The migration of the role of HR generalist to that of HR business partner (HRBP) is now well recognised. Less understood is what skills, knowledge and attributes are needed to be an exceptional, high-performing HRBP.
Methodology
An ongoing global study involving in-depth interviews with nearly 100 HRBPs from across the public and private sectors. Participants were required to meet qualifying criteria, such as being identified by their business as making an exceptional strategic contribution, and having full responsibility for delivering the HR agenda where transactional aspects of HR were delivered by others.
Findings
The data was analysed by searching for the consistent patterns in individual responses and, subsequently, between participants across the population. We looked for what was consistently present or absent in descriptions of both successful and unsuccessful situations.
The clearest and most interesting insight has been that attitudes are at least as important, if not more so, than technical skills and knowledge in identifying or creating the successful HRBP. In this context, attitude is about how people define their role and purpose in organisations and what they believe about themselves, the function and their role within it.
The research found that the most successful HRBP’s share characteristics including: self-belief (defined as a belief in the value of the HR function and their personal ability to make a difference to the business); independence (the confidence to express a point of view, even if it may prove unpopular); business acumen (including the ability to communicate in business terms); relationship building; and business results delivery (delivering business outcomes through harnessing the HR function’s capabilities). Together these attitudes form a virtuous circle; a self-reinforcing system that generates the right results. It’s a pre-requisite today that an HRBP has strong HR skills and knowledge. But companies must look deeper for attributes that add strategic value.
Learning points
- The best HRBPs act with commercial instinct
- The ability to build strong, equal and challenging relationships is valued
- HRBPs must deliver meaningful results for the business, and inspire their HR colleagues