Great news – you have finally become an HR Business Partner - you have the title but what does it mean for you and more importantly for your business?
The HR Business Partner (HRBP) is a job role that is becoming more and more common within organisations, partly due to the success of the Ulrich model but also the need for HR to justify its existence as a credible business support and never more so in times of austerity.
The Ulrich model bases the HR department around 3 areas – The HR Business Partners who focus on the strategic impacts within the business and align themselves closely with the operational managers; the Centres of Excellence within HR who are providers of ER support, providers of recruitment support and providers of L&D etc and Transactional Services that offer an administrative support to the organisation.
These areas of Centres of Excellence ensure that the HR Business Partner although involved in ER issues and recruitment for example is not getting bogged down in particular ER issues or campaigns’ because as we know when there is a significant ER issue or recruitment issue it can all but overtake other things to the detriment of the business. The Transactional Services are also to enable the HRBP to stay business focused through ensuring that the important administrative work is taken care of and again does not detract from the HRBP business focus.
As a result, the HRBP role is strategic and operational, working with the operational managers to drive and develop the organisation forward through its people strategy, but also working with the line managers and the other HR areas to ensure the people.
The Ulrich model is also recognised by the CIPD as the role of the HRBP and therefore all referrals to the HRBP within the CIPD are assuming this model. This model is clearly designed for larger organisations that have the capacity to have ER professionals, recruitment professionals and L&D specialists with a separate administrative support however the title HR Business Partner is often used for HR roles which do not fit within the Ulrich framework – which in itself is not an issue as long as those roles are clear in what they will deliver to the business and there is an acceptance by the role holder that they may still have to be involved in more transactional activities.
So, what does it mean in practical terms? What can we expect to see from the effective HR Business Partner in an organisation? Rainbow HR has extensively researched this area with a number of organisations to seek out those skills and competencies which make a really effective HR Business Partner. They have subsequently designed a programme that supports organisations of all types in terms of understanding the model and its benefits. Partnering the business is more than a title and a model it’s a skill and behavior, but most organisations can adopt the principles of the HRBP role and benefit significantly.
The areas we believe are essential would not just benefit HR Business Partners but HR professionals at every level. These core skills include:
- Commercial Acumen
- Coaching Skills
- Financial Awareness
Working with the business and not just for the business is not a luxury it’s a necessity for the HR function to ensure the success of the business and the credibility of the function regardless of organisational structure. Gaining these core skills will ensure that the HR Business Partner is recognised a credible and value adding part of their business, and a role which is essential to the future success of any organisation. Not recognising these could be fatal for the profession!
If you would like more information and advice on strengthening your HR team or if you are looking for support in recruiting specific HR roles, then please get in touch at
