HR strategy essentials: Laying the foundations for success

Author: Fay Wallis

Hearing that you are supposed to "be strategic" and create a strategy in your HR role can be incredibly daunting. That's probably because you've never been taught what it means or how to do it. Or you may have had a less than ideal experience of strategy at work, with plans being either nonexistent or excessively detailed, circulated at the beginning of the year and then ignored. Here, Fay Wallis offers clear, actionable steps to create a strategy that adds real value.  

Strategy doesn't have to be complex, although we often fall into the trap of overcomplicating it. Keeping it simple is easier said than done, but it's a skill that, once honed, can make all the difference to your impact at work.

Strategy defined

First let's tackle what strategy is. Simply put, strategy is about creating a plan to achieve a desired goal in the future. It's the roadmap to be used to take the business from where it is now to where it needs to be, taking into account the resources available to you and the challenges you might be up against.

Make time 

The first foundational step to creating an effective strategy is to allocate time in your calendar to focus on it. When you're in a busy HR role, or you're worrying about whether you'll be able to create something that is "good enough", it's easy to let strategy slip down your list of priorities and languish at the bottom of your to-do list. 

But it's important you give yourself time to focus on strategy. You know yourself best, so choose a way of doing this that works well for you:

• a daily 20-minute session;
• a weekly deep-dive; or
• a monthly strategy day.

Find a rhythm that suits you and stick to it.

Crafting a strategy isn't something you can tick off your to-do list once and then forget about. It's an active part of your role that needs regular attention. As the business landscape shifts and your company's needs evolve, your strategy may need to be adjusted. That's why it's wise to carve out time not just for the initial creation but for continual review and tweaks throughout the entire year.

Do your research

Your next step is to conduct your own research. Look both internally (within your organisation) and externally. Start with what you already have, like engagement survey results. What are the numbers and comments really telling you? Schedule time to sit down with colleagues from other departments to understand what their priorities and challenges are. This isn't just about gathering data; it's about finding ways your HR or People team can genuinely provide support through strategic efforts.

When it comes to doing external research, this involves staying informed about your competitors, the shifts in industry trends and any emerging best practices. This broader view will help shine a light on areas where you can focus your strategy for maximum relevance and impact.

Identify the core problem

Getting to the heart of the problem that you need to solve is crucial when crafting your HR strategy. Richard Rumelt, author of Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters, describes it best: "A good strategy honestly acknowledges the challenges being faced and provides an approach to overcoming them. And the greater the challenge, the more a good strategy focuses and coordinates efforts to achieve a powerful competitive punch, or problem-solving effect." This insight is invaluable.

As you dig into your research, you'll find many areas where your organisation could improve. The key is to not get overwhelmed or sidetracked. Instead of trying to fix everything, concentrate on what's most important. You can't address every single issue - that's just not realistic.

So, keep homing in on what truly matters. What is the biggest barrier your organisation is facing that you can help to solve? Is it hard-to-fill vacancies, is it hard-to-retain talent? Is there a toxic culture brewing, or has innovation within the company ground to a halt? Identify that core issue and shape your strategy to overcome it.

Choose a strategy format

Choosing the right format for your strategy is essential, but it doesn't mean you have to fall into a rabbit hole of endless research, or spend weeks perfecting a custom template. A one-page strategy can be surprisingly effective and a real time-saver.

Popular options include the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework, the House of Strategy and Dr Max Mckeown's Speed Strategy, which is a personal favourite of mine.

Whichever format you pick, it should clarify what you aim to achieve with your strategy, why it's important and how you plan to achieve it.

Track your strategy's effectiveness

Choosing how to track the success of your strategy is crucial. With the wealth of data and metrics at our fingertips today, it can be tempting to try to track everything, which quickly becomes overwhelming. Instead, focus on the essentials. Ask yourself:

• What are we aiming to accomplish?
• Which metrics will clearly indicate whether we're on track?

For instance, if increasing the retention rate of new hires by improving the onboarding process is your goal, look at measurable outcomes like the turnover rate of new hires in their first year, or their satisfaction scores at the end of their probation. You might even consider introducing a survey specifically to gather feedback about their onboarding experience. These straightforward measures can tell you a lot about how well your strategy is working.

Secure buy-in

Getting everyone to buy in to your strategy is key, but it's easy to miss this step in the rush to get things done. The last thing you want is a strategy that sits on the shelf and is never actioned.

To get around this, make talking and teamwork part of your strategy from day one. Share updates, swap ideas and get feedback as you go. Show your drafts to your colleagues, ask what they think and involve the people who will help make it happen. Their early buy-in can turn your strategy from words on a page into actions that drive change.

Takeaways

To sum up, crafting a meaningful strategy in HR requires:

• carving out dedicated time to focus on it;
• immersing yourself in thorough research, pinpointing exactly what needs to change;
• laying out your plan in a clear format; and
• measuring what matters most.

Of course, it also requires buy-in - bringing everyone along on the journey with you to ensure that the strategy you create isn't just another document, but a shared goal for the future. With everyone's input and commitment, your strategy will be a living roadmap that guides your HR team and company forward amid the ever-shifting landscape of the business world.