The economic downturn has made HR's role as a strategic business partner centre stage. In the private sector there have been immense structural and operational changes, particularly in Financial Services, resulting in cost restructuring and redundancies. The Public Sector is currently focussed on building capability but they will not be immune from the recession.

The downturn provides an opportunity for HR to play a transformational role in organisations. There are distinct choices to be made. Organisations can either respond in a reactive way, finding savings from across the business and hoping to survive. Or, organisations can look for the best way to reshape the organisation - retaining the strong elements of the existing culture, developing key talent and focussing on core skills for the future.

HR and the finance department must work hand in hand to challenge the assumptions and entrenched thinking about the best way to organise and operate for success. The HR function is at its most powerful in a downturn - even though at times it might not feel like it.

What we offer

If HR and OD are to be recognised as a strategic business partner, there are two vital aspects to address:

• Gaining business credibility across the breadth of strategic issues.
• Increasing your ability to consult to and challenge the organisation to see and do things differently.

Leading organisations are using HR business partners as team facilitators, consultants and coaches. We have worked with two global organisations who recognise the benefits of getting HR involved in improving team and individual performance, reducing spend on external support.

Whether you are at the beginning of the HR change journey or have already embarked on it, we can work with you in the following ways:

• Review - bringing HR capability inline with business needs now and in the future.
• HR change strategy - compiling a strategy for the contribution of HR and the road map of how to get there.
• Business Partner Development - increasing the business credibility of the HR function, its consulting skills and the ability to challenge the business.
• HR Transition Support - transferring expertise to support your internal restructuring.

The Results

We have considerable expertise in working closely with HR functions to increase their business contribution.

• In a global telecommunications network organisation we have developed HR Business Partners as leadership team facilitators based on an extensive toolkit for team development provided on line.
• In a major FMCG global group we are developing HR Business Partners as internal coaches across five continents
• In a major global telecommunications company we developed over 100 of the senior HR Business Partners to work more effectively with the business as strategic partners.
• In a UK Government department we have assisted the transition to a shared services and business partner structure. We developed senior HR staff to understand each other's roles and develop their impact and influencing.
• In a UK government department wehave supported the organisational transition of an OD function and the development of OD capability and have developed HR as transition coaches.