SUMMER INTERNSHIP REPORT ON

REVITALIZING THE ROLE OF HR BP

Submitted in partial fulfilment for the award of the degree of

MASTER OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES

HUMAN RESOURCES

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

Submitted by

Anchit Jaiswal

ROLL NO: M-12121

2021-2023

Under The Guidance of

Dr. GIRISH JADHAV

DES’S NAVINCHANDRA MEHTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

AND DEVELOPMENT, MUMBAI – 400028
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Winter internship report titled “Revitalizing the
Role of HR BP” submitted in partial fulfilment for MMS Degree
Examination by Anchit Jaiswal is a record of Research work carried out
by the student during the period from 12 th March 2023 to 25th May 2023
under my guidance, and has been found satisfactory. This project work is
original and not submitted earlier for the award of any degree, diploma or
associateship of any other University/Institution.

Date: COLLEGE STAMP HERE

Dr. Samadhan Khamkar Dr. Girish Jadhav

(DIRECTOR) (PROJECT GUIDE)

EXTERNAL EXAMINER
CERTIFICATE BY THE COMPANY
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this project report submitted by me to the

partial fulfilment of the requirement for the award of MASTER OF
MANAGEMENT STUDIES (MMS) of the University of Mumbai is a
bonafide work undertaken by me and it is not submitted to any other
University for the award of any degree, diploma/certificate or published
any time before.

Name: Anchit Jaiswal Signature of the student

Roll No.: M-12121
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project has been a great learning experience for me. I take this
opportunity to thank Dr. Girish Jadhav, my internal project guide whose
valuable guidance & suggestions made this project possible. I am
extremely thankful to her for his/her support. She has encouraged me and
channelized my enthusiasm effectively.
I express my heart-felt gratitude towards my parents Prakash
Jaiswal & Preeti Jaiswal, siblings and all those friends Kedar Bansode,
Pranita Sonawadekar who have willingly and with utmost commitment
helped me during the course of my project work.
I also express my profound gratitude to Dr. Samadhan Khamkar,
Director of DES’s Navinchandra Mehta Institute of Technology and
Development for giving me the opportunity to work on the project and
broaden my knowledge and experience.
I would like to thank all the professors and the staff of DES’s
NMITD, especially the Library staff who were very helpful in providing
books and articles I needed for my project.
Last but not the least, I am thankful to all those who indirectly
extended their co-operation and invaluable support to me.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Ulrich model itself, as well as titles, performance, relationships,

and the conflicts that seem to go along with the role, are just a few of the
obstacles, issues, and controversies that come up in business partnerships.
Making commercial partnerships is a challenge for many organisations,
effectively, whether in the Ulrich model's use or in their interpretation of its
responsibilities, structure, and results. Difficulties involve a lack of
preparation and the method being ambiguous and poor execution. Bringing
its component elements together is essential. According to Andrew Lambert
(Director of Corporate Research Forum) since the publication of Dave
Ulrich's book Human Resource Champions in 1997, businesses have
struggled to figure out how to make business partnerships successful. This is
partially due to an ignorance of what it is and what it can accomplish. The
methodology is uncertain, there is insufficient planning, integration, and
implementation, and there are weaknesses in the HR BP skills. According to
Ulrich's frequently used model,
 One of the legs of a three-legged structure's legs is represented by
business partners.
 The other two are a transactional shared service centre and more
specialised centres of superiority or competence (CoE).
 It is intended to improve HR's efficiency and lower costs.
The ultimate goal is to much more closely link the people's strategy
with what the business needs. According to a study, the globe is getting
smaller due to globalization, technological advancements, and improved
communications, and businesses are becoming more open. As functions and
individuals increasingly transcend borders, reporting lines, and
responsibilities, they are difficult to manage in addition,
 Numerous laws have had an impact on and will continue to have an
impact on the provision of HR services and HR expenditures.
 Individuals have various expectations of their companies, necessitating
unique propositions
 An effort to lower expenses
In light of the latter, HR ratios have significantly increased. For
instance, Surrey County Council operates with a ratio of 1:825, whilst Cable
& Wireless employs merely 90 HR professionals serving 15,000 employees
globally (a ratio of 1:160). Getting such outcomes will continue to keep HR
BPs and their shared services colleagues engaged for some time. This report
was created as a result of widespread perceptions that HR BPs and the
underlying Ulrich model were ineffective and that HR alone could
accomplish more for the company in the extremely difficult conditions
organisations today confront.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter No. Particulars Page No.

