Four Skills That Unite Global HR Success

The backbone of resilient HR teams

SHL’s HR skills insights research identified the skills and priorities HR teams hold across five major regions. From all the skills identified, four stood out as critically important to success in each of the five regions. These four skills demonstrated value in every HR context regardless of cultural, political, or economic differences. The skills are rooted in critical thinking, adaptability, and strong leadership that empowers individuals to pursue personal development.

Following, we dive into each of these skills, exemplify how they are used in everyday HR tasks, and highlight regions in which these skills are more and less commonly found.

Applies functional expertise

The first of the four global HR skills involves applying detailed professional knowledge to solve core HR challenges, demonstrating credibility and technical expertise. In HR, strong expertise in people policies, systems, and processes is essential to ensure the efficient and timely completion of daily responsibilities. This includes:

• Managing complex employee relations issues, such as advising managers on performance improvement plans.
• Implementing new regulatory requirements, such data privacy protocols for employee records when new laws are enforced.
• Addressing technical questions such as how to configure HRIS systems.
• Guiding managers through recruitment for specialized roles. 

This skill was found more commonly than the global average in the U.S.

Analyzes information

This skill involves the ability to accurately interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions. It is highly useful in HR contexts, including:

• Running skills gap analyses to identify strengths and development areas for individuals, and using this data to support onboarding and career development.
• Evaluating talent data within the organization to uncover trends, underlying causes, and gaps, and identifying ways to improve the accuracy and speed of talent decisions.
• Working with stakeholders across the business to align people strategy to organizational goals, such as adjusting benefits, HR policies, and talent requirements.

This skill was found more commonly than the global average in the UK & Ireland.

Adapts to change

Showing proficiency in the Adapts to change skill means adjusting to rapidly shifting priorities, technologies, or regulatory conditions while maintaining productivity. Successful HR professionals demonstrate this skill in their day-to-day work by:  

• Learning and adopting new technologies, including AI-enhanced tools, to improve the efficiency and quality of hiring and development.
• Quickly changing HR and people strategies to provide rapid response to external factors, such as switching to remote work during the Covid-19 pandemic or implementing hybrid-work models.
• Adjusting HR practices during periods of business transformation, including redeploying talent or identifying high-potential employees to support business agility and retention. 

This skill was found less commonly than the global average in the Middle East and Africa.

Supports and coaches others

The last of the four global HR skills involves supporting the development of colleagues, which helps HR build high-performing teams and prepare the next generation of leaders. In HR, this skill is applied regularly by: 

• Launching visible career paths with targeted development programs to grow critical business skills, providing employees with clear and personalized direction.
• Enabling peer coaching and mentoring programs that encourage upskilling through collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Making learning an ongoing practice by offering continuous opportunities for skills development and growth. 

This skill was found less commonly than the global average in Europe.

The consistent importance of these skills across geographic regions suggests that, as HR continues to globalize, HR professionals should prioritize developing four core capabilities in themselves and their teams: applying functional expertise, analyzing information, adapting to change, and supporting and coaching others. Strengthening these skills will help HR teams operate more consistently and effectively across a global organization.

Ready to benchmark your HR team’s strengths and close critical skills gaps? Discover a detailed skills breakdown for each region, including data-backed development recommendations, in our full HR Skills Report.