1. a In your own words, discuss what it means to be a strategic business partner.
A Strategic business partner provides the vision for the organization that links the actions of the workforce to overarching business strategy. According to Lumen (nd), it involves anticipating what the business requires to remain competitive in the market place and developing policies that will provide solutions to problems. It also means requires one to look at the big picture, go beyond focusing on the department and look at how it is relevant to the business as a whole.
1.b. Why is it important for the HR strategy to be aligned with the business strategy?
It is important that the Human Resource strategy aligns with the business strategy because this shows how it plans to address any inherent or foreseeable weaknesses and also how it proposes to take advantage of opportunities to that will strengthen the position of the organization in the marketplace.
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1.c. What skills are important for HR managers to have to be able to effectively add strategic value to the organization?
Human Resource managers require a myriad of skills to be able to have strategic impact. Firstly they require organizational skills which allow them to be approach matters in an orderly manner like how they manage time and prioritize tasks. This also means they must be able to multitask effectively as matters that require urgent attention will crop up at any time and will still need to be handled conclusively.
When dealing with sensitive employee related matters the manager needs to have critical thinking skills ( Mahew (nd) . This will ensure that every matter is analyzed objectively and decisions are arrived at in rational manner. According to Human (n.d.), t he manager needs to have great communication skills to be able to relay information effectively to all levels of the organization. They must do it in a convincing and believable manner. Finally it is imperative that a human resource manager have conflict management and problem resolution skills Lumen (nd) explained that when you deal with people from different backgrounds and there is pressure perform at high standards they might not always get along. Therefore measures must be put in place to guide the process and creative methods devised to diffuse tensions.
2.a. Please describe how the human resource function has changed over the last decade or so.
The human resource function was initially a support function to the organization carrying out administrative roles such as record keeping, ensuring legal compliance, compensation and benefits. However, Human (n.d.) pointed out that organizations came to the realization that employees are their most valued asset which triggered a change in the outlook of the function ( Mahew, (nd) . One of the most notable changes over the last decade is embracing human resource management as a strategic business partner. This means moving away from simply offering support services to using employees to help realize strategic objectives. Another big change is the use of technology to automate much of the work that was done by human resource professionals ( Mahew, (nd) . Another positive change is the focus on improving organizational culture to foster employee engagement and commitment. There is also a more concerted effort towards talent retention through introduction of various career development programs.
2.b. Do you anticipate any further changes to the human resource management role in the near or distant future? If so, please explain your rationale.
The human resource role of performance management such as performance appraisal is clearly an ineffective method of measuring and evaluating employee performance and engagement. Human (n.d.) pointed out that both supervisors and employees dislike it and approach it as a chore. It relies on objective assessment of ability which cannot be guaranteed. I therefore anticipate that a more accurate, productive and engaging method will be devised that will achieve more impactful results.
References
Mahew (nd) The Strategic Role of HR Managers Heathfield (2018). The 3 New Roles of the Human Resources Professional Mohd (2011). The Evolution of HR
Lumen Learning (nd). The Changing Role of Strategic Human Resource Management Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/principlesmanagement/chapter/16-2-the-changing-role-of-strategic-human-resource-management-in-principles-of-management/
Lumen Learning (nd). Purpose of Human Resource Management Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-principlesmanagement/chapter/purpose-of-human-resource-management/
Human. (n.d.). Human resource management. Retrieved from http://www.saylor.org/site/textbooks/Human%20Resource%20Management.pdf
