Course description

Dramatic changes in the business environment (e.g., increased competition, new technology) have provided the opportunity for HR Professionals to have a significant impact on their company’s ability to compete successfully. To capitalise on this opportunity, HR professionals must move from a tactical, specialist or generalist role to become a Strategic HR Business Partner. This class covers the competencies needed by HR professionals to become more strategically focused and learn to “partner” with their internal clients to become value-added contributors and trusted advisors.

These competencies include:

• Partnering Skills. Build effective client relations, prioritize multiple stakeholders, conduct client meetings, develop trust with clients, deal with difficult clients, and develop more effective, contracting, sales and negotiating skills
• Diagnosis & Measurement. Learn to use a structured diagnostic process to define the problem, collect and analyse data, and develop a feasible action plan linking project results to organisational strategic goals. Use of appropriate models (e.g., BSC) and tools needed to collect data that supports a compelling business case for your project
• Facilitation Skills/Consulting Tools. Learn to influence without authority, develop executive coaching/mentoring skills, facilitate interpersonal processes: conflict resolution/mediation, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making
• Facilitating Change/Project Management. Develop, staff and manage organisational improvement project teams, overcome resistance and build commitment to projects, create and facilitate effective team structures and employ agile project management processes (e.g., scrum)

The course will include an excursion to UBS in Zurich (Wednesday, 25 June). On Thursday, 26 June, class will be held at the University of Sankt Gallen.