Role of HRBP: Strategic change and guidance

HRBP aligns people strategies with business goals, acting as strategic partners and change agents. They support line managers, foster corporate culture, and enhance employee experiences to drive organizational success.

By Douglas Wade, Attorney

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Table of Contents

1. What is an HR business partner?

2. The duties of an HR business partner

3. HR business partner abilities and qualifications

4. Qualifications for HR Business Partners

5. Salary for an HR Business Partner

6. A typical HR Business Partner’s day

What is an HR business partner?

The job description for an HR business partner differs from company to company. In order to give you an idea of what the HRBP function entails, we will go over some typical duties, competences, and certification needs.

Overview of the job

The HR Business Partners, or HRBPs for short, assist in coordinating the people strategy and business plan of an organization. They are the business’s strategic partner and change agent in addition to being an administrative pro and people champion. The HRBP works with line managers to establish priorities, promote values, and produce business outcomes.

A Human Resource Business Partner may oversee hundreds or thousands of workers, depending on the size of the company. Usually, they work in the HR division.

The duties of an HR business partner

The precise duties of an HRBP might change according on a number of factors, including the HR organization’s maturity, the industry, the size of the firm, and its strategic goals. Nonetheless, there are a few duties that are common to all HR Business Partners.

The process of strategic planning

By concentrating on the current workforce and preparing them for the future, a strong HRBP should be able to assist their organization in being future-ready. They have to focus on the following areas:

Upskilling and reskilling: determine what training is required and help the L&D department match training curricula to organizational goals.
Make sure the company’s personnel is strategically planned for terms of size, form, cost, and adaptability.
Planning for succession: identify and nurture core talent to guarantee that positions are filled with qualified individuals

Offering leadership guidance and coaching on HR-related issues

An HR Business Partner ought to be well-versed in how the people in their firm are impacted by both present and upcoming difficulties. In this way, the HRBP may effectively counsel and mentor important stakeholders.

However, rather than handling everything, the HRBP should merely act as a consultant and advisor. Their role is to provide the leadership the authority to resolve any personnel issues within the company.

Some duties that you can find in an HRBP job description include the following:

Organize meetings with corporate leaders every week or every two weeks, and as needed, offer HR guidance.
To help leaders achieve compliance, stay current on employment laws and regulations as well as other legal obligations pertaining to people management.
Give advice on developing and putting into practice HR procedures and guidelines.

Establishing a competitive business

An HRBP assists their company in attracting and retaining top people as well as gaining new business. As a result, they work twice as hard to keep their company at the top of the market.

HRBPs are crucial in ensuring that their company can plan, educate, and adjust in order to create the greatest possible product. The following duties may be found in the job description of an HR business partner:

providing line managers with daily performance management guidance (such as career planning, coaching, mentoring, etc.)
supporting line managers in resolving issues pertaining to people, organizations, and change
maximizing organizational design to boost output and enhance company performance
These HR specialists are also essential to the company’s ability to draw in and keep the greatest employees. They may have to focus on:
working together with other HR team members to put creative, inclusive recruitment tactics into practice
creating or aiding in the creation of a benefits and compensation plan that is future-proof
Putting reward and recognition programs into practice to improve employee engagement and financial performance

Championing the corporate culture and the employee experience

The primary duty of future-ready HRBPs is to continuously enhance the employee experience while also aiding in the establishment and upkeep of a strong corporate culture. Businesses frequently ask the HR Business Partner to:

Give counsel and recommendations on culturally-related projects, like cultural transformation
Put HRM initiatives on talent management, diversity and inclusion, and employee wellness into practice.
Collaborate with staff and management to resolve disputes, support strong employee relations, Uphold a clean workplace, boost morale, and reduce unwelcome employee turnover

Remember that no two HR Business Partner positions have exactly the same duties. The senior HRBP, who may hold the position of senior HR manager or vice president of HR, will typically play a more strategic role and steer the business dialogue. As a result, he or she will concentrate more on strategic planning, mentoring, and leadership consultation on HR-related issues. It is the mid-level HRBP, often known as the junior HR manager, who participates in the business discussions.

This implies that the majority of their duties will be focused on supporting the senior HRBP in their role as a mentor, assisting line managers in resolving personnel-related concerns, or taking part in the formulation of HR strategy.

HR business partner abilities and qualifications

To be successful, an HRBP needs a wide range of abilities. These are a few that you’ll frequently find in job descriptions.

