Strategic Human Resources

A strategic approach to Human Resources has four key characteristics:

• Alignment with the Agency’s Strategic Plan
  
  
• Organizational Design and Effectiveness
  
  
• Workforce Planning
  
  
• Change Management

Aligning Human Resources with the Agency’s Strategic Plan is most effective when considered at the time an organization develops its strategies, rather than after the fact. A human resource strategy can be aligned in either case.  If it is considered during the organization’s planning process, the planning process will be strengthened through discussion of how human resource  issues can support or hinder a particular organizational strategy.

Organizational Design and Effectiveness matches the form of the organization as closely as possible to its purpose through:

• An organization structure
  
  
• Administrative systems
  
  
• Supportive information and technological processes
  
  
• Consideration of and attention to organizational culture

Workforce Planning identifies the size and skills of the workforce required to meet organizational needs. It considers business objectives and external environment, taking a long term view in order to meet organizational and workforce needs both today and in the future.

Change Management focuses on an intentional process of planning and supporting the organization, and the people within it, through a period of transition to achieve lasting organizational change.

The diagram below describes the relationship of strategic human resources and Human Resources Management to organizational strategy.