1. HR as a Strategic Business Partner
Susan Pyles
HR Star Conference 2013

3. • support business goals with results-
based HR initiatives
• connect HR-related activities to
positive outcomes
• brand HR as a vital, strategic partner
• evaluate HR’s impact on the
organization
• increase HR’s value to the business
Agenda

4. Being strategic
…requires a shift in mindset.

5. Essential mindset
shifts
• Past-focused
• Discipline-focused
• Authoritative
• Service provider
• HR person in a business
• Track & measure activities
• Future-focused
• Organizational perspective
• Consultative
• Business partner
• Business person in HR
• Results-based accountability

6. Use a 1-5 scale, with 1 = low (e.g. no, to a limited degree, rarely)
5 = high (e.g. yes, completely, all of the time)
To what extent do you…
• Base your decisions on data?
• Know what data is captured by your business partners?
• Design solutions that meet current and future business needs?
• Design solutions that meet current and future talent needs?
• Understand the operational and financial sides of the business?
The Strategic Partner

7. Use a 1-5 scale, with 1 = low (e.g. no, to a limited degree, rarely)
5 = high (e.g. yes, completely, all of the time)
To what extent do you…
• Use verbal or written SLAs (Service Level Agreements)?
• Focus your communication on areas relevant to the business?
• Communicate with confidence, assertion, persuasion?
• Take and keep a company-wide perspective?
• Meet predefined goals (e.g. business, talent)?
The Strategic Partner

8. Needed Competencies
& Skills
• Working knowledge and practical application of
• the business
• HR
• meaningful metrics
• Leadership
• Creativity/Innovation
• Ability to position, engage, & develop the talent

9. Support business goals
with results-based HR
initiatives
Meet them where THEY are, not where YOU are.
Survey your business partners.
Ask about them, their business, their needs. E.g.
• What measures are you being held accountable to?
• What will success look like in the future?
• What are your pain points?
• What is working? What do you attribute that to?
• What has improved in the past 2-3 years? What do you attribute that to?

10. Survey your business partners.
Ask them how well you are meeting their needs. E.g.
• Where do I/we add the most value?
• What could I stop doing and no one would notice?
• What do I need to learn more about?
• How would you rate my effectiveness?
• What do you wish I did that I don’t do now?
Support business goals
with results-based HR
initiatives

11. Connect HR-related
activities to positive
outcomes
• An employee referral program that increases engagement scores
• Behavioral interviewing questions that increase retention rates
within the first year
• New-hire training programs that increase accuracy rates
• Leadership training that increases the internal promotion rate
• Performance evaluations that increase customer satisfaction ratings
• Pay or rewards programs that increase achievement of stretch goals

12. Track, measure , and report metrics using a positive orientation.
Report this Instead of this
accuracy rate error rate
cost savings expenditures
% who attended/participated % absent
% meeting/exceeding expectations % underperforming
% improvement raw scores (if low)
% retention % attrition
Connect HR-related
activities to positive
outcomes

13. Brand HR as a vital,
strategic partner
HR’s greatest opportunities to impact the business
• Employee Engagement: involvement with, commitment to and
satisfaction with their work
• Employee Retention
• Culture
• Supervisory and Organizational Support
• Continuous Learning

14. 6 Word Stories:
First heartbreak. 19 years wishing. Reunited! – James
Disputes between nations. Sorrow among families. – Peter
She was lovely. Then things changed. –Ben
Tan line on his ring finger? Good-bye. –Ruby
Create HR’s 6 Word Story!
Providing solutions that yield business results!
Your trusted advisor for profitable solutions!
Ask HR. We have the answers!
Consult HR. Result: no more Ambien! :- )
Brand HR as a vital,
strategic partner

15. • Engagement scores…satisfaction with supervisors/managers
• Retention…of top talent
• Continuous learning…% of learning plans completed
• Other
• Internal promotion rate
• % of positions filled via employee referral
• % of critical positions with a ready now successor
• % of employees whose pay and performance are aligned
Evaluate HR’s impact
on the organization

16. Increase HR’s value
to the business
Activities that drive effectiveness
• Understand HR’s role in supporting the business
• Structure HR to meet changing needs
• Effectively prioritize HR programs/initiatives
• Establish and use metrics
• Position the talent to support current & future business needs
• Develop emerging leaders

17. There is a positive correlation between manager perception of
HR/LR effectiveness and employee performance
Front line manager
perceptions

18. • HR
• Front line & mid-level managers
• New hires
Where to focus
development