‘We Must Build a Strong Profession’: David Ducheyne on the Future of HR

At the PARE Conference in Tallinn, EAPM Vice-President David Ducheyne presented the Estonian HR Awards with a powerful reflection on the future of the HR profession, its responsibilities, and why moments of recognition matter more than ever.

David Ducheyne is the founding president of hrpro.be, the Belgian Association of HR Professionals. With almost 30 years of experience in HR and business, he believes HR should focus on building capabilities that enable organisations, teams, and individuals to execute their strategy. An organisational psychologist by training, David has worked for Alcatel, Henkel, Case New Holland, and Securex. In 2018, he founded Otolith, a consultancy in Belgium. He is the author of Sustainable Leadership and co-author of two books about the customisation of work. He is also an avid blogger.

HR Is Thriving. And at the Same Time, It Is Under Threat.

“HR is thriving,” David began. “Because never before have organisations needed us this much.”

And yet, at the same time, the profession is under threat. “If we are not careful,” he warned, “we become automated, hated… and irrelevant.”

So what is the answer?

For David, there is only one real answer:

“We must build a strong profession.”

Not a profession that looks backward, but one that looks forward. A profession that helps organisations master change, not only respond to it. A profession that builds capabilities, not just policies. And above all, a profession that helps people build meaningful, sustainable lives.

“That,” he said, “is HR for the future.”

But that future does not happen by accident. It requires three things.

A Profession With a Voice

First, HR needs a voice, not only inside organisations, but in society. A voice on work, wellbeing, performance, fairness, and decent work.

For David, HR cannot remain a purely operational function. It must actively contribute to the broader conversations shaping the future of work and society itself.

Taking Ourselves Seriously

Second, the profession needs to take itself seriously.

That means continuing to raise standards. Being more evidence-based. More disciplined. More self-confident. More courageous in what we say and do.

“And better than AI,” he added.

The challenge is not simply technological disruption. It is whether HR can continue to create human value in a world increasingly shaped by automation.

Connecting Beyond HR

Third, HR professionals need to connect and remain open. Open with each other, certainly, but also beyond HR itself, into business, technology, and society.

“The challenges we face are bigger than any single function,” David noted.

That spirit of connection is also what the European Association for People Management (EAPM) stands for.

“The EAPM gathers 36 countries in Europe around the basic idea that people matter.”

Why Moments Like the Estonian HR Awards Matter

For David, events like the Estonian HR Awards are about far more than celebration.

“These are not just celebrations. They are signals.”

Signals that HR has a voice. That HR is visible. That HR creates value. That HR drives innovation. And that HR contributes not only to organisations, but to society.

But these moments also signal something else: a commitment to becoming better.

“And frankly,” he said, “if we don’t celebrate our profession… who will?”

“Probably the Most Difficult Function in Any Organisation”

David also made a direct and unapologetic case for the importance of HR.

“Let’s be honest,” he said. “HR is probably the most difficult function in any organisation.”

Not always the most visible, perhaps, but in his view:

“HR is the single most important function or process in any organisation.”

Because ultimately, HR has the power to make a difference for the future of both organisations and people.

Its purpose is “simple, and demanding”:

“To make sure people are willing… and able… to perform, to grow, and to succeed, sustainably.”

That, David argued, is why HR matters, and why this is a profession worth building.

As the ceremony began, David closed by congratulating all nominees, whether they would ultimately win or not.

“Because you all have shown what HR can do. And you have been noticed.”

Tänan teid.