FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is HReimagined?
HReimagined is an exciting opportunity to transform Human Resources into an even stronger asset for our employees and our campus. This is an opportunity to identify and implement HR best practices in a way that will make The University of Alabama a premier place to work.
Why are we undertaking the HReimagined project?
Nearly all of us have some kind of interaction with Human Resources, whether simply in our employment as a faculty or staff member, or as a manager or supervisor. Recent reviews of the HR function have identified several opportunities to improve and enhance the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of many of our HR services, processes, practices and systems. We are also in an era of tremendous change across our campus with a high number of predictable retirements, a new generation of faculty and staff, low unemployment, increased competition for talent, and more demands for elevated technology skills and knowledge. For all these reasons, we need an HR function well-positioned to meet our future UA faculty and staff challenges and provide our campus community with state-of-the-art services and programs.
What is the process for HReimagined?
The process, led by a team of approximately 20 campus stakeholders, began focusing in the early stages on identifying opportunities to enhance human resources at the institution, including assessing strengths and weaknesses. The Human Resources Office is continuing to make progress toward those established goals.
How will employees and the community be kept informed?
Updates will be made to this website under the Timeline tab. Announcements will also be made through UA News and other regular communication tools on an as needed basis.
How many Human Resource Business Partners (HRBPs) will there be?
The HR Transformation Team has been reviewing data to answer this question and has not reached any conclusions about the appropriate number of Human Resource Business Partners (HRBPs). Based on the experience at other institutions that have implemented this model and UA data reviewed, the Team estimates approximately 15-20 HRBPs will be needed. Some of these positions may be new, but some will likely include existing resources on campus.
Who will the Human Resource Business Partners report to in the new model?
The HR Transformation Team has been considering this question and continues to develop the right reporting relationship model. The early thinking of the Team suggests that the HRBPs would have a primary reporting relationship to central HR, to ensure consistency throughout the university. The HRBPs will also have some measure of accountability to the unit leader to ensure their needs are also been met.
When and how will this new HR model be implemented?
The HR Transformation Team has been considering various scenarios for the possible implementation of the new HR model. Based on the Team’s early thinking about various implementation scenarios, it is far more likely that new Human Resource Business Partners (HRBP) would be added to various academic and administrative units in stages, with a few units piloting the use of HRBP in the first year, and additional units adding HRBPs in subsequent years. The Team anticipates it will likely take 3 or more years to implement the new model in all units.
How will this new model impact my job if I currently have HR responsibilities?
For those faculty and staff that currently have some portion of their daily worklife dedicated to HR responsibilities, the new model will permit those people to focus on the core functions of their job. Those faculty and staff members performing a majority of their job with HR responsibilities will likely become part of the Human Resource Business Partner network.