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Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics

HR Business Partner

Brice Zanetti

Name: Natalie Ehrsam Steger
Degree: lic. oec. publ.
Profession: HR Business Partner​​​​​​​
Employer: Novo Nordisk Pharma AG

Describe your job in one sentence.

I advise and support managers and employees in all personnel-related issues—from personnel planning, talent development, performance management, and compensation to organizational development, change, and transformation projects. In doing so, I assist the business in translating the corporate strategy into a suitable people strategy.

What are the three main tasks in your job?

  • Advising, coaching, and sparring with managers and employees on all HR issues.

  • Managing central HR processes (e.g., recruitment, performance management, salary reviews, succession planning) and implementing HR initiatives and projects through close collaboration with service centers and centers of excellence.

  • Supporting change processes as well as organizational and team development.

In your opinion, what is the best/most exciting thing about this job?

The most exciting thing is working with a wide variety of people and being in contact with different levels of management. This job is varied thanks to the combination of strategic work, project work, and hands-on tasks. Every day is different; you have to respond to current developments and develop yourself further for future tasks. This requires flexibility, empathy, and entrepreneurial thinking in order to balance business and personnel requirements.

What is the biggest challenge in this profession?

HRBPs sit between management, executives, and employees. Management expects strategic advice, executives want quick, pragmatic solutions, and employees expect fairness and support. Sometimes you find yourself “between a rock and a hard place.”

The work can be emotionally draining, e.g., during restructuring or performance issues, and there are periods of high stress during transformation or rapid company growth.

What does it take to enter this profession and be successful?

  • A good understanding of the business and an entrepreneurial mindset.

  • Several years of HR experience, e.g., as an HR specialist / HR operations manager / HR generalist, ideally also experience in line management.

  • Solution-orientation and “hands-on” mentality.

  • Enjoy working with a wide variety of people.

  • Strong communication skills, empathy, and assertiveness.

  • Basic understanding of legal issues (labor law, contracts, social security law).

  • Ability to juggle different stakeholder demands and stay on top of things.

What opportunities for advancement/further development are there?

  • Junior/Senior HR Business Partner

  • Management of an HR Business Partner teams

  • Head of HR

  • Member of the executive board / Group HR Director in corporations

  • Taking on additional areas of responsibility, such as communications

What would you have liked to know about this profession as a graduate? 

That it's less about “feel-good HR” and more about business acumen, strategy, and decision-making skills. HR is a true management partner—not just administrative support. That sometimes a thick skin and diplomatic skills are required.

What advice do you have for students who are interested in this job?

Gain as much internship and professional experience as possible, for example in customer service, marketing, or finance, while you are still studying. Be open to different industries and try to understand the respective business model along the value chain – not just HR issues.

Looking back on your career, is there anything you would do differently? Why?

After the birth of my children, I reduced my workload. I would not choose a very low workload (below 60%), as with a low workload you are often not involved enough in daily business to be strategically effective and maintain an overview. As a result, the most responsible and interesting job offers in the HR BP area are usually available from 70% upwards.

Is there anything else you would like to share with current students?

At the beginning of my career, I was convinced that marketing was “my thing,” which is why I started my internships and career as a product manager. After consciously switching to HR, I benefit every day from these experiences in the marketing department.

Be open to opportunities, even if they don't exactly match your original plan. Many exciting career moves happen unexpectedly—the important thing is to remain curious and willing to learn.

As of March 2026