Chief Human Resources Officers – Excellent Recruitment Pipeline for Women CEOs

Women CEOs

Hanold Associates Research Finds that 67% of All Chief Human Resources Officers in the Fortune 100 are Women 

50% of All Fortune 100 CHROs are in a New Role Within the Past Two Years

What Happened to Succession Planning? 36% of Fortune 100 CHROs are from Outside of the Company

Chicago, IL – November 18, 2019 – Hanold Associates, a retained HR executive search firm focused on recruiting Human Resources officers and Diversity & Inclusion leaders, today released research identifying key recruitment factors about the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) role and the state of CHROs today. Hanold Associates analyzed current CHROs in the Fortune 100.

The Realized Correlation between Talent and Company Performance, in the Board Room and Executive Suite, Fuels Growing Demand for High-Caliber Business Leaders to Lead HR

  • 36 percent of all CHROs came from external companies into their role.
  • 50 percent of all CHROs started in their role since January 2017.

“CEOs and Boards are demanding more from the HR function, appreciating that better talent and a more highly engaged workforce equates to a better performing company. This evidence is found in the fact that within the past two years, over half of the Fortune 100 CHROs are new to their role, and of those, 40% are external hires to the company,” said Hanold Associates CEO Jason Hanold. “CEOs and Boards are thirsty for great business leaders heading up HR who may have a higher EQ than most executives and the IQ to provide broader perspectives on the business than just personnel and talent implications.”

The High Percentage of Women in the CHRO Role Has Far Reaching Implications

  • 67 percent of all Chief HR Officers in the Fortune 100 are women.

The role of the CHRO has evolved. “It used to be a more administrative and tactical role, focused on hiring, retention, benefits, and payroll,” said Hanold Associates Co-CEO Neela Seenandan. “But today’s CHRO is much more than that – they are proactive drivers of innovation, learning and cost containment with a strong understanding of the business that goes far beyond the people implications. Many CHROs have done rotations in other areas of the business and have established strong followership within the organization. CHROs tend be able to balance conflicting agendas in the C-Suite with a high EQ.”

“This broader business acumen, paired with strong leadership capabilities and a high EQ, shapes the ideal profile for today’s CHRO. This profile forges a model for future CEO candidates. Once you factor in that this integrated role is mostly held by women, it becomes clear that the CHRO position is a critical growth role and vital source for future CEOs,” said Hanold.

Methodology

Fortune 100 CHRO Research conducted by Hanold Associates in October 2019.