What does strategic HR business partnering really look like?
‘What does strategic HR business partnering really look like?’ is a question I’m often asked. When you’re an HRBP who’s become stuck in the weeds of operational demands, it can be difficult to see this clearly.
I researched this, and asked HR leaders what their most successful HRBPs actually did. In our work, we focus on the practical activities and behaviours that can be developed – rather than complex aspirational phrases that can’t be measured.
Two clear themes emerged. The HRBPs who cultivated productive relationships with their stakeholders –
a) focused on the business (rather than on HR) – worked continually to deepen their understanding of what drives success in their organisation and for their stakeholder, and responded to that in practical ways;
b) focused on the future (rather than the present) by helping their stakeholder to explore the implications and wider context of their actions, and also by getting themselves into the room when decisions are being made about the future.
The 4 Modes of Business Partnering (below) is a popular learning tool in our development programs for HRBPs. It shows how to change conversations.
This is the key. Because business partnering is a two-way street, the HRBP needs to take the business stakeholder on a journey. The HRBP has to explain clearly why and how the relationship has to change, and what the benefits of that will be for the business.
You don’t achieve that in one conversation, and in practice it’s an iterative process. You know you’re making progress when light bulbs begin to switch on and the business leader says: ‘Now that I understand exactly what you mean in practice by partnering with me more strategically, I can see the value. Let’s explore how we can release you from the transactional work.’
Would you like to achieve that transformation in your own HR team?
Message me, I love to learn and share with HR leaders how to ensure that business partnering truly delivers.
If you’re considering development for your HRBP team and would like to experience the quality of our work, I’d be happy to run a complimentary in-house 2-hour workshop for you to increase the impact of your HRBPs.
