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In episode 46 of “The JoyPowered™ Workspace Podcast,” JoDee and Susan discuss what an HR Business Partner is, what competencies HRBPs need, and where to gain the skills you need to be an effective partner. Business leader Jerry Goldstein calls in to talk about why HR Business Partners are important, how they can garner the respect of leadership teams, and how to be a true partner.

HR Business Partner is the designated job title for someone who is usually assigned to a particular business segment to be the face of HR. HRBPs support the business unit and partner with them to help them achieve strategic goals and live their mission, vision, and values. JoDee and Susan discuss competencies suggested by HCI, like a well-rounded knowledge base, people skills, and insurance knowledge, then add some of their own suggestions, including investigation skills, executive coaching, and business acumen. Then, they talk about what differentiates HRBPs from other HR people: communication skills, providing business rationale, using metrics, influencing skills, and not being afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

Business leader Jerry Goldstein calls in to talk about why HR Business Partners are important and how they can be true partners to the leadership team. He explains that having a strong HR person on the leadership team is important because you get someone with a lot of experience who can keep you out of trouble and give you a different viewpoint on things. Success is based on your people and making sure you have the best people you can in all positions, so having HR people on your team is crucial.

Jerry shares that the best HRBP needs to be a full participant of the team, be very knowledgeable about their job and the business unit they’re assigned to, and avoid being an impediment by helping to find solutions to issues. It’s also important to listen, be open to different personalities, and remember that you’re dealing with human beings and affecting their lives.

In this episode’s listener question, Ted asks how to handle taking notes during a harassment investigation. In “best practice sharing,” listeners share their favorite time management techniques. During “in the news,” JoDee and Susan discuss how microtargeting job ads might be violating the law.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Purple Ink, the HR consulting firm JoDee owns
• Susan Tinder White Consulting, the HR consulting firm Susan owns
• JoyPowered™, JoDee’s first book
• The JoyPowered™ Family, JoDee’s second book
• “What Makes a Good HR Business Partner”
• “The Importance of Succession Planning” and “SHRM Credit: Succession Planning”, JoyPowered podcast episodes about why you need a succession plan and how to create one
• “Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss without Losing Your Humanity”, Kim Scott’s book on caring personally and challenging directly
• “HR: The Business Partner” by Barbara Kenton and Jane Yarnall
• SHRM Seminars, like “HR Business Partners: Enhancing Your Strategic Contributions” and “Consultation: Honing Your HR Business Leader Skills”
• “SHRM Credit: Harassment”, episode 18 of our podcast
• “Eat That Frog!: 21 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time” by Brian Tracy
• “Time Management Strategies”, episode 14 of our podcast
• “Are Job Ads Targeting Young Workers Breaking the Law?”