how to build a people strategy
TRANSCRIPT
Building a people strategy
Andy CastLearning & Development Director
Emphasis Ltd
“A word to the wise: If you are not creating, making, or selling our
products, you had better have a good reason for being
here.”(PepsiCo Executive)
“Strategy”strat·e·gy /ˈstratəjē
A plan of action or policy designed to achieve a
major or overall aim
The art of planning and directing overall military operations and movements in a war or battle
Why do you want a people strategy?• Get the most out of your biggest expense• Support the business aims and objectives• Ensure that your internal capability fits with
the strategic business goals• Put HR at the heart of your business – make
the function an integral part of the values and vision
RecruitEngageTrainDevelopManage
Right people
Right place Right time
Build relationships
• Be their trusted advisor• Get to know them• Think about how you can impact other
areas of the business
People Process
Customer Finance
The Business Balanced Scorecard
Where to start?• Understand exactly what the business
goals and strategies are;
• What does the business want to deliver?
• What is the business model?• What does the business need HR to
provide?
STAGE ONE
Then what?
Compare the AS IS
to theTO BE
STAGE TWO
AS ISExperienced, established
employees with little knowledge outside
the company
Managers who have grown up with the business (limited
management skills)
Performance issues
High absence figures
TO BENew blood needed–
more of a “cake mix” of employees in the
work force
Fully capable managers
Highly performing individuals and
teams
A reliable workforce
The workforce…
Complete a gap analysis
STAGE THREE
AS ISExperienced, established
employees with little knowledge outside
the company
TO BENew blood needed–
more of a “cake mix” of employees in the
work force
Resourcing strategyGraduate recruitment
Apprenticeship schemes
External recruitment
Filling the gaps
AS ISManagers who have grown up with the business (limited
management
TO BENew Fully capable
managers
Management training scheme
Talent managementManagement training
programme
Filling the gaps
AS ISPerformance issues
TO BEHighly performing
individuals and teams
Performance and capability management
policyAppraisal system
Filling the gaps
AS ISHigh Absence Figures
TO BEA reliable work force
forceAbsence management
policy
Filling the gaps
As an HR department ask the questions:• What do we need to START doing, which
we aren’t already?• What can we STOP doing which isn’t
adding value or helping meet business objectives?
• What do we CONTINUE to offer?
STAGE FOUR
AS IS
Tactical HR advice and support
Lots of reporting
HR team working for the stakeholders
HR team responsible for “tea and sympathy”
TO BE
Strategic HR advice and support
Targeted reporting
HR team working with the stakeholders
HR team providing advice and guidance
to line managers
For the HR Department…
Consider the priorities:• Short, medium, long term• Think about a timescale
Consider the resource needed to implement the strategy:• Extra staff or a restructured
department?
STAGE FIVE
WRITE THE STRATEGY
STAGE SIX
Things to remember:• Engage the workforce• Make it relevant• Challenge yourself • Don’t be self-indulgent • Always ask – does the business need
this?• Involve your key stakeholders• Gain feedback• Ask for opinions• But manage the relationship
So what next?• Don’t put off building your people
strategy – anticipate the needs of your business
• Use the Emphasis templates to help you take the next steps
• And remember…
If you are not creating, making, or selling our products,
YOU had better have a good reason
for being here
