Why Is HR Project Management the Secret Weapon of CHROs?

I've worked in organizations where project managers were embedded within the HR function, and that setup made a big difference. Implementations like Workday or other HR tools were much smoother because those PMs already understood project management principles and could easily align them with HR objectives.

In other organizations where HR didn’t have dedicated project managers, they often relied on support from PMs across the business, especially those passionate about transformation, labor relations, or organizational change. These PMs helped drive HR initiatives forward with structure and focus, even if they weren’t formally part of HR.

One key learning: before choosing any tool, it's crucial to solve process and procedure issues first. No tool will fix broken or unclear processes. Once those are clarified, selecting a supporting tool becomes much easier and more impactful.