HR professionals looking to take the next step into leadership need to hone the art of writing a board report. Two experts share their best tips, including what you should include and common mistakes to avoid.

Never underestimate the influence that HR has in a business, says Joanna Bell FCPHR, General Manager, People, Culture and Governance, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

“A proactive board will be asking you questions; a great HR leader will be able to anticipate the questions with a well informed paper and strategy,” she says.

Whether you’re reporting directly to a board or a sub-committee, the skills you’ll need to develop are the same – the ability to succinctly summarise key information (an underrated skill), tell a compelling story with data, and communicate with clarity and conviction.

What to include when writing a board report

The contents of a board paper will be specifically tailored to your business’s goals and needs, but there are some common metrics that Bell suggests benchmarking and reporting back on, such as:

• A review key HR policies (such as flexible working policies)
• Employment data, FTE, turnover rates and time/cost to hire
• Remuneration and performance data
• Governance and market disclosures
• Talent management and succession planning
• Diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and progress
• Work health and safety updates
• Engagement surveys and action plans

Some of these will be consistent, standing items on the agenda, others will only pertain to specific times of the year, says Michael Rosmarin FCPHR, Chair and National President of  AHRI and Chief People  & Group Services Officer at Link Group.

“For example, performance and remuneration discussions are likely to occur in alignment with the organisation’s review period, but other topics such as progress against your people strategy or retention risks will be more regular agenda items,” he says.

Bell suggests prioritising information – cherry pick the data the board will most care about. For example, she says the board is always concerned with attracting and retaining key talent.

“They want to know if we have the right capabilities to deliver on our strategic plan. What are the risks and mitigation actions around this? Show how your people and culture team can add value as an enabling function to deliver against this strategic plan.

“There’s so much available data you can get from an HR system, so highlight key takeaways for the board,” she says

She also suggests benchmarking your statistics against your own internal year-on-year or month-on-month metrics and, if possible, against other external organisations.

“Then you can better forecast what you need and understand the story your data is telling.”

How to present your information to the board

First and foremost, your people strategy has to reinforce the overall business strategy, so make sure your data is directly speaking to that goal.

Perhaps your company is in hyper-growth mode, for example, so you could emphasise the talent and skills that you’re helping to cultivate. Or maybe the company is undergoing a merger or acquisition, in which case you might focus on your change management processes.

“Your people strategy has to be clearly aligned to achieving the business goals and strategy ,” says Rosmarin.

He also suggests developing a dashboard that you can easily use to measure and track performance and identify trends.

“This might look like a simple traffic light system with some commentary that gives a good indication of the company’s health and how it’s performing.”

He also emphasises the importance of keeping the end goal in mind – is the paper for approval, information or discussion? Structure your action items and agenda around this.

“I suggest starting with your ‘for approval’ items, so they don’t get missed. Then you’d go into your ‘for discussion’ items. Anything that’s ‘for information’ might be assumed to be read and only explored in the meeting if there is a specific question, because you want the meeting to focus on discussing the important issues.”

“Remember, what you highlight will be questioned, so make sure your data is accurate, anticipate and be prepared with answers.” – Joanna Bell FCPHR, General Manager, People, Culture and Governance, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

“I always tell people who are providing papers to a board that directors will read all the information you provide and to therefore be thoughtful and only include information that is relevant and important. Try to keep each paper to one or two pages, and make sure it is clear and easy to understand what you’re saying.”

It’s also important to be explicit on what you’re recommending versus what you’re asking for input on, he adds.

When it comes to presenting information, Bell follows the three C’s method: keep it concise, clear and captivating (i.e. ensure it’s visually appealing).

“It should grab the attention of the reader and compel them to dive deeper into the sections of your report. Tell them what they need to know at a high level. And remember, what you highlight will be questioned, so make sure your data is accurate, anticipate and be prepared with answers.“

To keep things concise, Rosmarin says it’s paramount to provide background materials ahead of the meeting, so the conversation can focus on solutions and strategic issues rather than regurgitating information.

It’s also worth considering the activities of other functions which may impact your work in HR, he adds.

“For example, the Sustainability team may be involved in charitable giving or partnerships which have a potential people engagement piece. Think about how to bring those areas together to achieve greater impact.”

Developing business partner skills

There are useful complementary skills you can build that will help you to become a stronger board presenter, says Bell.

“Get to know your board. Speak with them; your board are people who have their own interests and concerns. So learn what keeps them up at night. 

“And if you haven’t already, ask to sit on a governance, risk, finance or P&C board subcommittee. Then get the backing of the subcommittee to support you to present to the board.”

This helps you to be seen as a true business partner, she adds.

You also have to be commercial, adds Rosmarin.

“You have to understand the business strategy and the financial plan. All people initiatives need to be seen in the context of how they are helping shape the business. The nice thing about working in HR is that you are often able to think longer-term, and I think that’s a real gift. You’re focusing on how to create a truly sustainable organisation.”

Need help writing a board report? Learn how to write clearly, professionally and succinctly to capture the attention of your intended business audience with AHRI’s short course in professional writing skills.

Common mistakes to avoid

Be careful of overloading a paper with too much information, or using inaccurate data, says Bell.

“Avoid reporting on all the issues and not having any strategic initiatives aligned to address them or producing a report that has a lack of structure. A board report has the ability to effect great and lasting change, so make it impactful,” she says.

When writing a board report, don’t bury tricky or complex matters in a mound of other information, says Rosmarin. And try to avoid addressing these for the first time in the meeting.

“It’s often a good idea to seek out the Chair and speak to them before the meeting and say, “I’ve got something challenging that I’d like us to discuss in the meeting”. These meetings aren’t about just presenting your work for approval; they’re about getting input and feedback and often working through challenges together. Remember, the board is there to help – they want to add value. “

Effective board reporting is a fantastic way to demonstrate the value of the people function to the broader business and further boost HR’s influence, says Bell.

“It can help businesses to make better decisions. Sometimes HR professionals feel frustrated at not being heard or valued. But I think there’s an opportunity for every HR professional to influence and be seen as a trusted adviser by the board.”

A longer version of this article first appeared in the February/March 2024 edition of HRM Magazine.