CEB Corporate Leadership Council™

Performance Evaluation
Matrix for HR Business
Partners
A Framework for Member Conversations
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How to Use the Matrix
This matrix of competencies and behavioral success indicators can be used to enhance or build a performance evaluation system for HR Business Partners.
The competencies shown on the grid below are those identified by CEB analysis as being the most critical to HRBP strategic effectiveness. For additional
resources, see our HRBP Self-Assessment, HRBP Competency Model, and HRBP Competency Workbook.

Knowledge Competencies Does Not Meet Expectations
Business Acumen ■■ Shows limited understanding
Using insight of the of business terminology
business environment
■■ Struggles to apply knowledge of
to improve talent and
business challenges and business
business outcomes.
operating timelines to HR programs
■■ Plays no more than a supporting
role in projects owned by the line
Meets Expectations
■■ Understands basic business
terminology and uses it to describe
the impact of HR programs to line
leaders
■■ Works with line leaders to identify
opportunities to adjust HR programs
to better align with business challenges
and operating timelines
■■ Plays a key contributor or consultative
role in projects owned by the line
Exceeds Expectations
■■ Uses sophisticated business
terminology and business impact
analysis to secure line leader buy-in
and commitment for HR programs
■■ Leverages a deep understanding
of business needs and timelines/
procedures to influence HR programs
to make them more relevant and easy-
to-use for the line
■■ Owns and manages projects with both
HR and line contributors

Source: CEB analysis.

