to be forward-thinking to prepare the business, so we’re not the reason it can’t do what it needs to do.”
– Jayne Stutt | Chief People Officer, Priory
By clearly linking HR initiatives to financial outcomes, operational effectiveness, and workforce stability, CHROs build a robust, evidence-backed case for their strategic importance. Influence grows when results are tangible, outcomes measurable, and success stories compelling.
Those who communicate this clearly – and often – win the ongoing support and trust of their executive peers.
The next CHRO power move
The role of the CHRO is rapidly evolving and expanding.
From a strong base in people management, a new space of power is emerging, requiring broader strategic vision and execution. Their sphere of influence now includes shaping business direction, influencing the C-suite, and guiding the future of work as a whole.
Influence isn’t given – it’s built.
The best CHROs understand that collaboration isn't an automatic win – it's a strategic tool. They know exactly when to align, when to push back, and when to take full ownership. They also recognize that external partnerships aren't about outsourcing HR – they're about expanding its reach and capabilities.
CHROs now hold the keys to their company's future, but they must determine where their approach needs to evolve, and where consistency remains key. The path forward belongs to those who seize it.
What do your peers say are the best next steps?
Featured experts
Blake Lowry
Global Head of Talent, Amgen
Kristin Ruzicka
EVP, CHRO & Sustainability, Oil & Gas Company
Cecilia McKenney
CHRO, Quest Diagnostics
Larry Kleinman
EVP and CHRO, Highmark Health
Cathy Lamers
CHRO, Red Wing Shoes
Rohit Joshi
VP, Global Head of Talent Acquisition, Sanofi
Christian Wilfling
Senior Vice President, Human Resources, ASML
Jayne Stutt
Chief People Officer, Priory
Tom Olenchock
Former Director of Talent, Financial Services Company
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