HR Transformation Strategy

Putting strategy into practice

All too often, human resource (HR) organizations transform themselves in a strategic vacuum, responding to the business’ day-to-day operating needs without a clear view of the big picture. Plans, models, initiatives, and formal transformations add up to nothing if the business outcomes don’t change and if the business performance is not sustained. To be effective, organizations need HR to show up differently. This means setting and achieving the workforce and talent agenda, driving workforce performance and engagement, stewarding the culture, and enhancing the experience for the enterprise’s people. To accomplish these goals, HR needs to align its transformation efforts with the company’s business strategy. This requires an HR transformation strategy that is realistic and executable–with accurate plans, schedules, resource requirements, and estimated benefits that the company can rely on.

Recent global surveys sponsored by Deloitte Consulting LLP found that only 20% of business executives believe HR is adequately planning for their company’s future talent needs, only 28% of executives believe HR is highly efficient, and 85% of global organizations feel the need to transform HR to meet new business requirements.

What can HR do to regain the confidence of its business colleagues? And how can HR develop the capabilities necessary to help the business achieve its goals?

How can HR deliver sustainable performance and what’s needed to get there?

The first step is to work with the business to understand its top three or four strategic priorities–and then to develop an HR transformation vision and strategy that aligns with those priorities. The next step is to identify the detailed actions, resources, timing, and budget necessary to put the strategy into action. Detailed transformation plans and expected benefits should be based on facts and real-world experience, not wild guesses or wishful thinking.
 

How we can help

Our specific services include:

• CHRO Labs engage CHROs and business executives in a one-day, hands-on sessions that provides them with a confidential and open space where they can ask, ponder and address questions that will affect both their future and the future of their HR organization in the context of the business strategy.

• HRT Strategy Labs engage a clients HR leadership team to develop a fit-for-purpose High-Impact HR Operating Model vision / initial design and define the major initiatives for the HR transformation roadmap. These Labs are designed to create an experience that focuses on cultivating and nurturing creative and innovative ideas, is based on design thinking, and drives alignment on the future vision for the HR organization. The Labs allow for flexibility as one or two day sessions.

• Working together with HR and Business Leaders to determine the case for change and the business case to support all manner and scale of HR Transformation initiatives.
  

Bottom-line benefits:

• An HR transformation strategy that fits the true needs of the business, supported by a case for change and business case

• Accurate and executable HR transformation plans that companies can rely on

• Improved ability to scale and adapt to market changes, accelerate introduction of new products or services, operate efficiently, and win over competition
  

Three ways to get more value now

Find out what the business needs. All too often, HR pours its heart and soul into developing new services and capabilities, only to discover they aren’t what the business really needs. Make sure the business helps shape your HR transformation strategy and service delivery model before you leap into action.

Focus on end-to-end solutions. Businesses want complete solutions, not a collection of components they have to piece together. For example, when bringing a new employee on board, a wide variety of tasks must be completed–from filling out paperwork and setting up a desk to assigning a computer and issuing an ID card. HR is already responsible for some of that work, but it could create even more value by transforming itself into the single point of contact for all related tasks.

Improve one thing at a time. Instead of transforming everything at once, focus on completing one high priority initiative as quickly as possible. Once that’s up and running, move on to the next one.