© 2014 CEB. All rights reserved. CLC8348414PRO

3
 Knowledge Competencies Does Not Meet Expectations
Organizational Acumen ■■ Shows limited understanding of
Using knowledge of the business unit challenges and goals
organization to improve
■■ Struggles to understand how HR
talent and business
programs serves the business
outcomes.
customers
■■ Fails to connect talent strategy with
organizational and business unit needs
Talent Management Acumen ■■ Has difficulty coordinating hiring
Applying workforce planning requests from line managers and
knowledge, engagement maintaining adequate staffing levels
strategies, and succession
■■ Struggles to contribute to
management.
the organization’s succession
management program
■■ Fails to partner with managers to
address employee under–performance
issues
■■ Struggles to assess and improve
employee engagement
Source: CEB analysis.
© 2014 CEB. All rights reserved. CLC8348414PRO
Meets Expectations
■■ Understands business unit annual goals
and uses it to describe the impact of
talent initiatives with leaders
■■ Demonstrates ability to manage cross-
functional relationships to ensure
cohesive value delivery for customer-
facing projects
■■ Supports talent objectives with minimal
conflict between both business unit
strategy and overall organizational
strategy
■■ Coordinates hiring requests from line
managers and reviews staffing levels on
an ongoing basis to adjust hiring plans
as necessary
■■ Successfully contributes to
the organization’s succession
management program
■■ Partners with managers to address
most employee under–performance
issues
■■ Assesses and monitors employee
engagement and works reactively
to address issues of disengagement
Exceeds Expectations
■■ Builds a thorough understanding
of overall business unit strategy
and meets regularly with line partner
to discuss progress and updates on
strategy that impact talent initiatives
■■ Works with a partner in a customer-
facing/customer service role to
understand customer needs
■■ Shares instances of how talent
decisions align to organizational
mission and values in team meetings
and check-ins with line partners
■■ Forecasts current and future talent
needs
■■ Maintains and updates a succession
plan and proactively identifies next-
generation leaders
■■ Proactively partners with managers
and provides them with resources to
assess, manage, and improve employee
performance
■■ Assesses, monitors, and manages
employee engagement on a proactive,
ongoing basis; identifies and works to
address disengagement issues early
4
 Skill Competencies Does Not Meet Expectations
Data Judgment ■■ Shows limited understanding
Applying judgment to data of available metrics tracked
to support business decision within the organization
making.
■■ Reports talent metrics provided
by central HR
Leadership ■■ Partially contributes to making the
Persuading and influencing business case for talent management
line partners and other key programs to line leaders
stakeholders. ■■ Struggles to make informed decisions
about HR program prioritization
Innovation ■■ Does not customize relevant HR
Applying systems thinking processes to changing business needs
to identify new solutions for
■■ Relies on past precedent when
the broader enterprise.
implementing HR programs
■■ Does not solicit business
leader feedback on design and
implementation of HR programs
Source: CEB analysis.
© 2014 CEB. All rights reserved. CLC8348414PRO
Meets Expectations
■■ Relies on the HR branch of the
analytics team to identify sources
of data available in the organization
■■ Identifies metrics tracked organization-
wide that are most relevant to report
to business unit leader
■■ Plays a core role in making the business
case for talent management programs
to line leaders
■■ Makes informed decisions about HR
program prioritization based on past
precedent and standard HR knowledge
■■ Reviews relevant HR processes and
adapts and tailors them to meet
changing business needs
■■ Implements HR programs in new ways
to adapt to changing employee and
business needs
■■ Asks business leaders for feedback on
how HR could improve implementation
of HR programs
Exceeds Expectations
■■ Meets with the analytics team (and
cross functional peers) to identify all
the sources of data that are available
in the organization
■■ Takes an active role in selecting/
updating talent metrics tracked
by the business unit
■■ Includes data in conversations with
business unit leaders on upcoming
plans
■■ Monitors and reports progress
against goals using data
■■ Leads efforts to build the business
case for talent management programs
to line leaders
■■ Uses best practice research and
business leader/employee feedback
to make informed HR prioritization
decisions
■■ Uses external perspective and best
practice research in reviewing and
tailoring HR processes to meet
changing business needs
■■ Implements HR programs in new
ways based on creative thinking, best
practice research, and business leader/
employee feedback
■■ Regularly solicits feedback and
presents ideas to the business on
how to make HR more relevant and
consumable
5
 Skill Competencies Does Not Meet Expectations
Leveraging Networks ■■ Does not leverage personal network
Using professional networks to contribute to performance
in strategic activities to
■■ Does not support network peers
achieve better talent
in their daily work
outcomes.
Problem Solving ■■ Creates a culture of individual
Developing and evaluating problem solving where new ideas
solutions to problems and are unwelcome
implementing solutions. ■■ Designs short-term and immediate
solutions in times of crisis
■■ Escalates problems to managers
immediately, easily overwhelmed
Proactivity ■■ Struggles to proactively anticipate
Anticipating and preventing challenges
future problems, taking
■■ Addresses employee concerns and
charge to bring about
grievances on an individual level
change, and taking
initiative within role.
■■ Does not maintain organized notes
of challenges addressed in the past
Source: CEB analysis.
© 2014 CEB. All rights reserved. CLC8348414PRO
Meets Expectations
■■ Reactively leverages personal network
to contribute to performance
■■ Supports network peers when asked
■■ Creates a culture where collaboration
is encouraged when solutions are not
readily apparent
■■ Designs immediate solutions to address
challenges, then reviews methods to
see if adjustments need to be made
■■ Escalates problems to managers when
solution is not apparent, but provides
ideas for discussion
■■ Addresses employee concerns at
individual level, but tracks which trends
may be prevalent at an organizational
level
■■ Documents roadblocks encountered
in project execution for personal future
use
Exceeds Expectations
■■ Effectively and proactively leverages
personal network to contribute to
individual performance
■■ Finds methods of supporting network
peers in a method that positively
contributes to business unit goals
■■ Creates a culture of collaborative
problem solving to design
comprehensive solutions
■■ Proactively designs solutions before
problems arise
■■ Takes control of challenges that arise
and collects feedback from multiple
sources to address the problem
■■ Regularly reviews talent data and
metrics to identify trends that may
require action
■■ Regularly identifies employee concerns
and grievances that may be addressed
at a business unit or organizational
level
■■ Documents roadblocks encountered in
project execution to build a catalog for
future reference
6
 Skill Competencies Does Not Meet Expectations
Continuous Learning ■■ Does not leverage network for learning
Seeking opportunities to
■■ Maintains status quo in decision-
learn new and necessary
making
skills and knowledge to
perform work effectively.
■■ Only participates in required
development
Matrix Management ■■ Does not spend time building and
Managing individuals and maintaining professional network
processes.
■■ Actively hinders transparency in work
■■ Defaults to corporate functional
guidelines even if it will negatively
impact business unit
Conflict Resolution ■■ Does not consistently enforce a formal
Ability to resolve conflicts conflict resolution policy
between employees.
■■ Fails to communicate his or her role
as a mediator to employees and
managers
■■ Does not provide employees with
resources to prevent or resolve
interpersonal conflicts
Source: CEB analysis.
© 2014 CEB. All rights reserved. CLC8348414PRO
Meets Expectations
■■ Leverages network for learning when
encountering a new challenge
■■ Inconsistently utilizes new insights
for decision-making
■■ Reactively manages personal
development following changes
to corporate or business unit strategy
■■ Fails to build strong working
relationships with peers outside
of the HR function
■■ Provides transparency into work
when asked
■■ Balances business unit needs with
corporate guidelines when goals are in
agreement, struggles to balance needs
in disagreement
■■ Maintains and implements a formal
conflict resolution policy
■■ Communicates his or her role as a
mediator to employees and managers
■■ Provides employees with basic
resources to prevent or resolve
interpersonal conflicts
Exceeds Expectations
■■ Leverages networks effectively
for self-driven ongoing learning
■■ Frequently utilizes new insights
for decision-making
■■ Owns and proactively manages
personal development
■■ Builds effective working relationships
with line and functional leaders
■■ Creates visibility for others to see how
s/he works within the function
■■ Balances business unit needs with
corporate functional guidelines when
making decisions
■■ Adapts strategies and techniques to
resolve individual situations using the
formal conflict resolution policy as a
guide
■■ Acts as a mediator by making him/
herself proactively available to
employees and managers for informal
or formal mediation discussions
■■ Provides employees with robust
resources to help them resolve
and prevent interpersonal and team
conflicts and adapt to different
employee and leadership styles