In many organizations today, IT and Finance are far ahead of Human Resources in embracing agility. Agile practices, once exclusive to software development, have transformed how these functions adapt, deliver value, and stay aligned with rapidly changing business needs. Yet, for all that is shifting in our business environment, HR often remains anchored to traditional, slower-moving models.
This lag in agility comes at a time when change is not optional, it’s a constant. Consider just a few of the forces reshaping the workplace:
- Tariff uncertainty that affects supply chains, pricing, and workforce planning.
- Near full employment that creates fierce competition for talent and accelerates turnover risk.
- An “America First” manufacturing resurgence that demands rapid, often large-scale workforce ramp-ups in skilled roles.
In this context, HR’s ability to respond quickly and strategically isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s mission-critical.
The Case for Agile HR
When business conditions shift, HR must be able to pivot just as quickly as the operational teams it supports. Agile HR isn’t about adopting tech buzzwords, it’s about rethinking how people strategies are developed, executed, and iterated. It means:
- Rapid deployment of resources when a business opportunity or challenge emerges.
- Shorter planning cycles to align talent strategies with real-time business realities.
- Proactive workforce planning to anticipate change, rather than react to it.
IT and Finance already have frameworks and playbooks to do this. Agile project management, cross-functional sprints, real-time dashboards, and iterative planning cycles have been standard practice for years. HR can, and must, follow suit.
Deploying Interim and Fractional Support
One of the fastest ways HR can boost agility is through interim and fractional talent models. This approach enables organizations to bring in highly skilled HR professionals on-demand, whether for a key project, to cover a gap, or to tackle specialized challenges without adding permanent headcount.
Interim and fractional HR leaders can:
- Step in to manage complex change initiatives without slowing momentum.
- Provide specialized expertise in areas like Total Rewards, Talent Acquisition, or Organizational Development.
- Enable scalability, so HR capacity expands and contracts in sync with business needs.
These models are already common in Finance, where interim CFOs and fractional controllers are part of the standard playbook. It’s time HR made them equally mainstream.
Agility as a Competitive Advantage
When HR can move quickly, it drives organizational resilience and opportunity capture. Agile HR departments are better equipped to:
- Respond to unexpected market shifts before competitors do.
- Keep engagement and productivity high, even in disruptive times.
- Secure critical talent in tight labor markets by moving faster than other employers.
In short, agility in HR isn’t about being reactive, it’s about being prepared, flexible, and relentlessly focused on delivering value. The world of work is moving faster than ever. IT and Finance have proven that agility isn’t a fad, it’s a proven path to staying competitive. HR must catch up. By embracing agile principles and tapping into interim and fractional talent solutions, HR can transform from a support function into a proactive, strategic driver of business success. The question is no longer if your HR department should be agile, it’s how quickly you can get there.
About Nat Schiffer
Nathaniel (Nat) Schiffer has held virtually every job at The Christopher Group. Today he is TCG’s Chief Executive Officer. Nat has played a key role in the rebranding of TCG as an Agile HR & Business Solutions company that includes the launch of the firm’s Interim HR Leader and Consulting Divisions. Among his many accomplishments at TCG, he is most proud of TCG being recognized in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 by Forbes as one of the nation’s top executive search firms. To learn more about Nat visit his bio page.