Prepare for your People & Culture Business Partner interview. Understand the required skills and qualifications, anticipate the questions you may be asked, and study well-prepared answers using our sample responses.
Employers ask this question to see if you can adapt to their company’s culture. They want to know that you can work with people from different backgrounds, races and ethnicities. In your answer, explain that you are open-minded and willing to learn about other people’s experiences. Share an example of how you worked with someone who had a different background than you.
Answer Example: "I have worked with people from many different cultures and backgrounds throughout my career. I find it fascinating to learn about different cultures and traditions. I am always eager to learn more about new cultures and ways of life. In my last position, I worked with a team of people who were from different countries. We would often have conversations about our homeland and share recipes. It was a great way to learn more about each other."
This question is a great way to see how much you know about the industry you’re applying for. It also shows your research skills and ability to learn new things. When answering this question, it’s important to show that you’ve done your research on the company and its competitors.
Answer Example: "I am very familiar with the people and culture of this industry. I have been working in HR for five years now, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with many different companies within this industry. I’ve learned a lot about the different ways companies approach people and culture. For example, some companies focus more on employee happiness while others are more concerned with productivity."
This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills and abilities needed for this role. Use your answer to highlight some of your most important qualities, such as communication skills, teamwork and problem-solving abilities.
Answer Example: "I believe that successful business partners need to have a combination of both soft and hard skills. On the soft skills side, I think it’s essential to have a strong sense of empathy and compassion for others. These qualities allow me to understand and connect with others in an authentic way, which in turn helps me build relationships and create positive change in organizations. On the hard skills side, I think it’s important to have an understanding of business principles and processes. This includes knowing how to analyze data and make informed decisions, as well as having an understanding of financial management and accounting. Finally, I think it’s crucial for business partners to be highly motivated and driven individuals who are willing to put in the work to achieve success."
Employers ask this question to learn more about your work history and how you relate to others. They want to know that you can build positive relationships with your colleagues, supervisors and clients. When answering, think of a specific example from your past where you worked well with someone else.
Answer Example: "I had a great relationship with my former employer. We worked together for five years, and during that time we became close friends. We shared many common interests, which helped us develop a strong bond. We also worked well together professionally, so we were able to collaborate on projects effectively."
This question can help the interviewer understand your creativity and ability to implement ideas in a company. Use examples from previous roles where you helped develop or implement new initiatives or programs that helped improve a company’s operations or results.
Answer Example: "In my last role as a people & culture business partner, I helped develop and implement a new employee engagement program that improved our company’s customer service ratings by 10%. The program included training for all employees on how to better interact with customers and provided incentives for employees who exceeded expectations. The initiative also included an automated system that tracked employee performance and provided feedback to managers so they could provide additional support when needed."
Mediation is a skill that is important for people & culture business partners to have. Employers ask this question to make sure you have the skills necessary to help their employees resolve conflicts. In your answer, explain the steps you took to help two people work through their disagreement.
Answer Example: "In my previous role as a human resources manager, I had two employees who were arguing over who should be given a promotion. One employee felt like she deserved the promotion more than her coworker did. However, the other employee had more experience than both of them combined. I met with both of them separately to discuss the situation. After talking with each of them, I realized that the more experienced employee was willing to train the other one. I told both of them that if the more experienced employee trained the other, then they would both receive promotions."
This question allows you to show the interviewer what your primary focus would be if hired. You can answer this question by describing a few of your strengths and how you plan to use them in this role.
Answer Example: "My primary focus as a business partner would be to help employees feel valued and motivated in their roles. I have a lot of experience in people management and motivation, so I plan on using these skills to create an environment where employees feel like they can be themselves at work. I also believe that employee engagement is key to success, so I’d like to work with management to create programs and incentives that encourage employees to be active in their careers."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you would handle a challenging situation. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills, communication abilities and leadership abilities.
Answer Example: "If I noticed a decrease in employee morale, I would first try to determine the root cause of the issue. If it was something that could be fixed quickly, such as an unclear communication or a miscommunication, I would work with my team to address the issue immediately. If it’s something that requires more time or effort to solve, I would create an action plan with specific steps to take to improve employee morale. This could include holding town hall meetings or conducting surveys to find out what’s causing the issue and how we can fix it."
Employers ask this question to see if you can adapt to different cultures and backgrounds. They want to know that you’re comfortable working with people from different countries, ethnicities and religions. When answering, think of a time when you worked with someone who had a different background than you. Explain how you made them feel welcome and comfortable in the workplace.
Answer Example: "I’ve worked with people from all over the world, and I’m always excited to meet someone new. I find that everyone has something unique to offer, so I try to learn as much as I can about their culture. For example, I once worked with someone who was from Saudi Arabia. He taught me how to say hello in Arabic, and we even tried cooking some of the same dishes."
This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills and abilities needed to succeed in this role. Use your answer to highlight some of your most important qualities, such as communication skills, problem-solving ability and teamwork.