1 Introduction 1

2 Literature Review 3

3 Research Methodology 9

4 Data Analysis 10

5 Findings 13

6 Conclusion 19

References 20
 Revitalizing the role of HR BP

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 General Introduction to the study
Executive managers are hardly pushed to look for new solutions promising
optimization of their overall business processes and organisational structures by the current,
difficult changes in the organisations' environment, including mismatches between work
supply and demand, changes in work career models, digitalization of business processes, etc.
At the same time, being ready to invest in human resources, organizations all over the world
strive to improve their HR processes and cost effectiveness.
The service was designed to improve how systems and technologies used by
enterprises to manage their human resources are handled by outside experts known as HR
business partners (HRBPs). In his book Human Resource Champions, Dave Ulrich proposed
this function as "the shared model of HR services" (Ulrich, 1997). Ulrich's approach to the
whole function of HRBP has seen significant changes over the past two decades, and ongoing
research has revealed new areas in which HRBP expertise may be useful in addition to
changes in operating business models.
Even while numerous market studies show that businesses' HR capabilities are
steadily improving, many businesses still only partially or never employ the services offered
by HRBP. The most well-known HRBP organisations, such as large international
consultancies like EY and comparable ones, primarily provide their services to large
corporations that can afford the expensive and complicated HR services. The HRPB offer is
mostly unknown for the majority of medium-sized and small businesses since it appears to be
unnecessary. It implies that the service provided by HRBPs is not customised to meet the
various market needs identified by both businesses and specific clients. Finding the cause of
this circumstance first requires an explanation, which HRPB can provide.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The challenges faced by Human Resource to grow overall organisation growth.
1.3 Objectives
To learn more about how the HRBP role has changed, and identified traits critical to
success in the role.

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1.4 Scope of the Study

By applying what it has learned from the Covid-19, the industry will be prepared to
handle any pandemic that may arise in the future with minimal difficulty.
1.5 Limitations of the Study
It has been ten years since Ulrich created the HR Business Partner Model. The
paradigm has drawn criticism for not working in practise because it leaves too much room for
misunderstandings. Ineffectiveness of the HR Business Partner Model is cited by one in four
managers (Ulrich, 2008). Though it is unclear if this is a result of the HR Business Partner
model or the organisations' implementation approach. Ulrich offers a paradigm but underlines
that there isn't a single optimum practise (Ulrich, 1997). The organisational backdrop, the
model's drivers, and the upper management's and line managers' desire to participate are all
likely to have an impact on the model's effectiveness.
According to Roebuck (2010), many organisations do not adequately apply the HR
Business Partner concept. One of the causes may be that HR generally doesn't comprehend
what Line Managers do. The author contends that HR primarily uses "assumed" Provides HR
practises that the line manager neither wants nor requires as a result of needs that are not
"genuine" needs (ibid.). Roebuck (2010) asserts that HR Business Partners have neither
increased CEO satisfaction nor organizational performance. This is due to a variety of
circumstances. The first issue is that the obligations of Line Managers and HR Business
Partners are not clearly defined. Second, operational and strategic goals frequently are not in
sync with one another.
Not always is what the line manager needs is what the organisation needs (Roebuck,
2010). Referring to this, the true problem with any form of model is the communication and
the boundaries of who is accepting responsibility for what. Therefore, effective
communication is essential for successful partnership.

