The human resource department in your company is responsible for a variety of different things. The HR department has to play an integral role in making sure that they carry out strategic planning and resolve business conflicts to ensure that morale remains high in the workplace.

However, the HR business partner model is slightly different. The title really doesn’t make much of a difference; HR generalists and HR BPs both perform similar tasks. However, the aim is to make sure that the employees in the company are able to perform their duties to the best of their capabilities.

In the following article, we will talk about the role of an HR BP and what they are supposed to do. Let’s get started.

Understanding the HR Business Partner’s Role

By definition, an HR BP is simply an experienced professional who has worked in the human resource industry for quite a while. They are responsible for working directly with the senior leadership of the company to come up with a dedicated HR agenda that supports the goals of the organization.

Instead of working directly as a member of the human resources department internally within the company, the HR BPs are responsible for working closely with the senior leadership of the company. They deal directly with the executive management of the business, often collaborating with the C suite members.

By bringing a human resource executive so close to the upper management, the HR function effectively becomes a part of the organizational strategy of the business. The model is becoming more and more popular over the years and has been adopted in a number of different businesses.

What Do They Do?

The role of such professionals is to make sure that the policies and procedures related to human resource management actually align with the goals, requirements, and objectives of the top leadership of the company. They are so close to the policy makers, so they don’t have to focus on the nitty gritty of things, such as administration or management.

They also don’t have to perform regular training or deal with the words of different policies. They are not really concerned about the hiring or the benefit packages offered to different employees. The HR BP primarily focuses on the bigger picture and looks at things from a bird’s eye view.

The person hired for this position is responsible for making sure that they work on developing new HR policy instead of simply implementing it. They are also responsible for making sure that the HR strategy they adopt actually fits into the business strategy adopted by the business.

Managers or VPs?

The HR BP is not a human resource manager, nor do they work as vice presidents. Instead, they are simply consultants who take a look at the company’s HR policies from a different angle altogether. They are responsible for figuring out gaps in resources available and then finding the right strategy to ensure that the work is not affected.

An important part here lies in understanding the term “business partner.” A business partner shares an exclusive bond with the other party, often resulting in a contractual agreement. The aim is to focus together on managing the business interests of the company, and to work mutually for a common purpose.

How Is it Different From an HR Manager?

The role of an HR BP is quite different when compared with that of an HR manager. They are both distinct roles that are employed in separate capacities under different models. The work of the HR manager focuses on developing policy and then enforcing it within the company.

The HR manager is responsible for maintaining essential systems such as payroll, hiring and recruitment, and system administration. The HR manager simply overlooks the performance of the entire HR department. On the other hand, the HR BP has a completely different role.

The HR BP does not have to worry about any administrative responsibilities. They do not overlook a department, per se. Their primary focus lies on working with the senior leadership of the company along with the department managers to communicate the overall strategy as set by the company.

They also work closely with the HR department and consult with them on a variety of different tasks. They are responsible for developing initiatives that can be adopted by the organization, and can have a major impact on the organization as a whole.

Why Does Your Business Need One?

It is easy to understand that an HR BP can add considerable value. They will not just help with employees who are working from home but will essentially create a criterion that is going to make remote onboarding considerably easy. Due to the fact that they have to look at the bigger picture, they are primarily focused on looking at different technologies that can be adapted in the workplace.

More and more businesses are now looking to hire HR BPs because they add considerable value to the company. Instead of simply coming up with approaches to deal with problems, they look at ways to create a department where problems are a minimum. They look at strategies that can help in serious situations and are responsible for focusing on techniques that can keep employee morale high.

One of the main reasons why they are able to boost employee retention is due to the fact that they work closely with the executive management, and as a result of that, they are able to come up with strategies that are actually useful and can be enforced immediately.

Their Core Tasks

Having an HR BP in your company could result in a major decrease in the overall turnover rates. The reason for that is simple: they actively take a look at how the business is working and then come up with strategies that are focused on improving their company’s performance.

More importantly, they look at key cost drivers that are affecting the company and then come up with a strategy that helps mitigate these problems. They are able to look at things from a distant perspective, so it becomes easier for them to come up with techniques and strategies that are designed to benefit the company as a whole.

With their expertise and experience, the company benefits a lot, and the employee morale as a whole remains considerably higher throughout all departments.