2024

What is the HR Business Partner Model?

Looking for the HR business partner model? You’re at the right place then.

The human resources business partner model is when the HR department participates in planning in a strategic way to elevate the business growth and supports it in its present and future goals.

Rather than limiting itself by concentrating on HR duties such as payroll, employee relations, and benefits, HR departments seek to add business success to the company by overseeing training, recruiting, advancement, and placement of all employees. In addition, the HR business partner model can organize how HR functions are carried out.

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The HR business partner role carries the expertise and a comprehensive understanding of how the HR function works and how to make a line of business within the company prosperous.

Their job responsibilities include coaching business leaders about human resources issues such as developing supportive HR, business strategy planning, analyzing talent requirements, onboarding, and recruiting.

HR business partners exhibit solid business knowledge and specific experience within the employer’s business sector, using HR capabilities to support organizational business goals.

HR as a function is close to the top and the center of the organization’s structure. In this manner, HR can function to enhance organizational objectives and add value to the business. In addition, HR business partnering makes human resources a part of corporate strategy rather than a strict, reactive personnel function.

Why is the Human Resources Business Partner Model Important?

The HR business partner model structure is curated to elevate business growth on all levels over time. HR chooses and screens individuals best aligned for the roles involved in recruitment.

In the development and development process, HR locates which employees need detailed training and ensure that it is done correctly.

In knowing the company’s inner workings, the strategic nature of the HR partnership model is combined with a corporate game of employee and manager sequence to achieve the most effective business outcomes.

Our top-rated HRBP certification provides insightful information on the HR business partner model. Take a look here and make sure to enroll to upskill your knowledge with the advanced HRBP skills:

HR Business Partner Certification

What is an HR Business Partner?

A human resources business partner is a senior HR member with a deep knowledge of the correlation of the HR department’s role with the company’s success.

Their role includes supporting, guiding and coaching other HR staff members, as well as strategies, recruiting, and onboarding.

An HR business partner differs from an HR manager. The HR manager is focused on looking over the running of the HR department, while the primary goal of an HR business partner is to ensure HR contributes to the broader success of the organization.

Why is it Important to have an HR Business Partner?

An HR business partner ensures that the HR is treated as an essential business division to develop the business and drive more profit. Processes like intelligent recruitment decisions, smooth internal communications, and effective onboarding all contribute to the broader success of the company. An HR business partner helps lend these things the prominence and attention they deserve.

For HR business partners to work in practice, HR must shake off its lack of self-esteem. However, when done in a strategic way, HR adds immense value to the organization

Perks of HR business partner model

HR business partnership, defined by a more expansive definition, is the future role of HR. It walks away from the limited functions of training, recruitment, etc., and makes these functions work for the business.

Reasons for Considering Human Resources Business Partner Model

Here are a few reasons to consider the HR business partner model structure for your organization:

1. Change

Companies’ primary reason for considering and implementing the HR business model is due to change and evolution.

Change is necessary to expand the business or make it more productive, efficient, competitive, and problem-solving. Therefore, change in the business paradigm is a continuous necessity.

The HR leaders recognize that the business model handles the required changes and improvements by investing in human capital and people.

The supporters of the model understand that the success and job satisfaction of the employees is one of the primary keys to business success. Where a well-run HR partner model is most suited to focus on the needs of both the company and the individuals.

2. Considerations

Businesses considering the human resource business partner model must understand the nature of different model aspects and train outsourced individuals or hire HR specialists.

Expecting a sole HR office to handle HR generalist duties on top of interviewing, training, recruiting, strategic planning, and reviews results in frustration and eventual program failure for all involved. Instead, the HR business partner model requires a conscious HR strategy to change and hire a force of technical HR talent to see it through.

3. Value

An HR business partner plays a crucial role in acquiring top new talent and verifies business objectives. As a result, they place current employees in the proper position with the correct managers and team partners and have access to vital training opportunities that permit long-term advancement. In addition, by promoting employee satisfaction and individual success, an HR partner aids in publicizing business success.