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CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
The literature review on HR Business Partnering is presented in this section, with a
focus on the model Ulrich developed in 1997. My focus is on how the literature characterises
the interactions between line managers and HR experts acting in the capacity of business
partners. I also research the Ulrich, Brockbank, and Armstrong capabilities to address how
people are perceived to be able to build HR business partnerships with one another.
The HR Business Partnering model has flaws, which I further discuss to demonstrate
why the model shouldn't be taken for granted. These flaws are described in prior work.
The goal of HR Business Partnering is to reexamine the purpose of HR and the ways
in which HR value may improve business performance. The goal of HR business partnerships
is to support organisational goals with their knowledge and skills in order to boost
productivity and effectiveness (Ulrich, 1997). Line managers and HR Business Partners are
the main players in HR Business Partnering. In order to free up time for strategic job
responsibilities, HR Business Partners want to spend less time on administration (Boglind,
Hällstén, and Thilander, 2011). Ulrich (1997) offers a four-role model in which each function
contributes to the success of the company: strategic partner, administrative expert, employee
champion, and change agent.
All HR experts are therefore business partners since they increase the value to the
company. To get the Line Managers to share responsibility for identifying HR practises that
support company strategy, it is especially the job of the HR strategic partners to forge strong
partnerships with them (Ulrich, 1997). Armstrong defined four roles: business partner,
change agent, internal consultant, and service delivery. He claims that these can be either
proactive, reactive, or both, which is similar to Ulrich but also somewhat in opposition to him
(Armstrong, 2006b; Armstrong, 2009). HR specialists play a proactive role and, as a result,
act as business partners on a strategic level. However, in some circumstances, they mostly
play a reactive function, when HR specialists only offer a service to meet the demand.
Although the term "business partner" may not be widely accepted, HR professionals
in a business partner role are universally recognised as needing to be strategic, according to
Armstrong (2006b) (Armstrong, 2006a). The HR strategic partner role, according to Lawler
III and Mohrman (2003), develops from the business partner function. By creating processes
and policies to make sure that employees have the required capabilities, HR experts serve as a
business partner. It is a function that provides advice and services related to organisational

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growth, change management, and the coordination of HR systems with business activities
(Lawler III and Mohrman, 2003). The effectiveness of the business partner role increases as
business partners become more engaged in addressing business demands (Lawler III and
Mohrman, 2003). Converting company strategy into human implications is one of their key
duties. In agreement with Ulrich and Armstrong, Lawler III and Mohrman (2003) claim that
the strategic HR role assists the organisation in developing its strategy and enhancing
business performance by contributing to strategic planning, managing change, and overseeing
the development of human capital.
Relationships
The phrase "business partner" has emerged as the preferred one for HR specialists
who support the achievement of organisational objectives and define roles in collaboration
with Line Managers. Ulrich (1997)'s key takeaway is that a competitive organisation depends
on the collaboration of HR Business Partners and Line Managers. To make sure that a
strategic HR planning process takes place and results in an organisation that can fulfil
business needs, line managers and HR BP collaborate as participants. Ulrich and Armstrong
both agree that the collaboration between HR professionals and Line Managers is founded on
a common commitment to the company's success to ensure the ongoing development and
execution of the business strategy. The goal is for the participants to develop tight working
relationships and trust.
In this collaborative effort, HR Business Partners should be proactive, anticipating
needs, seeing issues, and coming up with creative solutions for Line Managers (Armstrong,
2006a). Apparently, Ulrich (1997)
Working together toward shared objectives based on trust and commitment from both
parties, partnership dissolves barriers between line and staff. To accomplish their joint
objectives and integrate their expertise, each party contributes distinct competencies.
Together, they strive to clear up common misconceptions about human resources, develop
trustworthy connections, concentrate on deliverables, prioritise skills, and develop an action
plan for achieving them (Ulrich and Brockbank, 2005). One of the benefits of partnering is
that different ideas can be combined to create a common ground.
The responsibility to construct partnering is shared among the participants. In order to
act in a business partner role, the academic and the practical viewpoints agree that certain
competencies such as business knowledge, interpersonal skills, HR experience, and strategic
thinking are necessary. According to Ulrich (1997) Line Manager’s responsibility in the

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partnering process is to involve HR Business Partners and HR Partners in people decisions

