The New Role for HR Business Partners. Becoming Product Designers

In last week’s blog, I shared insights on how AI is transforming HR functions. Today, I want to dive deeper into an exciting shift in the HRBP role — HR Business Partners (HRBPs) are evolving into Product Designers.

For those of you unfamiliar with product design and development, this role focuses on creating, improving, and refining products with the customer at the centre of every decision. Whether it’s a physical product or a digital tool, product designers build with a user-first approach, continuously testing and iterating based on feedback.

So, how does this connect to HRBPs?

Well, the principles of product design—like defining a problem, ideating solutions, prototyping, and testing—are increasingly being applied to HR. We’re not just developing policies anymore. We’re creating experiences and tools that improve employee engagement, performance, and business outcomes, all while keeping people at the heart of it.

The Product Design Framework: How HRBPs are Embracing It

A product design framework offers a clear, structured approach to creating user-friendly and effective solutions. It's about making sure everyone involved in the process understands the goals, user needs, and business objectives, while ensuring smooth collaboration across teams.

For HRBPs, it means:

• Identifying the problem or need (e.g., improving employee engagement or building a more agile workforce)

• Brainstorming solutions (e.g., designing a people plan or new leadership development initiative)

• Prototyping and testing solutions quickly, just like a product MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to get real-time feedback

• Implementing changes after evaluating results, with continuous iterations based on feedback.

Agile HRBPs: Adapting to Product Thinking

In my own role, I’ve been adopting a design thinking methodology to improve the HR function. One example is the People Plan, which is now being developed as a tailored digital tool to support business bids and projects. This approach is distinct from traditional methods and ensures that we’re building something that truly meets the needs of the business.

I’ve started applying agile principles—working in sprints, using work packages, and managing tasks via JIRA. It’s been a game-changer in terms of improving efficiency and alignment across teams. And with this agile, product-based approach, I’m building HR solutions in a way that mirrors product development cycles.

The Rise of HR Product Roles

If you look at the market today, you’ll notice a rise in roles like HR Product Managers. For example, both Monzo Bank and Mastercard have HR product-focused roles that perfectly demonstrate how HR is evolving in this direction. These roles show how HR functions are becoming more integrated into business operations, offering solutions with a user-first mindset and leveraging technology and data to do so.

HRBPs are no longer just about supporting HR operations — we’re becoming creators and co-creators, focused on designing HR solutions that address business challenges and are measurable in terms of impact.

A New HR Landscape: Designing for Success

So, have you ever worked on designing a product or using a product at work to solve business challenges? For HRBPs, it’s no longer just about implementing systems—it’s about designing HR solutions that deliver lasting value for both the business and the employees.

As HR continues to evolve, embracing a product design mindset will be crucial for HRBPs to stay relevant and impactful in the future of work.