Volume 6, Issue 4 (DECEMBER ISSUE 2025)                   johepal 2025, 6(4): 67-84 | Back to browse issues page


XML Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Henkel T G, Ade A M, Schmid C, Markwith K M. (2025). An Exploratory Study of Educational Pathways in Policy and Leadership Among Successful Chief Human Resources Officers. johepal. 6(4), 67-84. doi:10.61882/johepal.6.4.67
URL: http://johepal.com/article-1-1549-en.html
Abstract:   (264 Views)
The leadership performance and effectiveness of the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) are indispensable sources for a higher education organization’s success. Despite a wealth of information available regarding the historical roles and functions of CHRO administrators, a notable gap exists in understanding the contemporary challenges they confront within the rapidly evolving landscape of organizational work environments. Employing a qualitative statistical approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 21 CHROs spanning various countries. Complementing these insights, we drew upon our professional experience as management consultants, engaging with organizations where we closely observed the roles and functions of CHROs. The synthesis of our findings, derived from firsthand accounts of CHROs and our expertise, reveals a comprehensive understanding of the indispensable knowledge, skills, and policy-making abilities required for success. Furthermore, our study sheds light on the most prevalent challenges that CHROs encounter as they navigate the complexities inherent in higher education.
Full-Text [PDF 1709 kb]   (145 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2025/06/3 | Accepted: 2025/09/13 | Published: 2025/12/31

References
1. Ansari, A. (2021). The role of interpersonal communication skills in human resource management. International Journal of Science and Research 10(11), 916-922. [DOI]
2. Ashdown, L. (2014, November 26). The evolution of HR: 1984 to 2014 and beyond, part two. HR Magazine. [Article]
3. Beck, R. J., & Harter, J. (n.d.). Why great managers are so rare. Gallup. [Article]
4. Bernstein, E. (2022, July 26). Have better conversations with friends – or anyone. The Wall Street Journal. [Article]
5. Bishop, K. (2024, June 13). The role of a chief human resources officer in modern organizations. Candor. [Article]
6. Blanchard, M. H. (2022, July 16). Not sure you want to stay with your company? Ask Madeleine. Blanchard. [Article]
7. Blaschka, A. (2020, January 27). This is what you need to focus on to reshape the future of work, says LinkedIn report. Forbes. [Article]
8. Burjek, A. (2020, February 05). HR 101 for new human resources managers. [Article]
9. Caesens, G., Stinglhamber, F., Demoulin, S., De Wilde, M., & Mierop, A. (2019). Perceived organizational support and workplace conflict: The mediating role of failure-related trust. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2704. [DOI]
10. Chadwick, C. (2005). The vital role of strategy in human resource management education. Human Resource Management Review, 15(3), 200-213. [DOI]
11. Congi, A. (2024, December 17). 3 Themes from CHROs on leading change management. Gartner. [Article]
12. Conti, C. (2022, July 29). Developing empathic leadership [Post]. LinkedIn. [Article]
13. Douglas, E. (2023, January 19). 34% of employees don't trust their HR department. HRD Canada. [Article]
14. Emtrain. (2020) Workplace culture report. [Article]
15. Foulkes, F. K. (1975). The expanding role of the personnel function. Harvard Business Review, 53(2), 71-84.
16. Grant, A. (2023). Hidden potential: The science of achieving greater things. Random House Large Print.
17. Harter, J., & Adkins, A. (2015, April 02). What great managers do to engage employees. Harvard Business Review. [Article]
18. Hilton, J. (2017, January 23). HR managers on soft skills vs technical skills. HRD Australia. [Article]
19. HR Managers. (n.d.). 12 HR critical success factors for forward-thinking leaders. Fuse. [Article]
20. Jones, J. (2016, March 11). Business acumen: More than just business knowledge. Society for Human Resource Management. [Article]
21. Joubert, S. (2024, September 20). What is human resources management: Careers, skills, trends. [Article]
22. Kovach, K. A., & Pearce II, J. A. (1990). Strategic human resource mandates for the 1990s. Personnel, 67(4), 50-55.
23. Magsig, M. (2019, April 01). Why now is the time to have a CHRO on your board. DHR Global. [Article]
24. Martin, G. (2021, September 09). How to become a strategic HR leader: Think more strategically! HR Lead. [Article]
25. Maurer, R. (2022, January 19). Toxic culture top reason people quit. SHRM. [Article]
26. Milligan, S. (2018, October 29). HR 2025: 7 critical strategies to prepare for the future of HR. SHRM. [Article]
27. Nicholson, M. (n.d). The success of the Ulrich model and it's suitability for today's SME Community. ProAction HR. [Article]
28. PeopleStrong, (2020, October 29). 5 trends shaping the future of performance management; A PeopleStrong survey report. PR Newswire. [Article]
29. Pollack, J. (2024, April 29). Communication skills essential for HR professionals. AllWin Conflict Resolution Training. [Article]
30. Poulsen, S. (n.d). Interpersonal leadership skills: Navigating the human edge. THNK. [Article]
31. Price, A. (2011). Human resource management (4th ed.). Cengage Learning EMEA.
32. Purdue University. (2019, June 12). Strategic vs. traditional HR management - What is the difference? [Article]
33. Rafter, M. (2012, August 22). Net gains: HR technology in the '90s, today. [Article]
34. Rahman, M. S. (2016). The advantages and disadvantages of using qualitative and quantitative approaches and methods in language testing and assessment research: A literature review. Journal of Education and Learning, 6(1), 102-112. [DOI]
35. Reeves, B. (2022, September 19). AI is your CHRO’s new best friend. Chief Executive. [Article]
36. Reeves, B. (2023). Thinking ahead: How CHROS will succeed in 2023. StrategicCHRO360. [Article]
37. Smith, A. (2023, October 15). Ready to draft an up-to-date AI policy? Target top risks. Society for Human Resource Management. [Article]
38. Society for Human Resource Management. (2023). Managing organizational communication.
39. Soegoto, E. S., & Eliana, E. (2018). E-commerce and business social media today. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 407, 12034. [DOI]
40. Surbhi, S. (2022). Difference between personnel management and human resource management. Key Differences. [Article]
41. Tarrant, G. (2023). AI begins to transform office jobs. The Wall Street Journal, 30 March. [Article]
42. Tatel, C., & Wigert, B. (2024, July 15). Enhancing the employee exit experience is worth it. Gallup. [Article]
43. Thornburgh, J. (2016). Higher education casts a wider net for top human resources executives. [Article]
44. Valentine, S., Meglich, P., Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. (2020). Human resource management (16th ed.). Cengage Learning, Inc.
45. Whetten, D. A., & Cameron, K. S. (2024). Developing management skills (10th ed.). Pearson.
46. Wright, P., & Ulrich, M. (2017). A road well-traveled: The past, present, and future journey of strategic human resource management. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 45-65.
47. Yu, J., Yuan, L., Han, G., Li, H., & Li, P. (2022). A study of the impact of strategic human resource management on organizational resilience. Behavioral Sciences, 12(12), 508. [DOI]

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2026 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Journal of Higher Education Policy And Leadership Studies

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb