Putting your people first: Celebrating HR Appreciation Day 2022

Today marks Human Resource Appreciation Day, a day to celebrate those dedicated HR professionals who work tirelessly to ensure that your organization's most valuable asset — your people — have the opportunities to be their absolute best selves. This day also aims to raise awareness about the incredibly important role each of us plays across our industry every day.

HR leaders are, undeniably, the glue that holds an organization together. We know it's been an especially tough few years, navigating remote work experiences across the globe. Every massive shift has taught the corporate world many valuable lessons, including the utmost value of HR teams and functions in keeping a company running smoothly and aligned through uncertainty.

Does the Friends theme song, "I'll be there for you," ring a bell? That's precisely how vital and "there for you" the HR function and department is. It's the backbone of any organization. And with good reason.

HR and its leaders are continuing to shape the future of work by supporting businesses in redesigning structures and job roles to accommodate the new normal, with a growing emphasis on developing their workforce and finding innovative ways to unite people growth with organizational success.

The work of an HR leader doesn’t stop once someone is hired. That’s when the real opportunities begin. Coach, develop and inspire your employees to better performance, and provide career paths and upskilling opportunities.

Through their work, people seek connection, community and purpose, not just a paycheck. Creating a safe space for your people to bring their authentic selves to work every day is critically important to building a workplace that works for everyone. It encourages collaboration, mitigates exclusion and values individuality as a way to drive outcomes.

The best leaders know the value of listening more than they speak, encouraging feedback, and making sound decisions based on those needs. Check-in on your people. Encourage your team leads and managers to allow time in their 1:1s to give and receive feedback, and make sure employees feel supported and aligned to your organization's goals.

Raise your glass and give a global toast to our incredible HR professionals! From Hong Kong to Los Angeles to Mumbai to London and everything in between, Cornerstone is gathering together today for its global “Toast Around the World.” Join us in celebrating the immeasurable impact our Talent team has made and continues to make across the organization.

Cornerstars across regions, time zones and teams will come together for the opportunity to participate in a virtual Happy Hour celebration with Cornerstone’s own HR leaders and colleagues as they “pass the toast” across the world.

“These past couple of years have truly tested HR organizations globally. The playbook for ‘how to do great HR’ was thrown out the window,” said Carina Cortez, Cornerstone’s chief people officer. “HR practitioners have had to unlearn, adapt, change and relearn a new way of operating. Their collective grit, resilience and unwavering commitment to creating a connection among employees have been inspiring, to say the least. Continuing to listen to employee feedback, operating with transparency and offering employees an opportunity to learn — for professional and personal development, new ways of working, and connecting in a hybrid world — is at the core of what we do on a day-to-day basis. To the Cornerstars within the Talent team, I am honored to work alongside you and am excited about the work we’ll continue to do to empower people and organizations to realize their potential through lifelong learning!”

We encourage you to honor your HR professionals around the globe today by letting them know just how much they mean to you and your organization's ability to seamlessly thrive.

Cheers!