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10 Key Skills of a Successful HR Business Partner
The role of an HR business partner is largely strategic in nature, and it requires frequent collaboration with executives and business leaders. As a result, the skills required to achieve success in the role focus on decision-making, communication, and leadership.
1. Proficiency with Digital Tools
HR business partners have a wide range of software products at their disposal to help develop and communicate HR strategy, manage individuals and teams, and track spending. The list includes business intelligence, decision support, data visualization, and online communities that facilitate information sharing.
2. Ability to Leverage Artificial Intelligence.
Data analysis can help HR departments with tasks such as evaluating job candidates, assessing staffing needs, and monitoring productivity and other job performance metrics. As Human Resource Executive points out, data analysis plays an important role in strategic planning – especially in an uncertain market.
3. Cross-Cultural Competence
Multinational companies compete on a global scale for talent, both in their field offices and at their headquarters. Effective HR business partners have a keen sense of cultural awareness in the areas where an organization operates; this includes an understanding of different labor laws, business practices, and compensation structure.
4. Knowledge of the Business
It’s expected that HR business partners have a background in the principles of human resource management. But success in the role also requires learning how the organization operates: What are the core business functions, how do the business units interact, what is the organization chart, and so on. This familiarity is critical for earning the respect and confidence of business leaders, especially in an environment where major changes are anticipated.
5. Project and People Management Skills.
An HR business partner should be comfortable with tasks such as developing a project scope statement, managing resources and stakeholders, and communicating in large and small groups. Experience leading teams with remote and/or international contributors is a plus.
6. Effective in Addressing Change and Transformation.
In aligning business objectives with personnel decisions, HR business partners frequently advocate that organizations change the way they do things – sometimes radically. It’s important to identify these large-scale changes as well in advance and develop strategic plans for managing changes with the least disruptive impact to the organization and its employees.
7. Ability to Identify and Develop Leaders
In addition to becoming leaders themselves. It’s imperative that HR business partners develop leaders within an organization and, when necessary, identify external candidates for leadership roles. All leaders should be evaluated based on how their expertise and performance align with overall business objectives.
8.Exceptional Network and Relationship-Building Acumen
Within an organization, an HR business partner needs to be comfortable speaking with business leaders with various backgrounds, both to understand the needs of their business units and to build rapport with key decision makers over time. Outsidean organization, the HR business partner should build a network of human resource peers who can provide professional advice and a network of individuals who would add value to the company as potential hires.
9. Ability to Maintain Confidentiality When Necessary
Just as employees are able to trust HR managers with confidential information, leaders need to be able to trust HR business partners with sensitive or ”insider” information about business operations or financial performance, according to Human Resource Executive. Business leaders have to be comfortable sharing this information for strategic planning purpose while knowing that it won’t negatively impact their own job performance.
10. Effective Communication Skills among Diverse Audience
Individuals in HR business partner roles must be adept at communicating in many situations, ranging from executive presentations to negotiations to the occasional conflict or crisis scenario. For today’s businesses, intercultural and digital communication experience is a must-have as well. Finally, being willing to say ”No” to executives when necessary, and to present well-thought alternative proposals, is an important skill as an HR business partner advocates for change.