The HR Business Partner
An elusive title that is ever so slowly sneaking into the typical line up of corporate jobs, the HR business partner is a position designed to ease communication between the bigwigs and the little guys.
While not technically partners, they are still treated as such and, whether intended or not, do threaten upper management. No matter such resentments, however, some feel this position is a necessary step in the continued evolution of developing HR in a healthy and productive manner.
By definition, the HRBP, or Human Resources Business Partner, is a position to be filled by an outstanding communicator who literally bridges the communication gap between senior management and everyone else.
As a partner, you are higher up than HR management in that you are expected to attend all of the upper level meetings and often even board meetings to keep the business planned aligned with ‘taking care‘ of the employees.
You will serve as a constant reminder of the financial benefit and future worth of a person-centered workplace.
This intimacy with the upper management, however, offers some discomfort to certain senior executives.
For many, it can seem like having a ‘babysitter‘ constricting excutives ideas and countering ways the company could grow.
While no one is arguing companies should revert back to the abusive days of the Industrial Revolution, it can be very challenging to find a happy medium between creative new advancements and employee care. As for the most cynical, these HRB’s (Human Resources Business Partner) are obstructions in that they have a set way of thinking, secluded within the comfort zone of endless paperwork and company benefits, rendering them useless when consulted on matters that affect the entire business.
But even such cynicism is starting to give way now that HR is now taking part at business meetings (seat at the [board] table).
It can certainly be argued that the only reason that HRBP’s do not “get” business is because they were never properly introduced to its realities, having in many cases only been trained to deal with strictly HR issues, yet broaded business insight is highly valuable.
With you as a HRBP you now become a necessary part of major corporate decisions, which is expanding into a well-versed, integral part of the business that provides key insight on major transactions, like mergers, that the executives would otherwise not take into consideration.
Every growing period has its share of opponents and proponents, and HR Business Partners are no different.
Seen as inexperienced by some and essential components to the good of HR by others, they are breaking new ground by making human-centric business models a reality.
With the HRBP’s expertise in people opeations and their continued growth in understanding the workings of good business, you can breathe new life into an otherwise tumultuous employment landscape. If all goes well, these HRBP representatives can be major figureheads in every business.
© New To HR
