HR support critical to driving long-term innovation, study finds

Melbourne, Australia, 9th February 2017 – New research from PageUp, a leading multinational Talent Management Software-as-a-Service provider, has revealed that whilst driving innovation is a key priority for businesses across the globe over the next 12 months, organisations are not walking the talk and do not have adequate measures in place to achieve this sustainably. The Inaugural PageUp Global HR Innovation Study also highlights that HR has a crucial role to play in helping businesses harness long-term innovation, but they are yet to deliver.

The PageUp Global HR Innovation study, conducted in association with Alexander Mann Solutions, and titled, Driving a Culture of Innovation, drew insight from 322 business and HR professionals across the globe. Respondents were asked questions about the culture of innovation in their organisations and the maturity of their current talent management practices. The global research revealed that three quarters of organisations hold innovation as a corporate value, and 64 percent believe driving innovation is a priority in the next 12 months. Despite this, less than half believe their organisation promotes risk-taking and entrepreneurial behaviour. Similarly, only 57 percent feel that their organisation creates an environment of trust in which they can challenge existing assumptions, try new ideas and fail with impunity.

The study found that while there is a desire for innovation amongst organisations, necessary frameworks are not in place to bring this to fruition. While two-thirds of companies surveyed promote diversity of thought and have established practices for creating a diverse and inclusive culture, only 53 percent are confident that their talent acquisition strategies are building future workforce capability. Less than half (48%) believe new hires are recruited based on capabilities such as learning agility, innovation and collaboration.

Similarly, whilst 54 percent of respondents have a process in place for submitting new ideas and incorporating feedback to improve outcomes, less than 40 percent have established processes in place for prioritising these ideas.

“It’s promising to see businesses across the globe prioritising innovation, but there is still work to be done to ensure the right processes are in place to execute this in a meaningful and sustainable way,” said Rebecca Skilbeck, Global Market Researcher at PageUp. “Without HR processes that recruit, develop and nurture innovative talent or frameworks for developing and prioritising new ideas, innovation can easily become a flash-in-the-pan moment rather than a long-term strategy to safeguard the organisation into the future.”

“In an increasingly competitive world, companies must place a greater emphasis on acquiring talent that champion innovation and action,” said Jerry Collier, Director of Innovation for Alexander Mann Solutions. “This means they must re-orient their recruitment strategies to identify these qualities in new employees, while continuing to develop those already in the organisation who demonstrate these skills.”

Results from the PageUp research also demonstrate that while HR and talent management practices are critical in supporting sustained innovation, HR is yet to deliver on this promise. HR professionals are more confident (80%) than their non-HR peers (67%) that they have a role in supporting organisation-wide innovation, and were nearly twice as likely (43% vs 24%) to believe they are currently driving innovation in their organisation.

“A sustainable culture of innovation requires a commitment to creating company-wide capability, and HR is well-placed to have a significant and strategic influence here,” Rebecca Skilbeck added. “The benefits HR can drive through talent acquisition, performance management, talent mobility, diversity and engagement programs as well as learning and development opportunities that support a culture of innovation are irrefutable. The HR industry has a very ripe opportunity to shift internal perceptions, increase its value proposition and start delivering on the promise of sustainable innovation that contributes to the organisation’s bottom line,” she said.

The full PageUp Global HR Innovation Survey* whitepaper can be downloaded at here

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*Note to editors: The Global HR Innovation Survey was conducted by PageUp, with the support of Alexander Mann Solutions. It was conducted in October 2016 among 322 business and HR professionals primarily across Asia Pacific, Asia, United States & United Kingdom.

About PageUp

PageUp is a global talent management Software-As-a-Service (SaaS) provider, offering a strategic talent management solution, delivered via the cloud. PageUp creates technology designed to help organisations automate their people processes and strategically align their human resources across borders, business units, cultures and languages, to execute on corporate objectives.

The PageUp award-winning, SaaS solution unifies Recruiting and Onboarding, Learning and Development, Performance Management, Compensation, Career Planning and Succession Management, with Advanced Workforce Analytics running across all modules. Accessible on any device, the PageUp platform empowers employers and HR personnel to overcome the talent management challenges that are inherent in operating across both developed and emerging markets.

Co-founded in 1997 by Australian-born, Karen Cariss – the company’s driving force and CEO – PageUp has since expanded globally to support both local and multinational organisations, including several Fortune 500 employers. Its solution is accessed in over 190 countries by clients across diverse and multiple industries including banking, mining, retail, hospitality, manufacturing, education, governmental and non-profit organisations. PageUp serves its global client base through offices in Melbourne (where it is headquartered), Sydney, New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Manila.

For more information visit: www.pageuppeople.com.

About Alexander Mann Solutions
We are Alexander Mann Solutions and we’re passionate about helping companies and individuals fulfil their potential t​hrough talent acquisition and management. Today, over 3,500 of our talent acquisition and management experts are partnering with our blue-chip clients across multiple sectors and in more than 80 countries. Delivering a distinctive blend of outsourcing and consulting services, our unrivalled experience, capability and thought leadership helps our clients attract, engage and retain the talent they need for business success. For more information, visit www.alexandermannsolutions.com.

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