What is HR and Business Support?

An HR and Support role is best defined as an experienced human resource professional who works directly with an organisation’s senior leadership to establish and direct an HR agenda that closely supports the company goals.

HR business partner vs HR manager. Is there a difference?

An HR business partner and an HR manager are two different jobs representing two distinct approaches to providing human resources services. The HR manager’s job entails creating policies and enforcing procedures. This position is responsible for various processes, including payroll processing, recruitment, hiring, system administration, and more. In addition, the HR manager is in charge of the department.

Rather than primarily serving as a member of the internal human resources department, the HR business partner works closely with senior leadership, perhaps sitting on the board of directors or regularly collaborating with the C-suite.

Job responsibilities may include

● Collaborating with executive leadership to identify company needs and HR (including external recruiters) to help meet these needs.
● Comparing and contrasting the present structure of business divisions and role distribution with the company’s aims and objectives.
● Identifying new jobs and job opportunities that must be filled for the company to achieve its goals.

Recent Changes in the HR and Business Support sector

Despite many organisations opting to streamline their business support departments, we have seen an increase in companies looking for individuals with the skills and competencies required to support their business.

However, rather than taking on permanent staff members, there has been a positive trend towards contracting within this space; the large volume of property and infrastructure projects has resulted in a higher demand for junior to mid-level positions.

A trend away from traditional executive assistant and personal assistant roles committed to one leader is fueling a cost-cutting initiative in the administrative support area. As a result, we predict a growing number of these roles to support up to three or four senior business executives, with responsibilities becoming more multifaceted and vital to company transformation.

Technology is likely to play a leading part in the evolution of executive and personal assistant roles. Employers are increasingly searching for candidates with technical skills that stretch far beyond simple proficiency in Microsoft Office. Knowledge of cloud-based applications, social media, and website and database management is, particularly in demand.

Future Prospects

The career prospects for HR and Business Support candidates depend a lot on their work performance and the organisation they are employed.

Human resource management necessitates leadership and management training to develop the abilities that corporate executives seek. HR professionals with a broader understanding of relevant topics and greater practical skills have more opportunities in the workplace.

Specialists with experience in communication roadmaps, driving innovation, contingency planning, and organisational structure design will see significant pay increases in 2021.

Many businesses are also striving to upskill their current employees, which will increase the demand for specialists who can establish company learning and development programs.

Salt’s advice for getting a Human Resources job

• Employers’ Requirements

  ● Most HR and Business Support jobs require excellent communication skills, an understanding of the employee life cycle, analytical skills, and in most cases, a tertiary degree. Employers will occasionally fill vacancies internally from other managerial departments within the organisation.
  ● For positions as an executive or personal assistant, candidates will need to demonstrate a high level of competency across many software packages. When it comes to customer service positions, employers will be looking for job seekers who are knowledgeable, agile, and adept. They will be as likely to value those with call centre experience roles as those with relevant qualifications.
  ● A human resource professional must possess a specific set of skills and expertise to be valued as a strategic business partner and be invited to discussions about the organisation’s future. This person must be familiar with all areas and departments of the company and how HR can help them. The individual is skilled in listening to problems and ideas and in clearly articulating solutions.

• CV Requirements

  When applying for HR and Business Support jobs, several vital elements should not be omitted from any CV:

  ● Essential skills and competencies
  ● Experience
  ● Achievements

  Employers will want to know that you can work well across departments and have a solid grounding in the IT systems, which drive modern HR processes.
  Candidates are also expected to have a deeper awareness of their manager’s role. Managers may also decide to hire a candidate with greater industry experience, as opposed to someone new to the field.

  The role of an HR Business Partner, in particular, is largely strategic in nature, and it requires frequent collaboration with executives and business leaders. As a result, the skills needed to achieve success in the role focus on decision-making, communication, and leadership.

• Interview Preparation

  Interviews for HR and Business Support jobs are often split across several stages, with the first usually being a behavioural assessment with jobseekers. If that goes well, you will be invited for further meetings with senior management or key decision-makers within the company. These may involve:

  ● Psychometric testing
  ● Demonstrating computer skills
  ● Giving a prepared presentation
  ● Role-playing for customer service positions

   

• Educational Requirements

  Organisations will often prioritise candidates who have relevant qualifications in business, employment law or human resources management. Humanities degrees in subjects like psychology may also stand you in good stead.

  Postgraduate HR courses will increase your chances in the eyes of any future employers for more specialised HR and Business Support professions.