Everything you need to know about chief human experience officers

What do you want to be when you grow up? For early-career HR professionals aspiring to lead a team one day, the answer may run the gamut.

Traditionally, companies have appointed a chief human resources officer (CHRO) to head up HR operations. But some employers have rebranded their HR departments in recent years, with leaders now serving as chief people officers, chief human capital officers, or chief diversity and engagement officers, among others.

Count human or people “experience” officers among the buzzier HR titles in the mix. DocuSign has a head of people experience, and tech company Cambium Learning Group has been referring to the HR function as “people experience,” as well.

A holistic view of HR. KeyAnna Schmiedl is the second person to serve as chief human experience officer (CHXO) for Workhuman, an HR software firm. The company changed the name of its HR department to “human experience” in 2021.

Part of the reasoning behind the change was to look at the HR function more holistically, Schmiedl told HR Brew.

“In the past, it was kind of, what’s the bare minimum that we have to do, based on legal requirements?” Schmiedl said of the HR function. “This is more, what’s the experience that we want people to have? And what is it that folks are looking for from an employer? And putting that at the center.”

Schmiedl previously held leadership roles focusing on DE&I, as well as social and environmental impact, at Santander, Wayfair, and Mozilla. Now she oversees a team of about 50 people at Workhuman. She said the CHXO title reflects an increasing recognition of how functions such as HR and DE&I tie into a company’s entire business operations. If a company is trying to diversify its suppliers, for example, this work will take place in the procurement and supplier space, not just DE&I.

“Being at the table with the other leaders of these spaces…there’s less of a question about why I’m in those conversations,” Schmiedl said, discussing how the CHXO role compares to previous ones.

Pfizer changed the name of its HR department to people experience in January 2022 to “align with its focus of putting colleagues at the center of everything we do,” according to Faith Salamon, a spokesperson for the company, via email.

Like Schmiedl, Pfizer’s CPXO, Payal Sahni, said she considers HR to be vital for the company’s business.

“I see the employee experience as essential to our business purpose, not just a supporting function,” Sahni told HR Brew via Salamon. “The shift from human resources to people experience reflects the importance of an inclusive culture and creating a meaningful experience for colleagues that allows them to reach their full potential.”

HR continues to evolve. It doesn’t look likely the rebranding of HR will slow down anytime soon. Six of the 25 fastest-growing roles in the US since 2018 were HR roles, according to a January LinkedIn report, with fairly niche titles like “human resources analytics manager” and “employee experience manager” making the list.

Andrew Seaman, managing editor for jobs and career development at LinkedIn News, told SHRM that HR jobs are becoming “more necessary and more niche,” as employers focus on keeping top talent satisfied and committed to their companies.