The world and the affects that the COVID-19 pandemic have had on your business may seem daunting right now, but we know it won’t last forever. While it may feel like there is no end in sight right now, it is still very important to create your strategic plan for your business’s future growth. And while that, in and of itself may seem overwhelming, there are things you can do to create a plan to address the challenges and trends of your workforce for the next one to five years.
Strategic planning is a process that allows business owners and leaders the time to analyze current metrics, shifts in workplace demographics, emerging trends in technology and people engagement, and the future of the industry. However, it shouldn’t be done in a vacuum or in one isolated meeting.
Failure to include insight and input from your operational leaders can impede the successful planning process. It’s a great time to invite your leadership team to share in the development of the overall plan. It is also a great opportunity to bring in your HR leader, or the consultants at JB Consulting Systems, who can be instrumental in this planning and discussion process.
There are many methods of outlining the strategy of your organization, but sometimes the easiest methods are the best. One of the steps may include starting with what you already have in place: your Mission and Vision. Developing a shared vision is critical to moving in that direction. You can incorporate data and your organizational successes from the previous years to help guide in that vision.
It’s also important to identify your business weaknesses, in order to evaluate alternatives for potential market growth, market share and people strategies to capitalize on strengths and overcome weaknesses.
A component of having a solid strategy is to ensure you have key talent. A skilled HR consultant can help you identify where you may have gaps in talent in order to assign to future initiatives to align with that shared vision.
Once the plan is in place, it’s time to drive the execution of the strategic plan, which means embarking on a way to cascade the initiative into corporate, departmental and individual goals, in which specific measurable goals will be aligned. This brings accountability to the strategic plan, a tactical approach to getting the work done.
Leaders and managers at this point must be able to monitor and evaluate the progress of the plans on a regular basis, which requires follow-up, metrics and ongoing discussion. Without regular check-ins or a process to evaluate desired outcomes, the strategic planning process is for not. Creating a plan and placing it away in a drawer will never enable the business to meet those goals.
Are you ready to get to work on your strategic plans? Our HR Consultants team is uniquely qualified to help you and your business develop a successful strategic plan, especially as it relates to your human capital allocation and key talent. Contact us today at HRhelp@jbconsultingsystems.com for more information on how we can help you in this endeavor.