Human Resource Titles: It’s time to make some changes
Human resources (HR) is an essential function in every organisation, as it manages the most valuable asset a company has — its people. We also know that no company can deliver its strategy without the right talent, culture and capability. It really is all about people.
I strongly believe that now is the time we completely retire the term HR business partner and start referring to our function as people and culture professionals, which better reflects the role that HR plays in today’s organisations.
Firstly, I have never liked the term HR business partner because it implies that HR is a separate entity that needs to partner with the business to achieve the organisation’s objectives. This language suggests that HR is not an integral part of the business, which is not the case. No business can achieve its strategy without its people – so the people function is essential to the success of the organisation, and its objectives should be aligned with those of the business. Adding the business partner reminder is just a bit needy.
Even worse the term HR business partner often comes with the addition of the word “strategic” to the title. While it may sound impressive, in reality, it doesn’t make much sense. All departments in a company should be strategic in nature, including HR. If they’re not strategic, then what are they doing all day? For instance, finance departments are responsible for managing the organisation’s financial resources, and marketing departments are responsible for creating demand for the organisation’s products or services. These functions are strategic by nature, and the same applies to HR.
In contrast, the term people and culture highlights the role of HR in creating an environment that fosters the growth and development of the organisation’s most significant asset — its people. A strong people and culture department understands that a company’s culture and its people are the key drivers of success. Therefore, they focus on creating a positive work environment, encouraging employee engagement and development, and aligning employee goals with the company’s strategic objectives.
One of the most important roles of HR is to develop and execute the people strategy. A people strategy is simply the company’s strategy delivered through its people. It involves identifying the organisation’s talent needs, assessing the skills and competencies of the current workforce, and developing a plan to attract, retain, and develop the right talent. A strong people strategy helps to create a competitive advantage by developing a workforce that is aligned with the company’s objectives and has the necessary skills and competencies to execute the strategy and if done well provide competitive differentiation.
Finally, the term people and culture better reflects what should be the overall objective of HR, which is to help shape a culture where employees feel valued and engaged. When employees feel engaged and valued, they are more productive and committed to the company’s success. This, in turn, leads to better business outcomes, such as increased profitability, improved customer satisfaction, and a more positive brand image.
My final views — I strongly believe that the new titles of HR should be people and culture and not HR business partners. The latter term implies that HR is a separate entity from the rest of the business, which is not the case. Instead, the people and culture department plays a critical role in creating a positive work environment that fosters the growth and development of the organisation ’s most significant asset — its people.
By developing and executing a strong people strategy, people and culture teams can create a competitive advantage by aligning the workforce with the company’s objectives and developing the necessary skills and competencies to execute the strategy. Let’s drop the business partner title and embrace the more appropriate title that highlights we are the organisations leaders of people and culture.
The writer is the Group Chief Human Resources Officer of Galadari Brothers. He is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and a graduate of the Wharton CHRO programme. His work on organisational transformation has been showcased by the CIPD in their digital learning series and presented at the CIPD London Festival of Work. In 2023 he was listed in the top 50 most Influential HR leaders in the MENA by the Economic Times.