HR business partner Career Guide

• Ensure the HR policy is properly implemented across the various departments;
• Analyse the issues faced by managers and department heads in order to propose practical and tailored solutions;
• Advise managers on all HR challenges (engagement, legal compliance, employee benefits, talent reviews, etc.);
• Support departments with recruitment, the onboarding of new talent and performance management;
• Participate in HR projects and their implementation;
• Propose and implement training programmes to develop the skills of managers and/or their teams in specific areas;
• Report important information to senior management and create a forum for dialogue between senior executives and operational managers.

Please note that, unlike an HR manager, the HRBP focuses primarily on implementing HR policy rather than designing it, and does not engage in relations with trade unions.

HR business partners generally work as employees within companies across all sectors. Start-ups, SMEs, large corporations and consultancy firms are the organisations that recruit the most HRBPs.

In large organisations, they are often responsible for supporting a specific department (production, customer service, marketing, finance, etc.). Conversely, in smaller organisations, they may be required to support several departments at once.

They work in close collaboration with senior management. They primarily support managers, as it is through them that they gain an understanding of the business challenges and HR issues encountered.

An HR business partner may also work as a freelancer, although this is less common. In such cases, they are brought in on an ad hoc basis, for example during a period of growth or restructuring.

The natural progression for an HR business partner often leads to the role of Director of Human Resources, better known by the abbreviation ‘HR Director’. They then hold the most senior position in the company’s HR department. It is their responsibility to define the organisation’s overall HR strategy and ensure it is aligned with business and performance objectives.

They may also progress to a managerial role, for example as training managers or recruitment managers. Their responsibilities then focus more on strategy development and management, and less on day-to-day operational support.

A senior HR business partner may choose to move into consultancy. They would then manage a portfolio of clients and may specialize in a specific sector.

They may also set up their own HR consultancy firm and take on a leadership role within it.