Incoming CIPD CEO Neil Carberry joined CIPD President Chloe Smith at the CIPD Festival of Work to talk about where the people profession is headed and what it can do to help organisations succeed.
People professionals are well placed to help organisations tackle some of their biggest challenges, and the incoming CIPD CEO wants to make sure that message lands clearly in every boardroom.
Neil Carberry joins the CIPD as CEO in September, bringing extensive experience from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). At the CIPD Festival of Work, he joined CIPD President Chloe Smith to discuss the opportunities ahead for the profession and why performance and productivity should sit at the heart of the conversation.
The people profession is already doing work that shapes how organisations perform, and Carberry is clear that this contribution deserves to be recognised at the highest level.
He spoke about the value people professionals bring when they engage directly with business challenges, helping leaders improve performance, raise productivity and navigate change with confidence.
"We should be about helping our organisations deliver performance and productivity. The best CPOs are going into C-suites and solving business problems and organisational problems."
Smith and Carberry agreed that many of the economic challenges facing employers today come back to people. As organisations adapt to new business models, labour market pressures and emerging technologies, the contribution of people professionals will only grow in importance.
The conversation also covered the wider purpose of the profession.
Carberry pointed to the CIPD's Royal Charter and its commitment to public benefit, arguing that the impact of good people management reaches well beyond individual organisations.
"Article three of the Royal Charter says we exist for the public benefit, and that is incredibly important to me. Work really matters – it matters to prosperity, it matters to the success of our countries, it matters to health – it matters so much."
Supporting members to make a bigger difference in their organisations, they agreed, benefits not just employers and employees but wider economies and societies too.
Both speakers reflected on the scale of change organisations are currently managing, from workforce transformation and skills development to artificial intelligence.
Carberry described AI as a significant opportunity, noting that many organisations are still at an early stage of adoption. People professionals, he argued, should play a leading role in shaping how new technologies are introduced, ensuring they support organisational goals and help people adapt.
"We should be thinking about how [AI] augments and amplifies our workforce, not replacing our workforce."
Both speakers also stressed the importance of professional standards during periods of change. As organisations redesign jobs and seek productivity gains, people expertise needs to stay central to decision-making.
Carberry spoke about his commitment to helping members navigate increasingly complex challenges and ensuring the CIPD continues to offer clear, practical guidance.
He encouraged members to keep developing their expertise and to demonstrate the impact of good people practice in their organisations.
Closing the session, Smith and Carberry agreed that the profession has a real opportunity to help organisations improve performance, respond to change and create better outcomes for people, businesses and society.
The CIPD Good Work Index is an annual benchmark of job quality in the UK, providing data and evidence-based insight on how to improve work and working lives
