Defining HR strategy

A ‘good’ HR Strategy challenges established thinking, focuses HR spend and effort, integrates HR into strategic decision making and (most importantly) develops a more business-orientated HR function. Yet it’s surprising how many organisations do not make this critical link between organisational strategy and HR.

Here at cda we have worked with a variety of organisations to develop an effective HR Strategy by:

• Benchmarking current policies and processes against external standards and best practice
• Evaluating the implications of organisational strategy (e.g. for skills or HR processes)
• Surveying the views and requirements of internal customers
• Facilitating discussion to agree priorities and success measures
• Advising on the best way to communicate the HR strategy to the wider organisation
• Evaluating the skill levels and career priorities of HR team members
• Re-visiting the HR Strategy to evaluate progress and update priorities

Arla Foods UK plc wanted to establish a strategy that would provide a strategic framework for HR. We worked with the HR Directorate to develop a seamless HR plan, which pulled together the HR agenda for the ‘new’ organisation. It was linked to the new vision, strategy & values – ‘Taking the Lead’ - and reflected the practical priorities for the business. Importantly for successful implementation, it linked to a detailed delivery plan for HR with priorities, timescales and resources.

Following our support for the strategic review of the AWG business, we worked with the newly formed HR team within Anglian Water Services to define an HR Strategy which would support business objectives. The strategy was centered around the development of a Skills and Behaviours Framework which defined the competencies that would form the basis for the achievement of AWG's Vision. The HR Strategy provided a platform for a range of new initiatives designed to support the achievement of business strategy by developing the key Skills and Behaviours set out in the Framework.

Lexus Europe engaged cda to develop a strategy for the 'Lexus Foundation' which provides training and development to Lexus Centres across Europe. The key role of the Foundation is to support the delivery of the 'Spirit of Lexus' - the distinctive customer service that differentiates Lexus from other luxury car retailers. We worked with Lexus retailers across Europe to develop a shared view of the skills and behaviours that define the Lexus Customer Experience. We then carried out a review of the training and development that was already available and agreed a medium term strategy for the Lexus Foundation. This mapped the training and development that the Foundation will develop and launch to retailers over the next five years, to support the delivery of the 'Spirit of Lexus' to customers across Europe.

Sixty UK (owners of the ‘Miss Sixty’ brand) wanted to develop their HR function to support the growth of the business. We carried out a strategic review that identified HR priorities for the company and developed a competency framework and performance management process aimed at developing the skills, knowledge and behaviours needed to grow the business. We continued to support the business to help these new HR tools to become established.

We worked with the team leading Volkswagen UK ’s Academy, which provides training and development to the Volkswagen dealer network, to help them develop a medium term strategy and a detailed operational plan for the next twelve months. The objective was to ensure that the business challenges facing Volkswagen were fully reflected into the Academy’s activity and that the team was able to optimise its contribution to the business. We subsequently worked with the team to review and update the strategies and plans.

How do you create an integrating HR strategy for a fast moving, high tech, Pan European Internet business? This was the challenge Yahoo! presented to cda. After spending time inside the business to understand ‘what made it tick’ and taking into account that English was the second language for many members of the team, we designed and facilitated a highly interactive strategy planning session. The output was a medium term HR strategy supported by key project initiatives that drove the priorities of the HR team's two to five year business plan.