Imagine a strategic initiative is about to launch. The business leader is ready. The design team is aligned. The HR team is buzzing with ideas. But as implementation begins, things start slipping through the cracks. Sound familiar? As an org design consultant and someone who’s been an HR business partner (HRBP), I’ve seen how critical the business leader/HRBP partnership really is. When it’s strong, things click. When it’s missing … things can get derailed quickly. Let me tell you about a time it all nearly fell apart.
A few years back, my team was deep in a big client engagement. The HR folks were phenomenal—active in every session, challenging assumptions and reflecting the company’s culture back to us. I thought, “This is a textbook HRBP partnership!”
But after the design phase, something changed. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at first. Our core implementation meetings felt a bit … lonelier. Tasks were stalling out or just dropping. The client was frustrated—and said so.
My partner and I were stumped. This wasn’t our usual client experience. Then it hit us: the HRBPs had quietly receded into their day-to-day work, leaving the implementation work to the core team.
Eye-opening? Absolutely.
It never crossed my mind to explicitly request HRBP engagement after design. After all, they were so committed early on! But here’s the uncomfortable truth: in any transformation, the job isn’t done when the design is. If HRBPs aren’t fully plugged into implementation, things unravel quickly.
The lesson is simple. The business leader and HRBP need to be joined at the hip, from vision to reality. Without lockstep partnership, even the best design won’t stick.
Partnership Tips for HRBPs and Business Leaders
By working closely together, HRBPs and business leaders can keep the redesign transformation journey on track and ensure that it will meet its objectives. Here are three ways to maintain an impactful partnership with your HRBP.
- Align early and often. Discuss the key problems you are trying to solve with the design work. What are the expected outcomes, and how will you know if and when you achieve them?
- Align business and people needs. Determine where misalignments are showing up. How is that impacting engagement and business results?
- Align on how, when and what to communicate. Ask yourselves what is the intent and tone you want to communicate to the team? How involved and engaged will people be in the process?
If you’re starting a transformation, ask yourself: Are your HRBPs just along for the ride—or are they driving the car right alongside you?
