Toronto, Canada – Human resources is no longer just a support function. Today, HR is increasingly recognized as a strategic partner in driving organizational success. This was a central theme at the HR Leaders Summit in Toronto, where senior HR leaders from Porter Airlines, TIFF, KPMG, and other organizations shared insights on strengthening HR’s influence.

The panel discussion highlighted that HR leaders can gain credibility by listening to their business partners, understanding organizational needs, and demonstrating the tangible value of HR initiatives. According to Natalie Witiuk, Director in KPMG’s People and Change Management Consulting Practice and moderator of the session, “HR professionals are often the only ones emphasizing the importance of truly understanding the business.”

Understanding the Business to Anticipate Needs

For Marsha John-Greenwood, VP of People and Culture at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), gaining influence required a shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive partnership.

“Understanding the business is critical,” she said. “HR is universal, but your approach depends on the organization and industry. Being reactive is no longer enough. We need to be five steps ahead.”

Lawrence Hughes, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer at Porter Airlines, echoed this view, emphasizing relationship-building as key to influencing leaders. “To influence your peers or senior leaders, you need strong relationships. You also need to listen carefully to the challenges they face and not take it personally if your advice doesn’t immediately resonate,” he said.

Hughes also shared a simple framework to communicate HR advice effectively: culture, compliance, and risk. “When talking to a CFO, focus on compliance. Culture resonates with other departments, and risk highlights potential issues,” he explained.

Speaking the Language of Business Leaders

Witiuk reinforced the importance of speaking the business language to build trust. “When you reflect what business leaders care about, you start to build credibility. Ultimately, HR becomes a trusted partner whose insights are echoed across the organization,” she said.

Empathy is another crucial skill, particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. John-Greenwood shared how her experience as interim Chief People Officer for the City of Toronto demanded new levels of resilience and empathy. “We had to put ourselves in employees’ shoes and think about what they needed during a crisis,” she said. “It required rapid communication and flexibility under pressure.”

Patience and Strategic Alignment

Building a strategic HR role takes time and careful alignment with business goals. At TIFF, John-Greenwood explained, it took three years to get full approval for the people strategy. “Your HR strategy must align with the business strategy. Mid-flight changes make buy-in difficult, so you need a delivery plan first,” she noted.

Investing in Leadership Development

Hughes described how data-driven leadership development supports Porter Airlines’ people strategy. “We track team engagement annually and measure leadership effectiveness for 150 leaders with more than five direct reports. This ensures our leaders are equipped to guide their teams effectively,” he said.

John-Greenwood agreed, adding that the pandemic underscored the need for strong management. “We leaned into leadership development to help managers build resilience and support their teams.”

Making HR Essential to Business Strategy

The panel concluded that HR earns its seat at the table through business acumen and value demonstration. Hughes emphasized, “HR must understand the business and how people influence results. Business decisions always impact people, and HR provides the necessary perspective.”

John-Greenwood added, “Our role is to make it impossible for leaders to ignore HR. We speak their language, focus on business priorities, and highlight people as a critical asset. That’s how HR becomes indispensable.”

Ultimately, HR leaders can deepen their influence by combining strategic insight, empathy, and relationship-building. By anticipating needs, aligning HR strategies with organizational goals, and clearly demonstrating value, HR can transition from a support function to a trusted architect of organizational success.