HR business partners must move into the role of strategic architects—leveraging their gray zone to focus on core business challenges, and use a new framework from Cornell University to become trusted advisors necessary to navigate the future of work.
Ashley Goldsmith
Chief People Officer
Workday
The role of the HR business partner has never been more critical—or more complex. And HRBPs today are becoming strategic co-pilots, translating the complex needs of the business into a cohesive talent strategy that fuels growth, innovation, and operational excellence.
For a role that is so pivotal, there hasn't always been a clear roadmap for what success looks like. The expectations for strategic business knowledge, organizational influence, and cultural stewardship are incredibly high, but the blueprint for how to achieve that hasn’t been fully articulated.
That’s why I was honored to collaborate with a stellar group of senior HR leaders and the Cornell Center for Advanced Human Resources Studies (CAHRS) to develop a comprehensive framework for the modern HRBP. It's about providing the clarity needed to step fully into this strategic role and define the building blocks of success.
Report
Given the sheer velocity of change, HRBPs are consistently playing in the gray—tackling ambiguous, complex challenges where no playbook exists. They're on the front lines, helping the business navigate transformation every single day and working across teams to support shifting needs. Their roles are dynamic, sometimes abstract, and rooted in service of the teams they partner with.
The work coming out of Cornell’s Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS) to help create the World-Class HRBP Framework couldn’t have come at a better time.
We’re at a turning point. The days of the HRBP primarily focused on delivering talent practices—like managing a compensation or succession cycle—are evolving. HRBPs are writing a modern playbook for success, turning ambiguity into strategy and shifting from task taker to co-pilot.
The CAHRS framework delivers the fresh perspective and renewed sense of purpose to the HRBP role by:
By providing a gold standard, we can ensure every HRBP moves forward with purpose and precision.
At Workday, our HRBPs serve as the quarterback for the entire People & Purpose (P&P) function. They translate what the business needs into what P&P must deliver.
HRBPs are delivering talent practices while writing a modern playbook for success, turning ambiguity into strategy
This requires them to have a true east-west mindset—building relationships across the entire enterprise, understanding our operational challenges, and knowing how to evolve our workforce to drive growth.
This elevation of the role demands three key capabilities from every HRBP:
HRBPs must be fluent in the business's own language. This means truly understanding the company’s financial goals, market trends, competitive landscape, and operational challenges. This fluency must extend beyond internal metrics to include external market knowledge. A strategic HRBP doesn't just manage the talent within the company; they understand the competitive pressure points, what skills the market is prioritizing, and where future disruptions will come from. When you can connect a talent strategy directly to the company’s ability to grow margins or seize a new market opportunity, you move from an HR conversation to a core business discussion.
With the immense pressure from investors and boards, and the rapid shifts of the AI era, senior leaders need a safe space. They need a trusted advisor and confidant who can help them navigate complex people issues, provide tough but necessary feedback, and let them be vulnerable. This kind of intentional listening and response is absolutely essential for driving high levels of employee engagement and sentiment in uncertain times.
In this new world, the only constant is change. Our HRBPs must be proactive, not reactive. This means anticipating future talent needs, identifying organizational risks—like high turnover or skills gaps—and proposing solutions before problems arise. They are the ones who manage and communicate organizational changes, restructure teams, and most importantly, foster a culture of agility and innovation.
By providing a gold standard, we can ensure every HRBP moves forward with purpose and precision.
These three skills will stand the test of time, no matter where technology takes us or what external factors arise. Right now, we have to lean into the discomfort of not knowing all of the answers, and instead do what we do best: lead our people.
The evolution of the HR business partner role from transactional support to a strategic architect is no longer a luxury—it's absolutely essential for success.
This is about ensuring HR is enabled to design those partnerships thoughtfully, making sure we are always listening and responding intentionally. By empowering your HRBPs to fully embrace the language of the business, act as trusted advisors, and proactively drive organizational change, you're directly fueling innovation and growth.
The evolution of the HR business partner role from transactional support to a strategic architect is no longer a luxury—it's essential for success.
The CAHRS framework is an invaluable resource for every organization committed to building a highly adaptable, innovative, and resilient team.
I encourage you to explore the full CAHRS World-Class HRBP Framework and register for the upcoming webcast series. It’s a fantastic opportunity to join the conversation and help elevate this critical role in your own organization.
Report
In the past decade, HR has undergone a major evoluton from a supportive role to a strategic one. However, as this report finds, HR teams are more conservative on AI than finance and IT. That makes the potential competitive advantage even greater—learn more below.