“ The Effective HR Business Partner ” book review

It would seem that everything has already been said and written about it. However, many people are constantly looking for reliable data and first-hand ideas that will allow them to better prepare for the challenges ahead. Presentations of interesting, and often controversial, ideas lead to "intense" discussions and many practical activities.

This idea also inspired the author in the preparation of this book. He decided to collect many different practices, thoughts and research data in such a way as to encourage readers to actively reflect, ask questions, and often also to disagree. Individual chapters have been prepared by practitioners and experts in the field of human capital management. Each of the studies can also be easily related to selected elements of the model presented in the first chapter.

The mission of this book is to share with the Readers the experience and thoughts inspired by it, often going beyond the rigid framework of the most direct associations with the role and function of HRBP, such as the issue of happiness at work or mindfulness in interpersonal relationships.

It will certainly be of interest to a wide group of managers, specialists in the field of people management and people preparing to perform the functions of HR Business Partner.

1. Changing context of business partnering

We need to look at the function and role of the HR department and how organizations meet their human resource needs by introducing a business partnership. Essentially, an HR business partnership is a model that can be used in organizing the way the HR function works.

It is based on the belief that HR as a function must be closely aligned with the highest and central point of the organization's structure - leaders and managers. This way you can really improve your organizational goals and added value.HR business partnership makes HR part of the organizational strategy, not the staff.

How to measure and increase the effectiveness of development activities?

HR Business Partnership is gaining popularity with companies as a way to organize their HR functions as it proves it brings significant business value. Through a business partnership, HR can be seen as an initiator of both balance and change, aligning different contractors with overall organizational goals. In practice, this means that HR recruits the right talent and motivates it here and now, without losing sight of larger goals and results in the long run. While HR is of course a separate part within the organization, it is also a partner for business leaders and management, achieving organizational goals and then translating them into action in practice.

2. Business partner issues

The HR Business Partners face the difficult task of building a strong position in the profession, which is associated with skilful support of the managerial staff in the change process and providing effective solutions in people management.

Face to face with business

This is the direction from which every HR Business Partner organization should start. However it sounds, the primary responsibility of HRBP is ... to know the business and external conditions in which it operates. The first step is to learn about the company's business strategy and integrate it with personnel processes. The second step is to understand the needs of the company's external customers. In practice, it means that the HR Business Partner should develop knowledge about the company's customers and suppliers.

3. Roles and structure, capabilities and mindset of HR BPs

In the classic Ulrich model, HR should strive for the closest possible cooperation with the management board and management staff responsible for the work of individual departments. We know that it was sometimes different, but today the HR Business Partner is needed by today's companies more than ever. HRBP's initiative and proactivity means being able to observe threats before a critical need for response occurs. It is also a committed attitude and openness to propose changes, the ability to predict risks, make the right decisions at the right time.

4. The key relationships

The process approach makes it possible to gain knowledge about the employee's involvement in specific processes, which may not necessarily be related to the unit in which they function, or to tasks that are specified in their scope of duties. Thanks to the analysis of processes, it is easier to assess whether their layout and course is optimal, how a specific employee functions in these processes and what are his predispositions.

The combination of data from the analysis of processes and hard data at the disposal of the organization allows the HR Business Partner to analyze in detail the use of skills and tasks performed by employees. The results of such analysis support the identification of potential problems and translate into building recommended solutions

5. Measurement and evaluation

Gathering knowledge and skilful use of data from IT systems is an opportunity to optimize costs and company development. Also in the context of HR. However, even the best HR Business Partner will not be able to introduce changes and indicate recommendations without knowing the scope of employees' duties, their roles, responsibilities and processes in which they participate. Therefore, it is important to be supported by appropriately selected modern IT solutions. And the role of the HR Business Partner is then to develop the right solutions, based on a skilful look at hard data in combination with information about the processes and employees implementing them.

6. Conclusions and actions

A well-known saying goes that the key to success is not always knowledge, but above all "sincere willingness". In the case of HR business partners, this works particularly well.