The Power of a PlanUnlocking the Full Value of an HR Strategic Plan

Jason LauritsenMarch 1, 2012

Agenda

1. Paint the Backdrop2. Why Strategic Planning3. 3 Phase Strategic Planning Process4. Lessons I’ve Learned

The Rules

1. This is your session, not mine. 2. You are responsible for getting what

you came for. 3. Ask me questions, even if I’m on a

roll. 4. Interrupt me, please. 5. Challenge me if you disagree or your

experience is different than mine.

Playing the Game

4

1,000 employee national

call center

2,600 employee national

call center

800 employee community bank

My Role: Talent Management/ Recruiting

Scenario:HR not respectedRecruiting failingHostile relationshipsHigh turnoverImmediate impact

My Role: VP HR/Recruiting

Scenario:Post acquisitionMerging two teamsHR not respectedRecruiting strugglesVery high turnover

My Role: VP Human Resources

Scenario:Hired as strat. leaderHR administrationHR underperformingLack systemsLow turnover Strong culture

Common Themes

• HR was not connected to the business.• HR lacked relationships with business

leaders.• Even when HR did perform, results were

discounted.• HR blamed for a lot.• HR lacked a plan, so spent most of time in

reactive mode.

Needed a catalyst for change.

The Gaps

What was missing:• Key relationships• Perception management• Performance linkage to the business• Confidence in HR team’s abilities

The Solution: A Strategic Planning Process

Why Strategic Planning?

• Strategy is hot. • Business people will

make time to talk strategy.

• Created opportunity to engage the business.

• Just talking about strategy makes you appear more strategic.

Stated Reasons

Side Benefits

The Approach

The Approach

Strategic Planning

Stated Reason

• Prepare a plan for HR for the next 3-5 years.

Side Benefits• Build relationships with key decision makers.• Get to know the business in more depth.

3 Phase Process

1.Discovery2.Planning3.Communicati

on

•The Approach•Overview•Case Study Examples

3 Phase Process

1.Discovery2.Planning3.Communicati

on

•The Approach•Overview•Case Study Examples

Stated Reason

• Gather information to use in planning.

Side Benefits• Develop relationships.• Change business perceptions of HR.• Learn about the business and their needs.

DiscoveryThe Approach

Discovery is all about asking questions and gathering information.

– What do we do well?– Where are we broken?– How can we drive the business forward?– What is the most important thing we can do to create

value for the business?

DiscoveryOvervie

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Gathering feedback on HR’s performance– Collect input strengths and weakness first

• What do we do well?• Where aren’t we meeting your needs?

– Non-personal to get best feedback• Survey• Focus Groups

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Gather data on business goals and challenges

– Meetings with business leaders• Communicate purpose of meeting before

scheduling• Send agenda and questions in advance• Encourage broad involvement by business

units• In-person meetings are optimal• Resist email responses

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Focus Group Discussions – Facilitated by an External FacilitatorInternal Customer Groups• Why do you think HR exists?  What is their primary purpose?• In what ways does HR excel today?• How has HR changed in the past few years (positively or

negatively)?• In what areas does HR need to improve?• What do you believe to be HR’s top 3 goals? What do you

think they should be?• How would you describe HR’s performance in providing

customer service to you and your associates? Where do they excel? Where do they struggle?

• What would you like HR to accomplish over the next 3 years?• What could HR do to add more value to your dept/division?• How would you rate the overall effectiveness of HR?

DiscoveryCase Study

Focus Group Discussions – Facilitated by an External FacilitatorHR Staff• In what ways does HR excel today?• How has HR changed in the past few years (positively or

negatively)?• In what areas does HR need to improve?• What do you believe to be HR’s top 3 goals? What do you

think they should be?• In your opinion, what is the most important think HR could

accomplish in the next 3 years?• How would you rate the overall effectiveness of HR?• What are the strengths of the team? • What are the weaknesses of the team?• What resources or support are lacking that might prevent you

from excelling within your role or as a team?

