Leading the Leaders: How HRBPs Support Business Leaders to Focus on People and Culture as the Catalyzers of Performance and Strategy

How can HR Business Partners (HRBPs) effectively inspire, encourage, guide and support business leaders and team managers in prioritizing people and culture to drive organizational performance and strategy?

Translating the recognized importance of a “people-first” culture into actionable strategies that resonate with business leaders sometimes is difficult, and it can be daunting without formal "power" at work. Leaders may not see the value of people-first in delivering results more effectively and productively, but rather an obstacle in the way or an HR thing. The gap between acknowledging the value of a people-first approach and implementing it effectively remains a significant hurdle for many companies. And this is where HRBPs have a phenomenal opportunity.

This article explores key strategies, essential competencies, and practical measurement tools that HRBPs can use to guide leaders in fostering a people-centric culture. We'll discuss how HRBPs can align people initiatives with business objectives, develop crucial skills for influencing leadership, and demonstrate the tangible impact of people-focused strategies on organizational success.

For HR professionals looking to excel in this critical area, our Strategic HR Business Partner Certificate Program offers in-depth training on these topics and more.

8 Key Strategies for HR Business Partners to Support Leaders in Prioritizing People and Culture

One of the most meaningful roles of HR Business Partners (HRBPs) is providing the right tools, support and guidance for business leaders and team managers to focus on people and culture as key drivers of organizational performance and strategy.

Here are eight key strategies that HRBPs can use to support leaders in prioritizing people and culture:

1. Develop a People-Centric Leadership Framework: Create a comprehensive framework that outlines the principles, behaviors, and practices of people-centric leadership. This framework should be tailored to the organization's values and goals, providing leaders with clear guidelines on how to prioritize people and culture in their decision-making processes. Work with senior leadership to ensure buy-in and alignment across the organization, and provide training and resources to help leaders implement the framework effectively.
2. Implement Regular Cultural Assessments: Conduct periodic assessments of the organization's culture to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Use validated assessment tools and methodologies to gather data on employee experiences, perceptions, and engagement levels. Analyze this data to provide leaders with actionable insights on how to foster a more positive and productive work environment. Regularly share these findings with leaders and collaborate on developing targeted initiatives to address cultural challenges.
3. Facilitate Leadership Development Programs Focused on People Skills: Design and implement leadership development programs that emphasize emotional intelligence, empathy, and effective communication. These programs should help leaders understand the impact of their behavior on team dynamics and organizational culture. Include modules on active listening, giving and receiving feedback, and managing diverse teams. Encourage leaders to practice these skills in their day-to-day interactions and provide ongoing coaching to support their growth.
4. Establish People-Focused Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Work with leaders and managers to incorporate people-focused KPIs into their performance evaluations and business objectives. These KPIs might include metrics such as employee engagement scores, retention rates, diversity and inclusion progress, and talent development benchmarks, and how they connect with performance and strategy. Tying these metrics to leadership performance and organizational is a tangible incentive for leaders to prioritize people and culture in their management approach.
5. Create Cross-Functional Culture Champions: Identify and enable employees from various departments to serve as culture champions. These people can help promote people-centric initiatives, gather feedback from their peers, and support the implementation of cultural changes. Provide these champions with the necessary resources and training to effectively advocate for a positive workplace culture. Encourage leaders to engage regularly with these champions to stay connected to the employee experience across the organization.
6. Implement Storytelling and Recognition Programs: Develop programs that highlight and celebrate examples of people-centric leadership within the organization. Encourage leaders to share stories of how prioritizing people and culture has led to positive outcomes for their teams and the business. Implement a recognition system that rewards leaders who consistently demonstrate a commitment to fostering a positive work environment, and also programs that address lack of accountability or “low performance” in this area. These programs help reinforce the importance of people-centric approaches and inspire other leaders to follow suit.
7. Provide Data-Informed Insights on People and Culture Impact: Leverage HR analytics to demonstrate the tangible benefits of investing in people and culture. Collect and analyze data on how people-centric initiatives impact key business metrics such as productivity, innovation, and customer satisfaction. Present these insights to leaders in a clear, compelling manner, helping them understand the direct link between people-focused strategies and organizational performance. This data-driven approach can be particularly effective in convincing skeptical leaders of the value of prioritizing people and culture.
8. Foster Continuous Feedback and Dialogue: Establish channels for ongoing communication between leaders and employees about cultural issues and people-related concerns. This could include regular town hall meetings, pulse surveys, or digital platforms for sharing ideas and feedback. Encourage leaders to actively participate in these dialogues, demonstrating their commitment to listening and responding to employee needs. Help leaders develop the skills to receive and act on feedback constructively, creating a culture of openness and continuous improvement.

