When HR departments operate in a silo—and their programs are disconnected and misaligned with the business’ strategic goals—it’s a missed opportunity for both HR and senior leadership.
In fact, 70% of CEOs expect their CHRO to be a key player in enterprise strategy, but only 55% say their CHRO meets this expectation.
HR is in a unique position to impact key performance indicators, including company culture and employee engagement. But without a strategic HR partner to guide those efforts, your impact will fall short.
What is a strategic HR partner
The role of HR as a strategic partner is to develop and direct an HR agenda that supports and drives the overarching goals of the organization.
In other words, a strategic HR partner bridges the gap between the work of the HR team on the ground and the mission of the C-suite.
To do this, strategic HR partners make sure that the HR policy, procedures, and governance align with the big picture. Strategic HR partners ask, “How can HR help create an engaging, high-performance culture that drives the whole business forward?”
How to move from HR Tactics to HR Strategy
Transitioning from the tactical role of HR manager to that of a strategic HR partner is pivotal in today’s dynamic business landscape. While both roles are vital, they serve distinct purposes within an organization.
The HR manager has long been the backbone of HR departments, overseeing the day-to-day operations, ensuring compliance, managing payroll, and handling recruitment. HR managers are essential for maintaining the smooth functioning of HR processes, but they primarily operate at a tactical level, focusing on the immediate needs of the workforce.
Becoming a strategic HR partner marks a significant shift in HR’s function.
Instead of getting caught up in the minutiae of daily HR tasks, a strategic HR partner operates at a higher altitude, aligning HR initiatives with the overarching goals of the organization.
The roles of a strategic HR partner
Strategic Advisor
Strategic HR partners act as trusted advisors to top leadership. They leverage their deep understanding of HR and the organization to provide insights and guidance on strategic decisions. This includes talent acquisition strategies, workforce planning, and initiatives to improve employee engagement.
Problem Solver
They are adept at identifying and addressing complex workforce challenges. Whether it’s resolving interdepartmental conflicts or devising innovative solutions for talent retention, strategic HR partners are the go-to problem solvers in the organization.
Mentor and Coach
Beyond managing HR processes, they invest time in nurturing talent within the HR team and across the organization. They mentor emerging HR professionals, helping them grow into future strategic partners themselves. Additionally, they coach managers on effective leadership and people management.
Independent Leader
While collaborating closely with HR departments, strategic HR partners maintain a degree of independence. This independence allows them to offer unbiased perspectives, ensuring that HR initiatives are aligned with the organization’s best interests.
Alignment Driver
The primary goal of a strategic HR partner is to ensure that everyone within the organization is pulling in the same direction. They work closely with HR departments and the leadership team to align HR strategies with broader organizational goals, fostering a unified and purpose-driven workforce.
Why you should become a strategic HR partner
Too often, HR teams operate in a silo, disconnected from the conversations and decision making happening among senior leadership. This can create misalignment between HR and the rest of the business and hinders HR’s ability to support (and ultimately drive) strategic business outcomes.
Successful, high-performing organizations build alignment across teams and departments. And HR is uniquely positioned to enable and promote alignment when working together with senior leadership as a strategic partner.
How to become a strategic HR partner
While it may seem daunting, becoming a strategic HR partner really comes down to the right investment, the right leadership, and the right plan. While we may not be able to help you with the first two, our team of employee success experts put together a proven plan to help HR become a strategic partner.
Below, we outline a 12-month HR plan that you can easily customize for your organization. While the months below are designed to start in January, it’s never too late to start working on your plan to become a strategic HR partner.
Month 1: Setting your intentions for a high-impact year
Start strong by aligning HR strategies with business goals. Identify the organization’s top priorities for 2025, connect them to HR initiatives, and solidify your role as a strategic business partner. Focus on understanding long-term goals and shaping an HR roadmap that supports measurable growth.
Dive into our 2025 HR Strategy Planner for more on this theme >>
Month 2: Engagement & performance are better together
Break free from the pendulum swing between engagement and performance. Instead, focus on integrating these two elements to drive results and fuel a culture of continuous improvement. Evaluate your organization’s current priorities, and find ways to build a virtuous cycle between employee engagement and productivity.
Dive into our 2025 HR Strategy Planner for more on this theme >>
Audit your current HR tech stack and assess whether it meets your engagement and performance needs. Consider how tools like AI can streamline manual processes, provide actionable insights, and empower HR leaders to operate more strategically. Invest in solutions that align people strategies with business outcomes.
Employee surveys are just the beginning. The real impact comes from using feedback to spark meaningful action. Build a scalable action-planning process that turns survey insights into measurable change, engaging managers and employees in the process for stronger alignment and trust.
Unwanted turnover is costly, but with predictive analytics and employee listening strategies, you can stay ahead of the curve. Pinpoint at-risk employees, uncover true turnover drivers, and take proactive steps to retain your top talent by addressing their needs and aspirations.
Prepare your organization for inevitable change by building resilience and trust. Equip managers and leaders to communicate effectively, align cultural efforts with strategic goals, and gather real-time feedback during transitions to minimize disruption and drive engagement.
Career growth is one of the strongest engagement drivers, yet it’s often overlooked. Create clear pathways for development by equipping managers to facilitate meaningful career conversations, offering upskilling opportunities, and ensuring alignment between employee aspirations and business needs.
Managers are the linchpins of engagement and performance. Empower them with the training, tools, and data they need to lead effectively. Simplify performance management processes, foster coaching skills, and make engagement actionable for every manager on your team.
Misalignment drains resources and slows progress. Ensure alignment by connecting employee goals to organizational strategy, equipping managers with tools to translate priorities into team objectives, and fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
Traditional performance management processes are falling short. Shift to frameworks that prioritize continuous feedback, align individual and organizational goals, and engage employees in their growth. Leverage tools and AI to simplify and enhance the performance review process.
Talent reviews and succession planning are essential to future-proofing your workforce. Build a scalable process to identify top talent, address gaps, and develop leaders who align with your organization’s long-term goals. Equip managers with the skills to drive meaningful development conversations.
HR alone can’t own culture—it’s a shared responsibility. Equip leaders to model desired behaviors, connect cultural priorities to business outcomes, and empower employees to contribute to a positive workplace environment. Make 2025 the year culture becomes a competitive advantage.
In the ever-evolving landscape of HR, the road to success demands more than just good intentions. It requires strategic investments in impact—choices that drive meaningful change, engage your workforce, and empower your HR team.
The days of assumptions and guesswork are gone. Today, it’s about confident decisions, data-backed insights, and targeted actions. It’s about efficiency and simplicity, freeing your team from clunky tools and empowering them to be true coaches. It’s about energizing partnerships that provide the support and expertise needed to propel your HR initiatives forward.
As you embark on this transformative journey, remember that your success hinges on these critical investments. The path to becoming a strategic HR partner, one who not only influences but drives your organization’s success, lies in your ability to harness the power of impact.
To guide you through this strategic HR journey, we invite you to download our complete CHRO Strategic Planner.
This comprehensive, hands-on 12-month strategic HR planning guide will help you turn these principles into actionable strategies, paving the way for a future where HR isn’t just a function but a force for positive change.
Don’t wait—invest in impact today and lead the way to a more engaged, productive, and successful workforce.
FAQs
Q: What is the role of a strategic HR partner?
A: A strategic HR partner is responsible for developing and directing an HR agenda that supports and drives the overarching goals of the organization. They
