People sometimes refer to character as makeup. Not the cosmetic kind but the qualities that really make up a person. Organizations also have makeup. That’s the corporate culture and employment brand you experience as projected by the level of talent that works there. And it all starts with leadership.

As an HR professional, how do you transform your organization? The work is hard but the formula is simple. You need to attract and retain top talent. You need to make the investments in people and systems to formalize your processes. And you need to elevate your message all the way to the board room. They are listening:

Talent Management: Top Business Priority
Executive Views: Talent in Tough Times
CEO Talent Perspectives

According to The Wall Street Journal’s article HR Executives Suddenly Get Hot:

“…65 current and former human-resources managers serve as outside directors on 101 boards…”

However, in the UK the IDS report The HR Function – A survey of HR structures, pay and conditions says:

"...the most senior person in HR reports directly to the CEO at only 48% of organisations. HR is represented at board level in 67% of SMEs but only 55% of large organisations.

An i4cp study addresses this question: Should the Head of Human Resources Report to the CEO? The answer is yes if you want revenue growth and increased market share.