5 Essential Competencies for HRBPs to Foster a People-Centric Leadership Approach

These give essential competencies enable HRBPs to guide, influence, and partner with leaders to create a people-centric organization.

1. Strategic Business Acumen: HRBPs must have a deep understanding of the organization's business model, market position, and strategic objectives and, more importantly, how those goals cascade down to the specific teams they are supporting. This competency allows HRBPs to align people initiatives with business goals, demonstrating how investing in people and culture directly impacts organizational performance. Develop this skill by regularly engaging with business leaders, studying industry trends, and participating in strategic planning sessions.
2. Data Analysis and Interpretation: The ability to collect, analyze, and interpret people-related data is crucial for HRBPs. This competency enables HRBPs to provide leaders with data-informed insights that support decision-making and demonstrate the ROI of people-centric initiatives. HRBPs can improve this skill by mastering HR analytics tools, developing proficiency in data visualization, and staying updated on the latest trends in people analytics.
3. Change Management Expertise: HRBPs must be proficient at guiding organizations through cultural transformations and implementing people-centric practices. This competency involves understanding change management principles, anticipating resistance, and developing strategies to facilitate smooth transitions. HRBPs can improve this skill by studying change management models, leading change initiatives, and learning from both successful and unsuccessful organizational changes.
4. Coaching and Influencing Skills: The ability to coach leaders and influence decision-making is essential for HRBPs. This competency allows HRBPs to guide, from a place of influence rather than formal authority, other leaders in developing their people management skills and advocate for people-centric approaches. Enhance these skills by practicing active listening, developing persuasive communication techniques, and seeking opportunities to mentor others within the organization.
5. Cultural Intelligence: HRBPs must have a high level of cultural intelligence to effectively navigate diverse work environments and promote inclusive leadership practices. This competency involves understanding different cultural perspectives, recognizing unconscious biases, and promoting equity in the workplace. Develop this skill by engaging in diversity and inclusion training, seeking experiences with diverse teams, and staying informed about global workforce trends.

6 Practical Tools for Measuring the Impact of People-First Leadership on Organizational Performance

These six tools provide tangible evidence of how prioritizing people and culture contributes to business success:

1. Employee Engagement Surveys: Implement comprehensive employee engagement surveys to assess the overall sentiment and commitment of the workforce. These surveys should cover various aspects of the employee experience, including leadership effectiveness, work environment, and career development opportunities. Use the results to identify trends, benchmark against industry standards, and track improvements over time.
2. Performance Metrics Dashboard: Create a dashboard that combines key people metrics with business performance indicators. This tool should include metrics such as employee productivity, retention rates, and talent acquisition success, alongside business metrics like revenue growth and customer satisfaction scores. The dashboard helps visualize the correlation between people-centric practices and business outcomes.
3. Cultural Values Assessment: Utilize cultural values assessment tools to measure how well the organization's actual culture aligns with its desired culture. These assessments help identify gaps between espoused values and lived experiences, providing insights into areas where leadership practices may need adjustment to foster a more people-centric culture.
4. 360-Degree Leadership Feedback: Implement 360-degree feedback processes for leaders to gather insights from peers, direct reports, and supervisors on their people management skills. This tool provides a comprehensive view of leadership effectiveness and helps identify areas for improvement in fostering a people-centric approach.
5. Return on Investment (ROI) Calculator for People Initiatives: Develop an ROI calculator specifically designed to measure the financial impact of people-centric initiatives. This tool should factor in costs of implementation, expected outcomes, and actual results to provide a clear picture of the value generated by investing in people and culture.
6. Organizational Network Analysis: Use organizational network analysis tools to map communication patterns and collaboration within the company. This analysis can reveal how information flows, identify influential employees, and highlight areas where leadership practices are effectively (or ineffectively) fostering a connected and engaged workforce.

