Human resources (HR) has spent the past 10 years changing from a transactional, reactive service to a system based on outsourcing non-core areas, with a focus on strategic partnering.

HR activities and initiatives are now regularly at the heart of many businesses and we are beginning to see a similar approach in IT ­ particularly in the public sector.
But can IT ever be an equal partner in executive attempts to drive a firm forward ­ and is the concept of partnership all it is cracked up to be?

Some big companies are already shifting the IT department’s focus. As roles such as sales and finance are consolidated, the systems they use are simplified and the IT support they need is, in theory, shrinking.

Such an approach should free up IT professionals to become more integrated into functional planning, improving various types of reporting.

The approach should also give staff a chance to build their business skills and create savings through the smart use of technology, rather than constantly solving IT support problems.

Increased standardisation can also mean that support issues become less problematic.

The overall result of such trends should be a new-found ability for IT departments to work alongside business staff and become an integral part of the systems-creation process.

In leading-edge firms, stronger communication links already mean more efficient and focused service delivery.

But while the prospect of linking technology skills directly into core business processes is exciting, IT leaders must recognise there can be a barrier to success.
This barrier is a lack of general commercial skills, which IT workers need to communicate with colleagues.

Other workers sometimes think technology struggles to achieve expected goals. And the fact that a lack of communication by business staff can be to blame for poor implementation adds an element of conflict that must be recognised and managed.
So strategic partnership between IT and business becomes more complex. And without effective management, the foundations for creating effective business partnerships are flawed.

The required adaptability can be achieved by electing a number of senior business and IT employees to guide ground-level staff on how each project area should be administered.

IT leaders looking to guide employees should note that perspective and understanding are prerequisites to successful strategic partnerships.

But although the term “business partner” is commonly used, adhering to the right definition is rare. Without an adequate understanding of finance and strategy, partnership is a concept that is in danger of receiving nothing but lip service. Therefore, implementation is crucial.

Partnering requires key training for IT and business staff. In short, more business economics and accounting for functional specialists, and technical skills training for line managers.

Then key executives will be able to meet the significant demands that partnering requires.

Matt Gascoigne is IT recruitment director at legal recruitment specialist Badenoch & Clark