IBM

The role

A time analysis found that 65% of the work HR business partners did for front-line managers was transactional, such as answering questions about the maternity leave policy.¹ HR business partners spent too much time on routine work for too many employees, which lowered their engagement scores and the net promoter scores of the managers they served.²

The change

IBM had an early version of a chatbot in place, but after a year, no one was using it.³ Shortly after AskHR launched, IBM told all 21,000 first-line managers worldwide that dedicated HR business partner support would no longer be available.⁴ The global HR email address and phone number were shut down.⁵ Managers could only access support through AskHR.⁶

Between 2021 and 2024, AskHR became the single entry point for first-line managers and 85% of upline managers.⁷ Over a seven-year period, IBM went from 1,500 HR business partners serving 29,000 managers and executives to 350 serving roughly the same size group.⁸ The reduction was largely done by redeploying HRBPs to more complex work, not backfilling voluntary attrition, and long-term performance management.⁹

What happened next

In 2025, AskHR handled more than 16 million individual user messages.¹⁰ IBM hired more programmers and salespeople.¹¹

Open questions

• Did the remaining 350 HR business partners take on more work, or did the volume of sensitive cases fall?
• How do managers with no direct access to an HR business partner describe the support they get for difficult cases?
• Has IBM reported what the savings went on, beyond programmers and salespeople?
• How long do people wait on the 6% of cases that still reach a person?

Footnotes

1. “IBM had done a time analysis study which found that 65% of the work HR business partners who supported front-line managers did was transactional, answering questions like ‘what’s the maternity leave policy?’” ↩

2. “Plus, they could show that HRBPs were spending too much time on routine work—and doing it for too many employees, leading to lower engagement scores for HRBPs and unenthusiastic net promoter scores from the managers they served.” ↩

3. “IBM already had an early version of a chatbot in place, but after a year, no one was using it.” ↩

4. “Shortly after AskHR launched, we informed all 21,000 first-line managers worldwide that dedicated HR business partner support would no longer be available.” ↩

5. “The global HR email address and phone number were also shut down.” ↩

6. “Managers could only access support through AskHR.” ↩

7. “Between 2021 and 2024, AskHR—working in concert with our HR partners—became the single entry point for first-line managers and 85% of upline managers.” ↩

8. “Over a seven-year period, the company slowly went from having 1,500 HR business partners serving 29,000 managers and executives to just 350 HR business partners serving roughly the same size group.” ↩

9. “This was largely done by redeploying HRBPs to take on more complex work, not backfilling voluntary attrition (LaMoreaux says she runs a 10% attrition rate through retirements and voluntary departures), and some long-term performance management.” ↩

10. “That same year, AskHR handled more than 16 million individual user messages.” ↩

11. “Consequently, IBM hired more programmers and salespeople.” ↩