Key Insights

• HRBPs have a phenomenal opportunity to create great value by guiding business leaders to prioritize people and culture. By implementing strategies such as developing people-centric leadership frameworks, conducting regular cultural assessments, and establishing people-focused KPIs, HRBPs can effectively support leaders in creating an environment where employees thrive and contribute to organizational success. This approach not only enhances employee engagement but also directly impacts business performance, demonstrating the value of HR in driving strategic outcomes.
• Developing essential competencies is critical for HRBPs to foster people-centric leadership. Skills such as strategic business acumen, data analysis, change management expertise, coaching and influencing skills, and cultural intelligence enable HRBPs to align HR initiatives with business goals and guide leaders effectively. By honing these competencies, HRBPs can position themselves as valuable strategic partners, capable of driving meaningful change and supporting leaders in their people management efforts.
• Measuring the impact of people-first leadership is essential for demonstrating its value to organizational performance. Tools like employee engagement surveys, performance metrics dashboards, and ROI calculators for people initiatives provide tangible evidence of how prioritizing people and culture contributes to business success. By effectively utilizing these measurement tools, HRBPs can present compelling data-informed insights that help leaders understand the direct link between people-focused strategies and organizational performance.
• Creating a culture of continuous feedback and dialogue is fundamental to sustaining people-centric leadership. HRBPs can facilitate this by establishing channels for ongoing communication between leaders and employees, implementing storytelling and recognition programs, and fostering a culture of openness. This approach not only reinforces the importance of people-centric practices but also helps leaders stay connected to the employee experience and adapt their leadership styles accordingly.
• Fostering a people-centric culture requires ongoing effort and collaboration between HRBPs and business leaders. The strategies, competencies, and tools discussed in this article provide a foundation for HRBPs to effectively support leaders in prioritizing people and culture. By consistently applying these approaches, HRBPs can help create an organizational environment where people-focused initiatives are seamlessly integrated into business strategies. This integration not only enhances employee engagement and productivity but also positions the organization for long-term success in an increasingly competitive business landscape.

