5 Strategic Human Resource Planning Tips For 2021

Human Resource (HR) managers should already be fully aware that long term organisational success requires the alignment of people with the organisation’s strategy. This is undoubtedly the HR’s key role in every organisation. However, very often, it is challenging to connect people and business strategies effectively.

In order for HR to ensure that the organisation continues to grow whilst operating efficiently, it needs to delve and modify the way it manages various HR aspects. While each organisation has their own unique HR strategy, here are some of the key HR aspects that require planning and strategic approaches for the people to align with the organisational skills needs.

1. Compensation & Benefits

The start of a new year typically means that annual increments and bonus payments are drawing near. It is time to do salary benchmarking – where do your employees’ salaries fall with respect to the marketplace? Do you pay at the median percentile, higher or lower, and why? What is the company’s policy on salary increments and bonuses? The HR department might need to further analyze their payroll expenses as well to determine if the company is operating at full efficiency. Studying their annual payroll reports in detail can allow them to develop strategies to reduce human capital costs.

Additionally, does the organisation offer premium benefits to the employees in order to stay competitive with other companies in the market? The HR department has to be able to effectively articulate to the employees the compensation and benefits policies and guidelines, and also practice it on a regular basis.

2. Employee Communication

Employee communication is vital to the organisation as it affects employee morale and corporate culture. According to a Deloitte study, 94% of executives believe a strong workplace culture is important to business success. Further research done by Clear Company HRM found that “86 percent of employees and executives cite lack of collaboration or ineffective communication for workplace failures.” It is critical to develop an effective communication channel that allows employees provide their feedback. Factors to consider includes how are the collected information going to be disseminated and what is the most effective communication channel given the demographics of the organisation.

3. Training & Development

Employees are constantly seeking upgrading opportunities within the organisation. What is the value that the organisation places on training and development? This aspect can come in various forms, such as tuition reimbursement, internal and exte
al workshops, on-the-job training or career succession planning. According to The 2019 Employee Engagement Report by TINYPulse, 54% of employees are unclear about their promotion and career path. The HR has to consider how much time and money they are willing to spend on training and development, and communicate to employees these career advancement opportunities.

4. Recruitment

A good recruitment strategy that supports the HR business goals can help ensure that new employees are on the same page with the organisation’s goals and objectives. One excellent example would be the recruitment strategy of General Mills. This U.S. food company made use of the booming social media platform to reach out to a wider potential talent pool. With the implementation of this social media strategy, potential candidates are able to get a glimpse into the company’s culture and working environment to see if it is a good fit for their career development. Through this social media strategy, they have successfully managed to portray themselves as a favourable employer among their potential audience.

To further enhance the recruitment strategy for new hires, a clear onboarding process can also provide new employees better insights on the organisation’s business strategy.

5. Work Environment

What kind of corporate workplace does the organisation have? Does it seem to be improving employees’ morale and boosting the business? It is important to create a workplace environment that allows employees to grow and communicate with each other so as to encourage employee retention within the organisation.

In short, the value placed on developing the human resources in the organisation will ultimately dictate the success of the organisation. What is your HR strategy for 2021?