Making sense out of HR department! HRBP = Human Relations Business Participant?

 

It is people who work to make a Google a Google , Facebook a Facebook - the most important asset of any business is obviously people (employees, consultants & vendors ).

Typically Human Resource department is responsible for people related issues, people who work towards business growth. Do you believe that HR in your organization is part of the main business stream ?

If you just answered a ‘Yes’, then think "Why is HR not part of the strategic decisions of the company like merger & acquisition, setting business goals, outsourcing decision, expansion into new country, new business domain launch, profit and loss evaluations and other significant topics?"

Doesn’t all these strategic decision revolves around people ? So, why is your HR missing when you took/take these decisions ?

I’m not saying its just the business leaders’ fault to consider HR function as cost / support center which relegates itself to on-boarding, exit interviews, benefits, creating workplace policy and fun activities. It's also a reflection and interest of the HR folks to stay in their comfort zone. Even if they a have great business ideas which can support :

• Employee engagement
• Leadership development
• Coaching
•  Motivating employees
•  Learning & Innovation
•  Organization Culture

or thoughts on the impact of a business decision on the quality of work life balance etc. they just stop themselves or get pushed back by their senior HR managers, if not by business leaders.

How many HR folks have heard this, "That's how we do business or its business demand, just do it!" There have been several discussions to involved HR in the mainstream decision making but those discussions have not fetched anything significant.

Business leaders: Please give your HR a chance to be part of your strategic decision making, they are voice of the employees and advocates of people who work for you and give you the business result. I urge you to welcome their thoughts and work a strategy around people and see the business results.

HR folks: This is the time for you to brush up your skills and gain more knowledge to support business decision while keeping people in mind at the end of the day you are HRBP = Human Relations Business Participant. 

Just get down to the ground and understand the business you support. You have a critical role to play. 

- Himanshu Kakkar 

email : kakkarhimanshu (at) gmail (dot) com

A Quick Women Leadership Guide for India

Stop self pity and guilty
Yes, that’s true. What’s done is done you can’t change it now. Just move on in your life and career and never look back. Stop doing pity, excuses or feeling guilty and never give some women or men a chance to make you feel that way.

Follow Your Passion
Do what you love. Money is not the most important thing in the world. If you follow your passion, do what you love, the money always, always follows

Always Be the Best
No matter what you’re doing—whether it’s making copies or checking page numbers—always do your best work. Always exceed expectations…. If you’re fantastic, it’s hard for people to not notice you. It also minimizes obstacles.

Always Be Nice but not Weak
One should treat people how they want to be treated; you have to understand the person’s motivation [and] agenda…. Be appreciative; thank everybody for what they do, but don’t do it too much or unnecessary which makes you look weak.

Seek help and Network
Seek help from mentors, help from networking organizations, peers, colleagues and when you get to the point [that you can] give it back,” do so. It’s time for you to build your own network.

Continuously Learn, Improve, and Grow
It’s easy to fall into your niche, find something you’re really good at, and keep doing it over and over and over, If you ever want to move beyond that point, you have to stretch yourself. Do something that’s a little bit scary, and after a year it won’t be scary any more.

Take Care of Your People
It’s not just about what you need from them. It’s about actually caring about what’s going on in their lives, what’s going on in their careers. Sometimes that’s in direct conflict with what you need. You, as a leader, need to step back and think about what’s better for the person in question.

Be a Salesperson and negotiate
No matter what job you are doing, everybody is in sales and marketing. You have to sell your ideas, your insight and your strategies. You have to sell yourself and earn credibility and trust of others. Always know what you are doing. Being right isn’t enough, “If you have the best solution, the best idea, it does not matter, if people do not buy into your idea.” Keep negotiating for best idea or solution, whether it’s yours or not.

Finally, Never Stop….Keep walking
There are different phases in your life, where you have to leave the job or slow down for some time but never stop being a leader in whatever situation of life you are in. You are what you are and you can do what you can dare to dream.

With thanks to womankind from a man,

Who Bann Dreaming? Think, Try and DO IT NOW! - Himanshu Kakkar

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ET: India most powerful women leaders Reference: INSEAD Research