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    WebinarResources 2007 60 min

    HR’s Role in Hiring Innovators and Game Changers

    Any review of the latest topics of interest to global business leaders would reveal that “innovation” is a key issue and area of concern for businesses large and small. After years of investing billions in research and development, many of the world’s largest companies have yet to produce any results that make the investments seem worthwhile. Meanwhile, small upstart businesses seem very adept at developing category killer products and services that pose significant challenges to established market leaders. While innovation has always been a cornerstone for such firms and General Electric and Proctor & Gamble, now more than ever before it is an issue driving corporate strategy. Senior leaders seem content that cost containment efforts have trimmed existing processes down to their most efficient stance, that Six Sigma quality efforts have driven process effectiveness forward at breakneck speed, and that outsourcing has firmly established itself where it makes business sense, but innovation for many remains elusive. Unfortunately, when it comes to spearheading efforts to drive innovation, HR professionals are once again shying away from exercising any opportunity to prove they can be strategic and actually step up to the plate as a business partner. The time has come for HR to seize the opportunity before it and become a driver in developing and encouraging corporate innovation. Innovation is something that can no longer exist as simply an expectation of research and development efforts, it must advance, be developed, and managed as a corporate wide core competence. Innovation must permeate every aspect and process of the organization. In a world of rapid change where competitors can mimic best practices and products faster than ever before, innovation stands out as the one remaining way to maintain a competitive advantage. This webinar will outline some of the key actions a modern HR organization can take to retool archaic recruiting and retention processes to focus on building a talent pool that possesses competencies critical to innovation.

    Presenter

    JS

    John Sullivan

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.HR must transition from an administrative function to a strategic driver of corporate innovation.
    • 2.Outdated recruiting and retention processes must be retooled to attract talent with core innovation competencies.
    • 3.Innovation should be a company-wide core competence, not just the responsibility of R&D.
    • 4.For many firms, innovation remains elusive despite success with cost containment and quality control efforts.
    • 5.In a world where best practices are easily mimicked, innovation is the primary remaining competitive advantage.

    The Innovation Imperative

    In today's global business landscape, innovation has become a primary concern for leaders. While many large companies have invested billions in R&D, the results often fail to justify the expense. Conversely, smaller startups frequently introduce disruptive products and services that challenge established market leaders. For many organizations that have already optimized cost containment, quality control, and outsourcing, innovation remains the final, elusive frontier for growth.

    HR as a Strategic Driver of Innovation

    Historically, HR departments have been hesitant to take a leading role in driving innovation, often defaulting to a support function rather than a strategic one. However, to achieve a true culture of innovation, it must be treated as a core competence that permeates every part of the organization. The time has come for HR to step up as a business partner and spearhead the effort to build an innovative workforce. In a competitive environment where best practices can be copied almost instantly, a sustained capacity for innovation is the only way to maintain a long-term advantage.

    Retooling Talent Management for Innovation

    To foster a workplace that consistently produces new ideas, HR must evolve its traditional processes. This webinar outlines the key actions HR can take to shift its focus toward building a talent pool with the competencies essential for innovation. Key adjustments include:

    • Strategic Recruitment: Revamp job descriptions and interview processes to specifically identify and attract candidates with a proven track record of innovative problem-solving.
    • Targeted Retention: Design career paths and recognition programs that reward and retain employees who drive innovation.
    • Competency Development: Invest in training to enhance creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability across the workforce.
    • Performance Metrics: Develop and track metrics that measure the direct impact of hiring and talent initiatives on the organization's innovation outcomes.

    By embedding innovation into the core of its talent strategy, HR can transition from a cost center to a value-creating strategic partner that fuels business transformation and resilience.

    This session, featuring insights from John Sullivan, addresses the critical role HR plays in cultivating a culture of innovation by strategically hiring and retaining game-changing talent. Even years after its initial recording, the principles of embedding innovation across the organizational fabric remain paramount for sustaining competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving global market.

    What you'll learn

    • The strategic imperative for HR to actively drive corporate innovation, moving beyond traditional administrative roles.
    • Methods to retool outdated recruiting and retention processes to identify and attract individuals with core innovation competencies.
    • Why innovation must be viewed as a company-wide core competence, not just an R&D responsibility.
    • How to build a talent pool specifically designed to foster and sustain breakthrough ideas and products.
    • The competitive advantages gained by integrating innovation into every aspect and process of an organization.

    Who this webinar is for

    • HR professionals looking to elevate their strategic impact within their organizations.
    • Talent acquisition leaders seeking to optimize their hiring strategies for innovation.
    • Organizational development specialists focused on fostering a culture of creativity and forward-thinking.
    • Senior leaders and executives interested in leveraging HR as a driver for business transformation.
    • Managers and team leaders striving to cultivate innovative teams and processes.

    Why it matters now

    In a business landscape where products and best practices can be replicated swiftly, innovation remains the primary differentiator for sustained success. While cost containment and process efficiency efforts have matured, many organizations still struggle to consistently innovate. This ongoing challenge underscores the strategic necessity for HR to move beyond passive support and actively champion the development and management of an innovation-driven workforce. The principles discussed are timeless, highlighting why HR's proactive engagement in this area is more crucial than ever for organizational resilience and growth.

    How leaders can apply this

    Leaders can immediately implement strategies to transform HR into a strategic partner for innovation. This involves:

    • Rethinking Recruitment: Revamping job descriptions and interview processes to specifically identify candidates with a proven track record of innovative thinking and problem-solving.
    • Developing Retention Programs: Creating environments and career paths that recognize, reward, and retain employees who contribute to innovation.
    • Integrating Innovation Metrics: Working with HR to develop metrics that track the impact of hiring and talent development on organizational innovation outcomes.
    • Championing Cross-Functional Collaboration: Fostering a culture where innovative ideas can emerge from all levels and departments, not just R&D.
    • Investing in Competency Development: Providing training and development opportunities that enhance critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability across the workforce, building the core competencies essential for ongoing innovation.

    About this session

    Key takeaways

    Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on Talent Management. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from John Sullivan's direct experience.

    Who this is for

    CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for resources inside their organization.

    Why it matters now

    Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about Talent Management.

    How to apply it

    Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.

    Frequently asked questions

    Topics

    Talent Management

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.