and show the willingness to cooperate. Line Manager’s responsibility is to turn strategy into
action and meet the business needs. By doing so they have to ensure that every HR plan has
an organisational action plan for implementation (ibid.). According to Lawler III and
Mohrman (2003) HR Business Partners rely on the Line Managers to implement many of the
HR practices. As claimed by the authors, Line Managers have to constantly question HR
practices to evaluate priorities. One of their responsibilities for HR is to approve and execute
HR decisions. Line Managers constantly need to express what they want HR to accomplish
(Ulrich and Brockbank, 2005). It is both participants’ responsibility to find a common ground
based on commitment, trust and respect to achieve a common goal (Ulrich, 1997).
Competencies
New skills are needed as the HR function attempts to participate in business decisions
(Lawler III and Mohrman, 2003). In order for business partners to maximise the value they
contribute to the organisation, HR has its own set of skills, according to Ulrich and
Brockbank (2005) joining forces with the company. The first area is strategic contribution,
which encompasses market-driven connectedness, quick change, cultural management, and
strategic decision-making. Interpersonal and communication skills are subgroups of the
category personal credibility. HR Business Partners must be able to create and provide both
fundamental and cutting-edge HR solutions.
Staffing, training and development, organisational design, performance management,
HR measurement, and regulatory compliance are conventional HR instruments that fall under
the umbrella of HR delivery (Ulrich and Brockbank, 2005). In addition, the author discusses
the idea that business knowledge has a negligible impact on corporate performance.
However, HR Business Partners believe that in order to be business partners, it is crucial to
comprehend the firm they work for and the sector in which they operate. This category is
divided into three subcategories: labour knowledge, value chain knowledge, and company
value proposition knowledge (Ulrich and Brockbank, 2005).
Armstrong (2006a) asserts that maintaining relationships built on trust and associating
oneself with the company's values are crucial components of personal credibility. The
capacity to manage change is essential to advancing it by identifying issues and establishing
agendas, resolving issues, and carrying out plans. HR Business Partners should be able to
manage culture by establishing the type of culture needed to achieve the company's business
plan and motivating staff to act in line with it. Delivering cutting-edge HR practices is part of
delivering
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human resource practices. When it comes to HR issues involving strategy, organisation,

rivals, operations, and finance, business knowledge is helpful (Armstrong, 2006a).
According to Armstrong (2006a) personal credibility is essential and includes
maintaining relationships based on trust and identifying oneself with the company’s values.
The ability to manage change is important to drive change by diagnosing problems, setting
leadership agendas, solving problems and implementing goals. HR Business Partners should
have the ability to manage culture by identifying the culture required to meet the company’s
business strategy and encourage employees to behave with the desired culture. The delivery
of human resource practices includes delivering innovative HR practices. The competence to
understand the business is helpful for HR matters concerning strategy, organisation,
competitors, operations and finance (Armstrong, 2006a).
The reviewed literature about HR Business Partnering does not address the
competencies of Line Managers on how to do partnering. The competencies required for Line
Managers are merely described in terms of how he or she is responsible for people
management, such as communicating effectively, using people’s strengths, being calm and
consistent, dealing with problems effectively, engaging team members and developing trust
of their employees (Ulrich,997). According to Ulrich (1997) the task of the Line Managers is
to turn HR strategy into action and meet the business needs. However, some researchers
claim that Line Managers take proactively part in constructing partnering, managing conflict
and solving problems (e.g. Ulrich, 1997; Ulrich and Brockbank, 2005; Armstrong, 2006), but
they do not explain how it can be done from a Line Manager’s perspective.
Problems with the HR Business Partnering Model
The HR Business Partner Model designed by Ulrich has been around 10 years now.
There has been criticism that the model does not work in practice as it gives too much space
to misinterpretations. One in four managers say that the HR Business Partner Model is
ineffective (Ulrich, 2008). Though, it is not sure if this is due to the HR Business Partner
model or the implementation strategy of the organisations. Ulrich presents a model, but also
emphasizes that there is no one best practice (Ulrich, 1997). The successfulness of the model
most likely depends on the organisational context, the people that drive the model and the
willingness of the Line Managers and executive management to participate. Roebuck (2010)
argues that the HR Business Partner model is not implemented properly in many
organisations. One of the reasons might be that there is a general lack in understanding from
HR what Line Managers

