Human Resources (HR) jobs in India are changing fast. Top HR leaders and experts from around the world met at the SHRM India Annual Conference & Expo 2025 . They discussed how new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and fresh ideas about leadership are creating new kinds of HR jobs across different industries.
The conference highlighted a big shift in what companies in India look for in HR professionals. Earlier, HR might have focused more on paperwork. Now, companies want people who are good with new tools and ideas. They are especially looking for HR professionals skilled in certain areas. These include managing talent with AI, coaching leaders, understanding staff data, and hiring based on skills.
New Skills for HR Professionals
To succeed in future HR jobs, students should focus on these key skills:
- AI-led Talent Management: Using Artificial Intelligence to find, hire, and manage employees more effectively. This means using smart software to help with recruitment and employee development.
- Leadership Coaching: Helping managers and team leaders improve their skills. This includes guiding them to solve problems and make better decisions.
- Workforce Analytics: Using data to understand employees better. This involves looking at information about staff to see what works well and what can be improved.
- Skills-based Hiring: Focusing on what skills a person has, rather than just their college degree or past job titles, when hiring for a role.
How Technology is Changing HR
During the conference, a new report called “Driving Enterprise Productivity with Agentic AI” was launched. This report clearly showed that HR teams need to be comfortable with AI tools. They need to know how to use digital tools for checking employee performance and how to make decisions based on data, not just guesswork.
Other reports, like “Inside India’s HR Pay Pulse” and the “LinkedIn–SHRM Talent Strategy Playbook,” also gave important information. They pointed out new skills needed in areas like designing fair pay systems, making a company look attractive to new employees (called employer branding), and hiring people who will feel happy and connected to their work.
Experts from big companies like Microsoft , Zensible, SalarySe, and O.C. Tanner also shared their thoughts. They emphasized the rise of roles that focus on AI in HR. They also talked about how companies are using digital systems to recognize and reward employees. Another important skill is managing teams where some people work from the office and others work from home, or teams spread out in different locations (called hybrid or distributed teams).
The Rise of Coaching and Development
The conference also revealed another important trend with a report called “The State of Executive Coaching in India.” This report showed that companies are investing more money and effort into leadership coaching. This means they are paying to train their managers and future leaders to be better at their jobs.
Leaders discussed the growing importance of:
- Succession Planning: This means preparing current employees to take on bigger roles in the future, ensuring the company always has strong leaders ready.
- Culture-Building Programmes: These are efforts to create a positive and supportive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated.
Speakers at the event noted that using coaching to develop staff is now a central part of building strong teams, especially for employees in middle and senior-level positions. This helps these employees grow their skills and take on more responsibilities.
What This Means for Students
For students aged 15-18 thinking about their future careers, these updates are very important. The HR field is no longer just about paperwork and rules. It is becoming a strategic part of every company, blending technology with human understanding.
If you are interested in working with people and also like new technology, a career in Human Resources could be a good choice. Learning about AI, data analysis, and developing leadership skills now can give you a strong advantage in the job market of the future. The conference made it clear: HR professionals need to be lifelong learners, ready to adapt to new tools and ways of working.
