Shakil Butt never planned to leave his comfortable 20-year finance career for HR leadership. What began as a three-month interim assignment transformed into a passionate pursuit that would redefine his understanding of strategic people management and earn him recognition as one of the UK's most influential HR leaders.

Bringing his finance background to HR gave Shakil a unique advantage. "Every single decision I'd ever made as a finance person had a people implication," he reflects, highlighting the critical intersection between financial decisions and human capital. This perspective helps him bridge the persistent gap between HR's traditional focus on people and the data-driven approach that commands attention in the boardroom.

Shakil, a speaker at next month's DisruptHR Birmingham Summit, challenges HR professionals to move beyond trendy but superficial initiatives like "Fresh Fruit Fridays" by focusing on measurable impact. "What's the problem you're trying to fix? What's the opportunity you're trying to take advantage of?" Without answers to these fundamental questions, HR initiatives lack strategic value. His approach transforms HR from what he calls "the poor cousin to finance" into a vital strategic function with demonstrable business impact.

When discussing organizational culture and equity initiatives with HRchat show host Bill Banham, Shakil offers a critique of "performative EDI" – actions taken for show rather than substance. "Culture is exactly what you allow to happen in the absence of any real thought," he notes, emphasizing that meaningful cultural change requires intentional leadership rather than disconnected programs. True equity work means addressing systemic issues throughout the employee lifecycle with clear metrics and ownership, not simply creating employee resource groups or celebrating diversity events without purpose.

Drawing inspiration from his love of sci-fi and fantasy, Shakil envisions HR professionals as potential organizational heroes who have the courage to "do the right thing" even when difficult. His message resonates with HR practitioners seeking to elevate their impact: embrace data without losing humanity, lead with purpose rather than trends, and have the bravery to champion meaningful change.

Connect with Shakil on LinkedIn

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