Key Questions

1. How can HR Business Partners support leaders in prioritizing people and culture?: HR Business Partners can support leaders in prioritizing people and culture through: developing a people-centric leadership framework, implementing regular cultural assessments, and facilitating leadership development programs focused on people skills. HRBPs can also establish people-focused Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), create cross-functional culture champions, and implement storytelling and recognition programs. By providing data-informed insights on people and culture impact and fostering continuous feedback and dialogue, HRBPs can effectively guide leaders to focus on their workforce as key drivers of organizational performance and strategy.
2. What strategies do HRBPs use to align people initiatives with business objectives?: HRBPs use several strategies to align people initiatives with business objectives. They develop a deep understanding of the organization's business model, market position, and strategic objectives, allowing them to create HR strategies that directly support these goals. HRBPs work with leaders to incorporate people-focused KPIs into performance evaluations and business objectives, demonstrating how investing in people and culture impacts organizational performance. They also leverage HR analytics to provide data-informed insights on how people-centric initiatives affect key business metrics such as productivity, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
3. How to measure the impact of people-first leadership on organizational performance?: Measuring the impact of people-first leadership on organizational performance can be achieved through several practical tools. These include comprehensive employee engagement surveys, performance metrics dashboards that combine people metrics with business performance indicators, and cultural values assessments. HRBPs can also implement 360-degree leadership feedback processes, develop ROI calculators for people initiatives, and use organizational network analysis tools. These methods provide tangible evidence of how prioritizing people and culture contributes to business success, helping to visualize the correlation between people-centric practices and business outcomes.
4. What competencies do HR Business Partners need to foster people-centric leadership?: HRBPs need at least five essential competencies to foster people-centric leadership. These include strategic business acumen, which allows HRBPs to align people initiatives with business goals. Data analysis and interpretation skills enable them to provide leaders with data-informed insights. Change management expertise is crucial for guiding organizations through cultural transformations. Coaching and influencing skills allow HRBPs to guide leaders in developing their people management skills. Lastly, cultural intelligence is essential for navigating diverse work environments and promoting inclusive leadership practices.
5. How can HRBPs influence business leaders to focus on employee engagement?: HRBPs can influence business leaders to focus on employee engagement by providing data-informed insights on the impact of people and culture initiatives. They can implement comprehensive employee engagement surveys and create performance metrics dashboards that demonstrate the link between engagement and business outcomes. HRBPs can also develop storytelling and recognition programs that highlight successful examples of people-centric leadership. By establishing channels for continuous feedback and dialogue between leaders and employees, HRBPs can help leaders stay connected to the employee experience and understand its importance to organizational success.
6. What tools do HR Business Partners use to demonstrate the ROI of people-centric initiatives?: HR Business Partners use several tools to demonstrate the ROI of people-centric initiatives. These include performance metrics dashboards that combine key people metrics with business performance indicators, showing the correlation between people-centric practices and business outcomes. HRBPs also develop specific ROI calculators for people initiatives, which factor in implementation costs, expected outcomes, and actual results. Employee engagement surveys, cultural values assessments, and 360-degree leadership feedback processes provide additional data to support the value of investing in people and culture. These tools help HRBPs present clear, compelling evidence of the financial and operational benefits of people-centric approaches.
7. How to develop a people-centric leadership framework in organizations?: Developing a people-centric leadership framework involves creating a comprehensive outline of principles, behaviors, and practices that prioritize people and culture in decision-making processes. HRBPs should tailor this framework to the organization's values and goals, ensuring it provides clear guidelines for leaders. Working with senior leadership is crucial to ensure buy-in and alignment across the organization. HRBPs should also provide training and resources to help leaders implement the framework effectively. Regular cultural assessments can help refine the framework over time, ensuring it remains relevant and impactful in fostering a people-centric leadership approach.
8. What role do HR Business Partners play in creating a culture of continuous feedback?: HR Business Partners play a crucial role in creating a culture of continuous feedback by establishing channels for ongoing communication between leaders and employees. They can implement regular town hall meetings, pulse surveys, or digital platforms for sharing ideas and feedback. HRBPs encourage leaders to actively participate in these dialogues, demonstrating commitment to listening and responding to employee needs. They also help leaders develop skills to receive and act on feedback constructively. By facilitating this continuous dialogue, HRBPs foster a culture of openness and continuous improvement, essential for a people-centric organization.
9. How can HRBPs use data analytics to support people-focused decision making?: HRBPs can use data analytics to support people-focused decision making by leveraging HR analytics to demonstrate the tangible benefits of investing in people and culture. They collect and analyze data on how people-centric initiatives impact key business metrics such as productivity, innovation, and customer satisfaction. HRBPs can create performance metrics dashboards that combine people metrics with business performance indicators, providing clear visualizations of the relationships between people practices and business outcomes. By presenting these data-informed insights to leaders, HRBPs can effectively support and influence people-focused decision making.
10. What are effective ways for HR Business Partners to coach leaders on people management skills?: Effective ways for HR Business Partners to coach leaders on people management skills include facilitating leadership development programs that focus on emotional intelligence, empathy, and effective communication. HRBPs can implement 360-degree feedback processes to provide leaders with comprehensive insights into their people management skills. They can use this feedback to create targeted coaching plans. Encouraging leaders to practice these skills in day-to-day interactions and providing ongoing support is crucial. HRBPs can also use storytelling and recognition programs to highlight successful examples of people-centric leadership, inspiring and guiding other leaders in developing their skills.?

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