Fennig says it's a close call, but it showed the executive had the wherewithal to stand firm on the issue, a difficulty faced constantly by the professional in general. She has not caved in yet to the demands of the CEO, and he may begin to see the reasoning for her stance - and appreciate it. Karen Lawson, owner of Lawson Consulting Group in Lansdale, Pennsylvania., sees HR's challenge as dealing with the needs of employees in order to reduce turnover. On Wall Street, HR managers have introduced stress reduction and convinced management to create on-site gyms where employees can blow off steam. Their functions will run the gamut from dealing with the demands of working mothers and fathers to making sure employees see a career ladder with their current employer so they don't jump ship to get a better job.
Coaches see HR moving toward full partnership with other executives.
They consider a close relationship with the CEO to be a major imperative. They all say they have had clients who have cemented this relationship already and simply use their CEO as a sounding board and fellow strategist. For many HR executives, a seat at the table isn't a big deal because they've always had one. I didn't see that kind of HR executive in the 1980s and '90s, but I see that now. Start with research, says Nancy Yahanda, a well-known Boston coach and owner of the Yahanda Group.