In the recently concluded 677th General Members Meeting of the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), Teleperformance Philippines (TP Philippines) underscored the evolving role of human resources (HR) department on businesses.

These days, HR’s role is more than administrative but has become strategic and advisory, and involves more decision-making in the company alongside business leaders.

“Human Resource Business Partner (HRBP) provides value to the business, not only from an employee or personnel side, but really adding value to the business in terms of the numbers and finances,” said Rachel Cacabelos, VP, Human Resources and Communication & Marketing, Teleperformance Philippines. “Most HRBPs do not even realize that they are an HRBP. But in its purest form, an HRBP is a human resource person actually getting to know the business versus just getting to know the employee or personnel side of it, thus you transcend into a business partner.”

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More than administrative, HRBPs are more strategic and advisory and involves more decision-making in the company alongside business leaders. HRBPs “provide value to the business, not only from an employee or personnel side, but really adding value to the business in terms of the numbers and finances,” according to Cacabelos.

Challenges

While HRBP, at its core, aims to champion people and culture in the organization, at the same time they also have to balance it with the business needs.

HRBPs are needed as businesses define a new way of working as the world eases away from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think one of the top challenges for HR practitioners is balancing government compliance, business needs, and employee sentiment,” Cacabelos said. “This helps ensure that the company makes informed decisions, taking into consideration the risks, possible downsides, and recommendations you have.”

Becoming an HRBP is just one of the many options for HR practitioners and there is no track more valuable than the other. One has to choose to become an HRBP as it requires intensive training and research, and comes with many setbacks, but what’s important is to keep moving, learning, and progressing.

Cacabelos described HR practitioners as “firefighters” and oftentimes will be pulled back by their HR generalist role versus their HRBP function.

“When you’re trying to take one step forward, then you take two steps back to attend to [HR matters] that no one else wants to attend to. And sometimes we digress from our ultimate goal of being that strategic consultant for our business as much as we want to,” said Cacabelos.

To people aspiring to become an HRBP, Cacabelos advised, “Know the business. Do not be relegated by titles, positions, or even a department. Know that you are part of the bigger picture. Make sure you integrate yourself into the business and be a decision-maker. Because you know the business, you become trusted, they know that your data-driven decisions really make sense.”