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do. Therefore the author argues that HR uses rather 'assumed needs than a ‘real’ need and
consequently delivers HR practices that the line manager neither wants nor needs (ibid.).
According to Roebuck (2010) HR Business Partners have not improved the
organisational performance and the satisfaction of CEO’s. There are many factors why this is
so. Firstly, there is a lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of HR Business
Partners and Line Managers. Secondly, there is a frequent lack of alignment between
operational and strategic objectives. What the line manager requires is not always what the
organisation needs (Roebuck, 2010). Referring to this, the communication and the boundary
of who is taking responsibility for what is the real challenge with any kind of model.
Subsequently the level of communication is the key for successful partnering.
According to Ulrich and Brockbank (2010) the unavoidable failures in the application
of the HR Business Partner Model is primarily based on the competences of the HR Business
Partner performing the work of a HR Business Partner as well as the willingness of the line
manager to accept the role. The authors state that 20% of HR professionals will probably
never be able to adapt to the full business partner role as some HR professionals cannot
perform the work of a business partner and cannot link their day-to-day work to business
results (Ulrich and Brockbank, 2010). Being a business partner requires HR professionals to
have new knowledge, skills and add significant value to customer business results. Some may
not make the shift to business partners because of personal interests that prevent them from
engaging in the business partner role. Some HR practitioners may want to be business
partners but simply do not know how to proceed. Such people need to understand the
frameworks, knowledge, and competencies that are necessary to grow into the business
partner role (Ulrich and Brockbank, 2010). In addition to the HR professional’s credibility,
ability and willingness to make HR Business Partnering successful, some Line Managers
might have problems accepting HR Business Partners as contributors to business agendas
(due to limited perspective on the changing nature of the business, lack of HR knowledge or
due to past bad experiences).
“We see the human resource function within our space at the intersection of people
and culture, talent, coaching, learning and development, C-suite support, events, and social
gatherings, as well as reviews and supporting people performance,” Jonathan Jeffries,
director at start-up growth and talent firm. Think & Grow, added. “If properly integrated and
supported at the C-level human resources can - and should - be across all things people and
culture and should be considered as central to business and people growth.”
“Having a voice at the leadership table for people and culture can be a point of

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difference,” Alex Hattingh, chief people officer at people-management platform Employment

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Hero, told HRD. “Without a leader and an advocate for people, decisions are made without
consideration of the impact of that decision on your people.
“When the strategy of the business has its people front and centre, human resources is
non-negotiable,” Jefferies added. “With the appropriate budget and C-level engagement -
meaning human resources is considered a key part of the business' strategy - it forms a vital
cog in achieving business milestones in culture, values, and performance.

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CHAPTER 3
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design
I used a variety of methodologies to determine my aims, including:
1. Direct observations.
2. In-person conversations with departmental personnel.
3. File and circular research, as well as practical work.

3.2Data Collection Methods

I used secondary data sources to carry out the proposed investigation. I conducted
direct conversations with corporate representatives to gather data for the intended study in
order to learn about loan processing, evaluation, and the true nature of the organization.

3.3Secondary Data Sources

1. I obtained the internal secondary data directly from the research papers
2. External secondary data was gathered from the business website.
3. Researching documents and papers.

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CHAPTER 4
DATA
ANALYSIS

Table 1 : The role of HR departments in project-oriented organizations –empirical

study findings
Unstructured interviews provided additional information on the way respondents
assigned a specific role to the HR departments. Respondents were guided by the insights in
connection with the solutions introduced by HR experts for the sustainable structures of the
enterprise. The HR departments implement tools designed to perform the HR function,
including devising procedures which must be observed by the managers of functional units.
That projects are being implemented in the organization is most frequently reflected in the
remuneration regulations developed by the HR department managers. As far as the
participation of HR department employees in projects is concerned, it confines itself to
assistance predominantly in the implementation of training for team members. Although – as
indicated before – the HR business partner is the most developed role that a HR department
can perform, one cannot state categorically that, For example, HR leaders or change makers
represent lesser roles. Critical assessment should be preceded by an in-depth analysis of the
situation of a given economic operator, including its stage of development, market position,
changes implemented (their number, strategic relevance), forms of staff employment (or how
popular it is to use outsourcing), organizational culture, etc. The evolution of the HR
department position towards business partner requires changes in the employers’
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consciousness

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and employees themselves of the HR units in terms of the advantages arising from deploying
a strategic approach to people management.
Management through projects as a method for the implementation of the enterprise’s
strategy triggers changes in the organization structure (temporary teams, new roles/positions
such as, e.g. project manager, contractor carrying out work in the project, project office
employee), affecting the nature of work (temporary participation in a team, variability of
tasks/roles, employees being doubly subordinated). The implementation of this method of
strategy in an organization with a stable structure, where employees are used to perform
constant, planned or even routine work can have negative psycho-social implications.
Furthermore, the HR function comprises all actions taken with respect to employees
conducting work within a sustainable structure of the enterprise, as well as actions addressed
to project team members. It is key that the “two-way” architecture of the HR function stays
cohesive internally. In such circumstances the role of the HR business partner gains in
particular importance.