What areas in which the human resource business partner model adds the most weight? The answer might differ from business to business, the best HR partners work with the upper management team to specify the organization’s short and extensive goals. Then, they develop techniques for achieving these goals and discuss the organizational structure to pinpoint problem areas.

Advantages of a Human Resources Business Partner Model

In a traditional model, the HR manager is accountable for hiring and recruiting employees, administering benefits and payroll, and handling employee relations.

Digital HR technology now takes care of many of those traditional tasks, often freeing up space for HR to take on new responsibilities. Many companies are now looking at the HR role as a business partner, which plays a vital role in driving growth and profitability.

Responsibilities of HR business partner

The business partner model reduces and takes away pressure from management to sharpen employee job skills for efficiency and productivity. Also, they identify, develop, and groom the best employees for success.

HR personnel is also responsible for assessing and reviewing employee data. This allows HR personnel to figure out strengths, which they may develop further to place employees more smartly, and disadvantages, which they may correct with further job skill training or corrective action.

Limitations of a Human Resources Business Partner Model

Suppose the HR department already works in a dynamic way and faces employee relations problems. In that scenario, you will not have enough time and people to assign to partnering with the company for other functions.

The business partner model requires the involvement of HR in almost each and every aspect of the enterprise, including financial status, production statistics, and sales numbers.

Management buy-in may is also a difficulty, as the traditional role of HR is inflated to that of an overseer of the whole business in the business-partner model.

There are multiple shortcomings of a human resource business partner model. The most fundamental ones are mentioned here:

1. Capability Shortfalls

The implementation of the HRBP role often displays pressing shortfalls in vital areas, such as how good the HRBP’s understanding of the necessary drivers of organizational success is and how progressive the HRBP is.

2. Reactive, not Proactive

The HRBP exists to benefit the client, i.e., the internal customer, but, that means pausing for the client to approach them rather than taking a functional approach. This means not concentrating on real value due to unaligned requests.

There is a risk that the client’s demands are based on activity not in line with the strategic goals. Therefore the HRBP does work that is not even aligned with the strategic objectives.

3. Unnecessary Assumptions

There may arise a few assumptions about what parts need attention rather than the ones that need actual requirements.

For example, an HRBP may take the task in seclusion, so when it fails, that HRBP will look at the reasoning behind the loss of that individual project. Yet only about thirty percent of initiatives are ever executed. Therefore, the HRBP needs to look at the business signs rather than take an isolated view.

4. Unsuitable Solutions

There is a trend to give internal customers the best practices. However, this is not always what the customer requires or wants. So instead, HRBPs are responsible to serve the best current outcome.

Conclusion

HR business partnering is gaining popularity amongst organizations to organize their HR function. This is because it’s proving to add meaningful professional value. Human resource is the instigator of both change and balance through business partnering, balancing different stakeholders to the overall organizational ambitions. On the base, this means HR professionals hire the right talent and encourage it here without losing the picture of the more extensive goals and performance in the long term.

The mission of the HR business partner model is to add actual value to the company by adding HR into all areas of business operations and strategic planning. As experts on the human element of the business, HR is best qualified to figure out how every employee fits into the organization’s goals and put each employee in a position to deliver positive results.

Human resources business partners identify employee morale, support new perks, and benefits that provide a competitive edge and build a strong company culture from the latest employee to the oldest one.

Companies must focus on results instead of the process to measure an HR partner’s value. For example, instead of changing the performance review process, Human resource experts need to assess and measure the impact of those changes. There are several trackable HR metrics that companies can use to gauge results.

For the HR business partner model to become a success, an HR professional must develop proficiency with all angles of the business. This will need digitalization or outsourcing primary administrative duties to free specialists up to focus on more significant outcomes.


If you are new to human resources and are looking to break into an HR Business Partner role, we recommend taking our HR Business Partner Certification Course, where you will learn how to build your skillset in the human resources business partner realm, build your HRBP network, craft a great HRBP resume, and create a successful HRBP job search strategy.

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Josh Fechter
Josh Fechter is the founder of HR.University. He's a certified HR professional and has managed global teams across 5 different continents including their benefits and payroll. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.