DiscoveryCase Study

Business Leader Meetings – In-Person Discussions• What are the three most important goals for your division

to achieve over the next 3-5 years?• What are the most significant threats to your division's

performance in the next 3-5 years?• How will these goals and threats impact what you expect

from your people?• What is our competitive advantage in the market? What

do our people do better than anyone else? • What are the major trends in your business/industry that

you expect to most significantly impact how you do business in the future? What does that mean for your workforce?

DiscoveryCase Study

Business Leader Meetings – In-Person Discussions - continued• In what other ways do you expect that your people need

to perform their jobs differently in the future than they do today?  

• What people issues in your business are the most concerning to you?  

• What will be the single biggest people issue that you expect to confront in your division in the next 3-5 years?  

• What makes your area a great place to work?• If someone in your area were to leave for another job,

why might they leave?

DiscoveryCase Study

3 Phase Process

1.Discovery2.Planning3.Communicati

on

•The Approach•Overview•Case Study Examples

Stated Reason

• Create a strategic plan for the development of HR over the next 3-5 years.

Side Benefits• Validate that you understand the business.• State how HR should be measured and held

accountable.• Galvanize the HR team around key objectives.

PlanningThe Approach

Planning is the process of extracting the themes and highest payoff actions from discovery data. • Where can we create the most value?• How do we make it happen?

– What specific steps must we take?– Where do we start?

• What does success look like?

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Analysis and Summary Process• Broad involvement of HR staff promotes

ownership and buy-in• Leverage your analytical resources and talent• Off-site, facilitated process accelerates the

process• Define what success looks like to the business

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The Plan• There is no single right format or structure of a

strategic plan. It has to work for your org.• Components

– Themes -- Objectives– Highest Impact Strategies within each theme– Specific actions and outcomes related to each

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Human Resources Strategic PlanVision

Company is a thriving, healthy organization because of our thriving, healthy people.

PurposeTo deliver resources, tools, and solutions that ensure the organization has the talent needed to succeed.

ValuesService

We go above and beyond to help our associates succeed. We strive to solve problems before they happen.Performance

HR gets the job done, every time. We use our expertise and passion to produce great results.Team

We succeed and fail together as one. We help each other grow.Innovation

We solve problems in creative ways and continually find new ways to create value.

Strategic Objectives

1. HR is recognized as providing excellent service and solutions.2. HR’s people, processes, and technologies are efficient and effective.3. Associates are continually developed and provided advancement

opportunities.4. Our total compensation program drives associate performance and

retention.5. Associates are measurably healthier because of our culture of wellness.

Case Study

Strategic RoadmapStrategic Objective Strategy Action Step Owner

Completion Date

Outline process for systematic development of management skill level in the operation for executive review and buy-in Wade 2/13/2008Identify skill profile for key management roles within operations Wade 3/15/2008Outline management development priority list with ops key leaders Wade 3/15/2008Assess management skill for locations based on priority established and deliver management training plan Wade 7/1/2008Define process for identification of "supervisor potentials" among current collector staff Wade 7/1/2008Develop training process for "supervisor potentials" Wade 8/1/2008Launch "supervisor potentials" program Wade 9/1/2008Design Individual Development Planning tool for managers to use in creating development plans for their direct reports Kelly 2/29/2008Provide tool and training to all managers within WAM Kelly 2/29/2008

Utilize retention studies to determine turnover root causes Kelly 12/31/2008

Develop retention plans with ops management to address root cause issues Kelly 12/31/2008Develop training/development program for managers that instill a retention mindset and build skills needed to retain employees Jason 2/29/2008Deliver training to management based on operational priority TM Team 12/31/2008

Conduct through recruitment process audit production recruiting processes recommend process improvements based on audit Kelly 2/29/2008Conduct through recruitment process audit staff recruiting processes recommend process improvements based on audit Kelly 3/31/2008Participate in and/or facilitate process documentation and redesign with Talent Acquisition team Kelly 6/1/2008Design pre-screening processes for production employee selection Kelly 3/31/2008Design pre-screening processes based on audit recommendation and customer needs Kelly 7/1/2008Identify and recommend selection tools where appropriate Kelly 7/1/2008Train managers and talent acquisition staff on best practice techniques Kelly 12/31/2008

