Dear Ankita,
In the current market, the HR function is no longer treated solely as a support function. Roles have evolved, and HR professionals have become reliable business partners, closely working with the business to understand the company's hiring, retention, policies, procedures, project and resource movement, resource allocation, various pain areas, improvement areas, and opportunities. HR Business Partners (HRBP), Talent Acquisition (TA), Analytics, Compensation and Benefits (C&B), Training and Development (T&D), and HR Operations all now work closely and directly with the business as trusted partners in success, rather than solely as a support function.
A few quick inputs:
- Data holds more power than anything else! Therefore, it is crucial to have the right and real-time data in the system. The challenge lies in not having the required data maintained in the system or tools.
- Understanding your business leads to insights into opportunities, pain areas, demands, the needs of your company, and your profile, enabling you to perform various analytics with the available data.
Regarding your question:
Both HRBP and HR Analytics offer good career prospects currently. Analytics is in high demand and should be an integral part of all roles in HR, whether it be TA, HRBP, C&B, or any other HR function role.
Career and role selection should be based on your primary interest area. If you enjoy managing policies, procedures, and business partnering, the HRBP role would be suitable. If you have an interest in managing and conducting various analyses, working with data, providing data solutions to HR and business, and creating automated dashboards, the Analytics role would be more fitting.
In conclusion, based on my understanding of the current market:
All roles in HR require strong analytical skills. Therefore, combining HRBP with Data Analytics offers a broader perspective. Your technological skills and knowledge are always valuable in preparing various data solutions, systems, and business dashboards for effective partnering.
For now, focus on creating a visible, effective, reliable, and real-time data source for your company and function. Then, seek to understand HR and business needs, perform data analytics/analysis with the available data, and determine if certification is necessary at this point.
Certification is a valuable addition, enhancing your understanding of tools, technology, and systematic approaches to your job. However, it may not lead to immediate growth and could require practice over weeks or months.
I hope this guidance assists you in making the right decision and selecting the best-suited career option.
Thanks and Regards,
Dipesh Prabhakar