HR Business Partner role summary
"A few HR professionals working closely with business leaders influencing strategy and steering its implementation. The task of strategic partners is to ensure the business makes best use of its people and its people opportunities. The role is to highlight the HR issues and possibilities that executives don't often see. It also aims to inform and shape HR strategy, so that HR meets organisational needs" (CIPD: Sept 05)
The Oxen Park perspective;
It's difficult to argue with the definition but the real question is what knowledge and skill do you need to deliver this. Furthermore what competences and behaviours do you need to develop to support your knowledge and skills? The WHAT and the HOW;
Business Partner relationships within the HR function
- Partnering with Shared Services and Centres of Excellence: 'conducting the HR orchestra'
- Partnering with peer group HR Business Partners
- Handling the creative tension of meeting your own organisational needs with those of the corporate centre (and reconciling any differences)
- Determining the breadth and depth of the role in relation to other roles in HR
- Assistance with HR transformation and structure
Business Partner relationship with the business and its customers & suppliers
- Accessing customers, clients and suppliers to align and better shape strategic contribution and operational HR plans and support
- Build and sustain productive relationships with business unit heads, leadership team colleagues, other support functions and the wider line management
- What specialist skills and knowledge does the business need from its HR Business Partner community?
- How can the HR Business Partner join the strategic debate and contribute to it ?
- Account Management & HR Business Partners
- Using people information to influence and make business decisions
Developing core knowledge and skills for Business Partners
- Identifying and developing the specialist skills for the role eg organisational design & development, change leadership & sponsorship
- How to develop influencing and relationship building capability
- Consulting, coaching and facilitation skills acquisition
- Establishing the right balance of coaching, formal training and action learning
- Build your own or buy from outside dilemmas
- Using non-HR business experience from the business
To discuss how we may help you with consultancy support or by providing in-house workshops, please contact: consultancy@oxenpark.eu