Architectural Design Decisions in Relation to Business Partners and HR Specialists

In truth, this varies from organisation to organisation and the shades of HR organisational design are many. A number of themes emerge and include the following:

• The primacy of the business partner role in managing the client interface. This is a significant change and shifts power within many HR functions away from the specialist to the business partner. As such, it is both a substantive and a symbolic change representing a cultural shift to a more client-centred approach. For many HR functions, this change has involved a difficult transition for specialists and can be a significant point of resistance during the early stages of HR transformation. We have found that this is particularly true of training and development areas, which may have previously had account management posts and may have been organisationally distinct from HR.
• The specialist role is being increasingly provided externally through outsourcers, consultancy and specialist providers.
• Areas previously staffed by HR specialists (e.g., HR policy) are increasingly being led by HR business partners. For example, in one organisation the development of new HR policy will be led by an HR business partner and run as a project involving a variety of stakeholders on the project team. In another organisation, HR business partners may have responsibility for leading an HR process or policy area, for example, resourcing, performance management and diversity.
• Whether HR professionals report through a business unit or the HR function, there is a need to develop an HR community — for development, networking, knowledge sharing and learning.