1. Knowledge of data

It is not necessary for an HR Business Partner to become a data scientist. Nonetheless, the majority of businesses will demand that the HRBP comprehend the development, analysis, and gathering of data.

The following data literacy competencies could be included in an HRBP job description:

The ability to understand and comprehend reports and dashboards that contain complex data
Knowledge of HR analytics methods
Familiarity with quantitative as well as qualitative information collection techniques
Ability to establish, monitor, and use significant metrics and KPIs to drive business outcomes

2. Business intelligence

Understanding financial concepts, risk and reward, and company results are key components of this talent. A strong HRBP is one who has a thorough awareness of the industry their company operates in in addition to having great HR abilities.

While some organizations may just require candidates to be able to have a comprehensive understanding of the company and its sector later on, others may prefer candidates who have prior experience working as HR Business Partners in their particular industry.

3. Digital literacy

HR Business Partners ought to be proficient in using technology to boost productivity and provide profitable outcomes.

An HRBP ought to be proficient at developing and executing HR strategies, utilizing HR management techniques, and monitoring expenses through the use of HR technology, such as an HRIS. The Human Resource Information System and other HR-specific technology, such as business intelligence, data visualization software, and online communication tools, can be included in the list. Another typical prerequisite is proficiency with the Google Suite and/or Microsoft Office Suite.

4. Employee advocacy

HRBPs must be people advocates who stand up for workers and take decisive action when necessary. To effectively serve the staff and the business, they also must have a strong legal understanding. Typically, a job profile will include a list of talents like:

Familiarity with local, state, and federal labor laws as well as tax and social security rules
Strong knowledge of HRM practices and exceptional people management abilities
Outstanding relationship-building and mentorship abilities
Ability to sympathize with people

5. Other skills

An HR business partner requires more than just the four skills mentioned above to be successful. The majority of HRBP job postings will typically list a number of additional abilities, like:

Excellent interpersonal and presentation abilities
Excellent problem-solving abilities
A solid grasp of the various HR specialties, such as talent management, employee and union relations, performance management, pay and benefits, diversity and inclusion, etc.
Managing stakeholders well and cultivating positive working connections within the company
Strong project management and change management skills

Qualifications for HR Business Partners

Candidates for HRBP positions are often required to hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in business management/administration, organizational studies, or human resources management. It may also be necessary for you to provide documentation of your fluency in other languages or in English, depending on the company’s personnel and clientele as well as its location.

Although not required, having an HR Business Partner accreditation can give you an advantage when applying. These days, there are many different HR Business Partner certifications available, most of them self-paced and available online.

Salary for an HR Business Partner

Qualifications, years of experience, years of education, and industry are just a few of the numerous variables that can affect an HR Business Partner’s income.

The average HRBP income in the US is typically between $56,023 and $70,868 per year, according to salary.com. An HRBP can normally make between $84,200 and $106,700 in an advisory role. The location of your base affects your pay as well. According to Payscale, a junior HRBP with one to four years of experience working in New York may make $77,000, whereas in Houston, the same position can make $69,000.

Taking a leap across the pond, Glassdoor reports that the average compensation for an HRBP in the UK is £56,841.

A typical HR Business Partner’s day

An HR Business Partner’s normal day can be seen here. Please be aware that the exact duties you have to complete each day may likely change based on the season, your schedule, and your company.

Drink some water, tea, or coffee to start your day (being hydrated is a must for any job, including HRBP). You check your schedule to make sure you’re ready for any forthcoming meetings and go through your emails and to-do list at the start of the workday.

After that, you must have a meeting with important clients or stakeholders, either in person or via Zoom. You offer a plan to increase community manager job retention based on the facts you’ve examined. You’ve discovered that your recent hires are resigning early because they don’t think the onboarding process is thorough enough. As part of the onboarding process, you suggest holding more regular meetings between new staff members and their peers and managers to establish expectations, foster connections, and offer feedback.

Then, if the weather permits, it’s time for lunch and perhaps a leisurely stroll around the block. You have a little time in the afternoon to concentrate on a few tasks on your (often enormous) to-do list. Subsequently, there will be a meeting with the CHRO to discuss and agree upon a revised HR policy regarding paid time off. Soon after, attend another project meeting, and then dedicate the remainder of the workday to refining a product workflow.

It’s time to go home or perhaps to the gym once you’re finished for the day. A restful night’s sleep is exactly what you require following a successful day as an HR business partner.

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