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Picture 1 Source : Vantage Circle

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CHAPTER
5
FINDINGS
5.1 5 HR Trends for the Post-Pandemic Workplace
It’s been more than a year since many of us have set foot in our offices. A year of
upended routines and jerry-rigged schedules; of working beside relatives, not colleagues;
of learning from experience what words like “virtual” and “zoom” really mean. But now,
with the pandemic ebbing in the United States, it may soon be time for many of us to
return. Some workers—those who enjoyed remote work or found it more practical—will
continue to work from home, human resources experts say, while those who are returning
may find offices that are being transformed to serve the emerging needs of both
companies and their employees.
These changes are about more than simply reconfiguring physical space. Rather,
they are part of an evolution in the way companies and HR managers are rethinking the
nature of work for the post-pandemic era and the abilities, needs, and potential of their
workers.
“Amazingly enough, the pandemic has led global HR to be even more cognizant
of the wellbeing of the whole person,” said William Martucci, who leads the National
Employment Litigation & Policy Practice and is an adjunct professor in the Master’s in
Human Resources Management program at Georgetown University. “Efficiency is still
important, but there’s an understanding that now the person as an individual has to be
thought of in a broader perspective so that there are growth opportunities.”
Here, Martucci and Bunmi Biu, Ph.D., a global HR and organizational
development consultant who also teaches in the Human Resources Management graduate
program, identify five trends that will impact companies and their HR department in the
coming years.

5.1.1 More Employees will Work from Home

Not long ago, some managers thought that “if you’re not in an office where they
can see you, you’re not really working,” Biu said. The pandemic has proved them wrong.
“Companies are reporting increased productivity from employees working at home,” she
said, noting that “when you have autonomy and flexibility, you are able to arrange your
schedule around your work.” According to the “Harvard Business Review,” knowledge
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workers doing their jobs remotely spent 12 percent less time in large meetings and 9
percent more time interacting with customers and external partners. In addition, the
number of tasks judged “tiresome” dropped from 27 percent to 12 percent.
5.1.2 Collaboration and Personal Connections Will Become More
Critical
The downside of working from home is the loss of personal connections and
camaraderie that come from being in an office. So expect HR specialists to create a
variety of new ways to bring people together: hybrid schedules that combine both in-
person and remote work; reimaged workspaces that facilitate stronger connections when
people are in the office; retreats and planning sessions where employees can visit and
brainstorm for several hours—or days.
5.1.3 The Debate Over Location-Based Pay Will Continue
During the pandemic, many knowledge workers moved from the cities where their
offices were located to relatively lower-cost towns and rural areas. Some moved out of
state or even out of the country. “They can work, theoretically, anywhere in the world
where there’s an internet connection,” Biu said. This trend has raised questions about how
all workers should be compensated: If employees move to lower-cost areas, should their
pay be reduced commensurately? Or should their compensation remain the same but the
pay of new hires from these areas doing the same jobs be adjusted to reflect the local cost
of living, a situation that would create a pay disparity between these employees? Expect
this discussion to continue.
5.1.4 A Globalized Workforce Will Present New Challenges and
Opportunities
We were interdependent before the pandemic, but COVID-19 truly drove this fact
home. As the virus leaped from nation to nation, it disrupted international supply chains
and proved—if any proof were needed—that multinational corporations have to allocate
talent and resources across the globe. “It’s a reimagining of the four corners of what
would be the office to the four corners of the world,” Martucci said. The challenge will be
in balancing the need to maintain a company’s brand, identity, and vision with the
imperative to embrace a variety of workplace cultures.
5.1.5 Companies Will Focus on Employee Growth and Wellbeing
Efficiency will always be a goal of well-run corporations, but that’s not enough
anymore. “Efficiency is still important,” Martucci said, “but there’s an understanding that

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the person as an individual has to be thought of in a broader perspective so that there can
be growth opportunities.” That means more flexibility, more responsibilities, more trust
all around. Companies need individuals who can handle the complex and often
psychologically taxing jobs of today; and the best job candidates will seek out employers
who recognize this reality. The HR Business Partner (HRBP) role has been around in
concept since the late 90’s, when Dave Ulrich published his seminal book, human
resource champions.