Enhanced Talent Selection

Recruitment Process Audit

Improve Selection Process

Management Skill Development

Operations Management

Development Process

Individual Development Planning Process

Collector Retention

Retention Studies and Planning

Training Retention Skills to Management

Case Study

HR Strategic PlanHR STRATEGIC PLAN 2006-2008

Company Strategic Cornerstones

People

Professional Culture

Performance

Growth

Human Resources Strategic Objectives

Deliver strong ROI on human capital

Foster Culture of Respect and Engagement

Commit to process discipline

Lead the transformation

Capitalize on technology

Ensure workforce readiness to execute on

corporate strategy

Strategy Maximize OWI’s

investment in human capital

Utilize HR processes to facilitate engagement

Create an environment that fosters meaningful communication

Create a culture that values and encourages recognition

Provide employees with great managers

Prepare the business to manage through systems and processes

Manage HR through systems and processes

Develop HR strategies that drive corporate business results

Partner with the business to create value

Deliver flawlessly on HR processes

Maximize all systems to their full utilization

Invest in technology for the future

Build a workforce with the capacity to support existing business, new services, and new ventures

Ensure HR readiness

2006-2007 Tactics ETM process Complete talent

assessments Align HR processes to

competencies & brand

HR Policy Manual redesign

Define benefit & compensation strategy and redesign plan

Define & document ETM processes

Define Human Capital scorecard

Restructure HR to better support business & corporate strategy

Clearly define HR roles & responsibility

Fully deploy talent builder Automate staffing

requisition processes E-Time Computer Based Training

Define strategic job families & associate competencies

Build flex staffing plan Contract with recruitment

Case Study

3 Phase Process

1.Discovery2.Planning3.Communicati

on

•The Approach•Overview•Case Study Examples

Stated Reason

• To communicate HR’s strategy to the organization.

Side Benefits• Promote HR’s image as a strategic player. • Gain buy-in and support for HR initiatives. • Control the story of how HR is performing.

CommunicationThe Approach

Communication is how HR ensures that the plan is accepted and supported for execution. • Does this plan address the needs of the business? • How does the plan create value for the business?• How will HR be different?• How will we know if HR is successfully executing

the plan?

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Feedback on the plan• Return to those involved in discovery to ensure

the plan resonates with them.

Share with the Organization• Simplify the plan for broad sharing.• Presentation is important. • Frequently update on progress—particularly to

the HR team.

Overview

Communication

What to communicate:• That you are going to plan• That you are planning• That you have a plan and here it is• That you are working your plan• That you are making progress (many times)• That you have finished the plan• That you are going to plan (repeat)

Overview

Communication

Where to communicate:• Email• Intranet • Meetings• One on one• Retreats• Social media• Conference calls• Webinars

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HumanCapital Results

Enterprise Talent Management

Talent Management

Compensation and Incentives

Performance Management

Training and OrientationAssimilate culturally and prepare to perform

Execute on what’s expected today

Reward, motivateand align behavior

Build competence toexecute tomorrow

Case Study

Style Matters

Case Study

Our Purpose

To create sustainable competitive advantage for the company through the attraction, selection, and retention of great talent.

HR Strategic Planning

1.Discovery2.Planning3.Communicati

on

Lessons Learned

Pay attention to culture. Don’t fight the current when you don’t have to.

Use external help where appropriate, but never outsource one on one interaction with

business leaders.

Keep it simple. It’s always okay to do more than you promise.

Communicate, communicate, communicate.

“Plans are worthless. But planning is everything.”

-Dwight Eisenhower

Let’s Connect

Jason Lauritsen402.651.4148Jason@BulletproofTalent.comwww.JasonLauritsen.com

THANK YOU!

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