How Middle-Market Leaders Successfully Use HR Business Partners

For middle-market leaders, HR Business Partners are the secret sauce. Startups require people to wear many hats, and larger organizations become matrixed and siloed. Middle-market companies are where HRBPs shine. Understanding how to leverage your HRBP strategically is crucial and empowering for scaling your business efficiently. Here's a glimpse into how an HRBP can drive value in your organization.

A typical day for an HRBP in a middle-market company might include:

• Participating in leadership meetings to align HR initiatives with business goals

• Conducting one-on-one sessions with department heads to address people challenges

• Analyzing HR data to identify trends, insights, and opportunities for improvement

• Developing talent management strategies to support your growth plans

• Addressing urgent employee relations issues

• Collaborating on strategic initiatives like new market entry, digital transformation, or change management initiatives

How does an HRBP differ from an HR Generalist? For one, the HRBP is there to help you implement your business goals with dedicated, strategic help. They are less involved with the administrative functions of HR - benefits, payroll, onboarding, and investigations - which are all necessary but not sufficient for growing middle-market companies. Effective HRBPs bring the following skills to maximize business impact:

• Stakeholder management: Balancing the needs of various departments and stakeholders

• Critical thinking: Providing insights that drive business decisions

• HR generalist knowledge: Offering broad expertise across HR functions

• Proactive planning: Anticipating talent needs as your company grows

• Thought partnering: Providing the time and space to think through issues and ideas

• Effective time management: Balancing strategic work with day-to-day operations

Should you decide to hire or use an HRBP, here are some best practices to maximize effectiveness and business results.

Involve your HRBP in strategic business discussions early. Brainstorm with them. Ask for their experience in similar situations.

Encourage open communication about workforce challenges and opportunities. Take the time to get to the real underlying issue of the challenge. 

Explore different ways to approach opportunities, including timelines, resource needs, and action plans.

Leverage their expertise in developing cost-effective HR solutions. For example, they can help design training programs that are both effective and budget-friendly, or they can recommend tools and vendors that offer the best value for your money. 

Collaborate on creating a scalable company culture. What is missing? What do you want to hold on to? How might growth impact communication and collaboration? What might work for 100 people may not be suitable for 500.

Utilize their insights to improve leadership effectiveness across the organization. Coaching, stakeholder interviews, and leadership development programs can help you grow internal talent, retain key employees, and lower turnover.

By fostering a strong partnership with your HRBP, you can ensure that your people strategy aligns with and supports your business goals, driving growth and success in the competitive middle market landscape.