Why HR Must Work With Finance to Create Real Commercial Value

At a time when the company's future was uncertain, the newly appointed CHRO felt out of place. The business needed to set next year's budget, but the HR team didn't have the commercial fluency to contribute. The CFO was focused on targets. The Board was pushing for returns. And HR was still thinking in terms of engagement surveys and headcount plans. This is a common — and costly — disconnect. When HR doesn't engage with financial performance, it sidelines itself from real business conversations. Worse, it limits the company's ability to align talent, investment, and capability-building with what actually drives shareholder value. We worked directly with the CHRO to change that. We reviewed historical performance, broke down budget targets, and coached the HR team on how to interpret financial expectations. Then we helped HR translate that understanding into workforce plans, investment priorities, and strategic talent narratives that could stand up in the boardroom.