The importance of an HR plan

Engagement is a key priority for any employer. Not only is it about providing meaningful work that is understood and enjoyed by every employee, it also embraces the whole culture of your organisation and how it feels to be part of it.

Create an environment where employees want to be involved and are committed

Find out what your employees want from their workplace and what they feel about working for you. Do this through a combination of short, sharp engagement surveys and discussion. Embrace their suggestions, apply fixes to address their concerns, then evaluate their feelings again.

It’s easy to understand what needs to be done, but in the hustle and bustle of everyday business, the actions required are often buried beneath everyday operational crises. The only way to cut through this and complete your quest to make your team the best it can be is to have an HR plan.

The all-essential HR plan

A clear and communicable HR plan is essential to enhancing the employee experience. It lifts morale and motivation and assures your staff you value them – all key to retaining good people. It also gives direction and allows for all aspects of HR impacting your business to be effectively managed. Setting out how you will improve your organisational culture in a straightforward and practical way gives you targets, deadlines and a way of measuring your progress.

An HR plan will usually include:

• Key business goals
• An overall HR strategy
• Identification of the key HR areas in your business that will support the achievement of your business goals. For example, HR strategy, recruitment, communication, engagement, training and leadership development, performance management, culture, HR policies, HR documentation, resource planning, remuneration
• An objective associated with each of the identified areas
• Prioritised actions to take
• Assigned responsibilities
• Deadlines worked into a schedule
• HR plan communication

A successful HR plan is one which is incorporated into your monthly review of key business success indicators. This way, key HR action items become monitored, measured and fine-tuned. They also become part of your business culture by being connected to other key success indicators, being one of the normal topics at management meetings and being top-of-mind action items. This elevated focus on HR will not be lost on your employees, and the culture you envisage will gain traction.

With a solid HR plan you will be prepared to meet all HR challenges and ensure your business’ success. With 2023 beckoning, what better time to develop your HR plan than now?

Alan Pettersen is the founder and director at Positive People HR Consultancy, a firm with over 25 years’ HR experience guiding and supporting businesses. If you need assistance with anything HR related, please contact Alan on 021 184 5661 or [email protected]. Watch the Positive People video at www.positivepeople.co.nz and see how Positive People can help.