Answer Example: "I believe the most important qualities for a successful business partner are communication, collaboration and problem-solving. A successful business partner needs to be able to communicate effectively with others, collaborate on projects and solve problems quickly and effectively. They should also be able to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to challenges."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you handle conflict in the workplace. Use examples from past experiences to explain how you resolved the conflict and what the outcome was.
Answer Example: "In my last role as a people & culture business partner, I had a client who was not satisfied with our company’s services. They were looking for more out of the relationship than we could provide, so I met with them to discuss their concerns. We decided that it would be best if we ended our contract so they could find another vendor who could meet their needs."
Marketing is an important part of any business, and the people & culture business partner is responsible for helping the company develop and implement marketing strategies. Employers ask this question to make sure you have experience with marketing and how you can help their company grow through it. In your answer, explain what your previous roles were in regards to marketing and what skills you used to succeed in those positions.
Answer Example: "In my last role as a marketing manager, I was responsible for creating and implementing all of our company’s marketing strategies. I worked closely with our sales team to determine which demographics we should target with our advertisements and which media outlets would best reach those audiences. Then, I created the advertisements themselves and made sure they were delivered to the right outlets."
This question allows you to show the interviewer your problem-solving skills and ability to implement solutions. Use examples from previous roles that highlight your thought process and how you came up with solutions to solve problems.
Answer Example: "In my last role as a people and culture business partner, I noticed that our employee engagement scores were declining. After conducting research and talking to employees, I found out that many of them were frustrated with the lack of communication from management. I proposed that we create a monthly newsletter where we could share company updates and news. This helped us increase our engagement scores by 5%."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you interact with others and whether you’re comfortable working in a multicultural environment. Use examples from past experiences where you worked well with people from different backgrounds or skill sets, or explain how you would approach collaborating with a team of diverse individuals.
Answer Example: "Absolutely. I’ve worked on teams of all sizes and backgrounds, and I’ve found that collaboration is key to success. I’m always willing to learn new things from my colleagues, and I enjoy sharing my own knowledge and skills with others. In my last position, I was part of a team of five people who all had different areas of expertise. We worked together to create an employee satisfaction survey that helped us improve our company’s culture."
This question is an opportunity to show your interviewer that you have the skills and abilities necessary to succeed in this role. You can answer this question by describing some of the most important qualities, such as communication skills, problem-solving ability and leadership skills.
Answer Example: "I think one of the most important qualities a business partner should have is the ability to communicate effectively. I’m always open to talking with others about ideas and plans, so I make sure to always be available to talk with my team members. Another quality I believe is essential is problem-solving skills. I like to think outside of the box when it comes to finding solutions to problems, which helps me come up with innovative ideas. Finally, I think leadership skills are essential because a business partner needs to be able to lead their team in order to achieve success."
This question can help interviewers understand how you would handle a challenging situation in the workplace. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills, communication abilities and ability to work with others.
Answer Example: "I would first try to talk to them about the issue in a private setting. If they were unwilling to take responsibility for their actions, I would bring it up in a team meeting so everyone could be aware of what was going on. This way, other team members could help hold each other accountable for their commitments."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you evaluate the success of a business partnership and what factors you consider. Your answer should include a step-by-step process for evaluating business partnerships, including any metrics or benchmarks you use to measure success.
Answer Example: "I first evaluate whether the partnership is meeting its goals and objectives. If the partnership has specific goals or objectives, then I make sure that we’re achieving them. Next, I look at the results of the partnership to see if we’re seeing any improvements or increases in revenue or sales. Finally, I assess whether the partnership is cost-effective by comparing the costs of doing business alone with the costs of partnering with another company."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you use your negotiation skills to benefit your company. Use examples from previous jobs where you successfully negotiated a better deal for your company or client, even if it was for a small amount of money.
Answer Example: "In my last role as a people and culture business partner, I was tasked with finding a new vendor for our company’s office supplies. After researching several vendors, I found one that offered a 10% discount on all orders over $500. The vendor also offered free shipping on all orders over $1,000. This saved our company money because we were able to order more supplies than we normally would have."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you would handle a challenging situation. Use your answer to highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to work with others.
Answer Example: "I would first try to discuss the issue with them in order to understand why they were acting in such a way. If they were not willing to change their behavior, I would take it up with my manager so that we could find a solution together. In my experience, it’s best to approach these situations as a team rather than going directly to the person."
This question can help the interviewer understand how you would handle a conflict with your team. Your answer should show that you are willing to discuss disagreements with your business partner and find a solution that works for both of you.
Answer Example: "If I disagreed with my business partner on a major initiative, I would first try to have an open conversation with them about it. If we still couldn’t come to an agreement, I would take steps to ensure that both sides were heard. First, I would make sure that my business partner knew how I felt about the issue. Then, I would ask them to do the same. After that, I would ask for their reasoning behind their decision so I could better understand their perspective. Finally, I would suggest some compromise solutions so we could both get what we want."
