The HR department has evolved. Today's HR professionals are leading change in their organizations -- developing new ideas, influencing business strategy and driving success.

This SmartBrief on Workforce Special Report looks at how HR teams can support organizational growth and bolster influence at the executive table. This issue includes ideas for marketing HR initiatives (and their successes!), navigating conflict and recruiting talent that adds to culture. We also spotlight best practices for working with other departments -- including finance and technology -- to create systems that deliver on business goals.

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HR leaders should show their CEOs and senior managers how HR strengthens profitability and efficiency, writes Dave Millner. "I have found that the prime reason that so many HR departments are constantly being cut by financially driven initiatives is not wholly because HR hasn't proved its' value but because firstly HR does not 'show off what it has done' and market itself internally," he writes.

HR officers who collaborate with company board members and executive leaders can help them understand how the HR agenda supports business growth, Deborah Borg of Bunge says in this interview. "It took me a while to realize that you need to be pretty thoughtful about bringing that to the business agenda and ensure you build the awareness and alignment around what is being worked on in HR to drive the business forward," she says.

Dean Carter, Patagonia's head of HR, finance and legal, aims to hire people who not only embrace the company's core values and are passionate about protecting the environment, but those who also offer new ideas. His goal is "hiring for culture add, not just a cultural fit," he says.

Digital HR leaders are business partners who connect HR, technology and the employee experience, writes Sandeep Chanana, a regional HR manager for Rakuten. "Business leaders care more about business analytics than HR analytics; eg., the real cost of engagement, ROI of improving quality of talent, or investing more resources for skill-building," Chanana writes.

HR leaders have a key role in any decisions related to defined benefit plan de-risking, writes Elliot Dinkin. "Working together, finance and HR departments can better align their workforce strategy with business goals, determine the best way to successfully deliver benefits and ultimately increase ROI," Dinkin writes.