Dive Brief:

• If the HR function doesn't modernize its approach to workforce planning, it will rapidly become irrelevant, most HR executives (57%) in a recent KPMG International survey said.
• Those who thrive will be "pathfinding" HR departments — those that can simultaneously shape the workforce of the future, design a purpose-led culture, create a strong employee experience and generate insights from data.
• The survey also revealed that pathfinding organizations are five times more likely to have a dedicated HR role focused on culture and purpose. These HR professionals also were three times more likely to identify employee experience as a strong priority for their organization.

Dive Insight: 

While future workforce planning may never feel like the most pressing issue of the day, HR professionals must make time for such strategic thinking, experts previously told HR Dive.

Company leaders are increasingly looking to talent professionals for strategic planning, and HR can't afford to ignore the call. Getting into the weeds of the day-to-day can be appealing on some level, Beth Kelly, president of HR Collaborative said, but HR must commit to working on big-picture issues — first.

It's crucial the HR pros make time to upskill themselves, too. As KPMG noted, the ability to derive actionable insights from data will be necessary to maintain relevance. A 2018 study agrees: The use of tech and analytics is a common feature of top HR departments, The Hackett Group concluded. Resources, however, are a barrier to this, many say, leaving it up to HR pros to advocate for themselves and make the case for such investments.