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Picture 2 Source: Delvens

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5.2 Six Traits Critical to Success in the Role

Over the past 18 months, the role of the HRBP has changed dramatically,
becoming less tactical and more strategic almost overnight as organizational leaders
and employees sought guidance and support navigating through incredibly
challenging times. To learn more about how the HRBP role has changed, Kincentric
interviewed top-performing HRBPs and identified six traits critical to success in the
role:
5.2.1 Serve as a coach to business leaders
The ability to serve as a coach has become the hallmark of top HR Business
Partners. A strong HRBP can coach business leaders on their individual leadership
effectiveness and help them drive solutions for the business. This requires the ability
to challenge the leader’s perceptions, refocusing away from problems to desired
solutions. They must have the confidence to ask difficult questions with a posture of
openness and a sense of curiosity, helping leaders to think differently. The HRBP
needs to listen, be strategic in their response and help the leader understand the
implications of their decisions.
5.2.2 Act as business leaders first, HR practitioners second
The successful HRBP sees themselves as an integral member of the leadership
team as well as a member of the HR function, continuously striking a balance between
the two. This requires them to think differently about how they apply their expertise to
achieve desired business outcomes and come to the table with solutions that drive
impact. Doing this effectively requires the HRBP to build credibility with leaders so
that they are not just viewed as the “HR person” in the room. It requires them to be
clear with leaders on the purpose of their role and demonstrate the value they bring.
This is what earns them a seat at the table.
5.2.3 Serve as the “connector” between the business and HR function
While top HRBPs consider themselves “business first”, they also play the
unique role of serving as the bridge between the business and the “rest of HR”. They
need to translate business needs to shape the development of people solutions,
programs and tools that drive talent and business outcomes. While HRBPs cannot be
expected to be the expert in all things HR, they must be able to connect with the right
resources when necessary and maintain close relationships with their peers and
partners in HR COEs and HR Operations teams.

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5.2.4 Perform with courage

One element consistently mentioned as a critical differentiator for top HRBPs
is the ability to demonstrate courage on an ongoing basis–courage to say ‘no’, courage
to be direct and openly share their perspectives, courage to push leaders to make
effective decisions, and the courage to make decisions while dealing in the “grey”.
The role of an HRBP is not to be an order taker but a strategic business partner, and to
be effective the HRBP needs to set the right expectations with leaders. Further, the
HRBP needs to be comfortable asserting their opinion and sharing their perspectives
to drive the right outcomes for the business.
5.2.5 Exhibit agility and flexibility
The experiences of the past year have underscored the importance of being
agile and adaptable. From creating cross-functional teams to solve urgent business
problems to reprioritizing the HR agenda (again and again), this is the new reality
within which HRBPs must operate. Recognizing that one size may not fit all, effective
HRBPs must remain open-minded, listening and learning before jumping in to solve
issues. Solutions must be grounded in an understanding of the needs of the employees
as well as the needs of the business. Modeling agility and flexibility, the top HRBP
helps the business transform the status quo and assists the organization to be nimbler
and more adaptable.
5.2.6 Speak the truth as an inspiring storyteller
There is power in words. Through words and actions, the HRBP speaks truth,
takes a stand, and advocates for change that drives evolution. The ability to tell a good
story that stirs and transforms hearts and minds has become a critical business skill,
and the strong HRBP has mastered this. Keeping an ear to the ground, listening to the
employee voice, and using data to provide insights about the most critical talent needs
is how HRBPs provide value to business leaders.
In the wake of the pandemic, the role will surely continue to evolve, but these
foundational traits will always serve HRBPs well.

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CHAPTER 6

CONCLUSIO

The use of HR transformation is better suited for large, rapidly expanding

businesses. The HR sharing concept can be used properly to boost organisational
effectiveness, cut costs, and implement HRBP in its true capacity. Many significant
businesses, both domestically and internationally, have been investigating and putting
HR transformation into practise over the past few decades. This essay looks at the
challenges of using HRBP in practise and offers solutions. The absence of employee
support roles, the poor quality of HRBP, and the lack of attention from management
and business units are the three main challenges that the majority of companies face
when implementing the HRBP role, as identified by this paper using primary data
from prior literature on organisational change respondents.

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