Top Tips for Making HR Plans
In our working lives we are so used to planning ahead - whether that is booking meetings in our calendar, having a To Do list, making use of planning apps such as Trello or Todoist, or, of course, our annual leave plans 😎
Planning is nothing new. But, for me, and, I believe, many others, Covid has driven a great big steamroller through my usual planning approach. From cancelling social plans when lockdown was announced to huge changes in work priorities and never really knowing what’s next, good planning has become a largely forgotten skill over the last couple of years!
There’s a saying “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now”. So, now would be a good time to start planning again if we are to achieve anything going forward. And, as uncertainty can be so stressful, having a plan, any kind of plan, will be of benefit.
Given we’re all a bit rusty, I’ve pulled together my top tips for work planning…..
Be realistic but aspirational
There needs to be a balance between not planning enough so lacking in motivation or development and planning so much there’s overwhelm. And, of course, we need to leave space in our plans for the “unexpected”. By “unexpected” I mean the ad hoc / on demand work that is typical of our HR profession…we don’t know what it will be but we know there will be some at some point. After all, that is why every HR job role includes “flexibility” and “resilience” in amongst the key skills required!!
One way I have found useful to leave space for the ad hoc HR demands is to split my plans in to essential and desirable goals i.e. what cannot be put off and what I can deliver when there’s time.
Manage stakeholder expectations
Consider what your organisation needs from HR as well as your team, who are the stakeholders for your plans? And whilst I don’t necessarily advocate for doing everything your MD wants, it is worth making her/him feel listened to and your business to feel HR is part of them rather than just a support service.
And now is great time to take the opportunity of all the goodwill and credibility your team have earned in supporting your organisation through the pandemic to get your wish list in the HR plans.
Have good quality HR data for your plans
Whether its for deciding on priorities (essential or desirable?) or providing evidence for stakeholders for your plans, accurate and up to date data is crucial. Does your data include legacy arrangements, are you comparing like for like between teams or locations, do you have a single source for your information, are there gaps in your data, and so on?
And if you don’t have good quality HR data in your organisation, maybe that needs to be a priority in your plans?
If you feel you’d benefit from more support in your HR plans, please get in touch with me. I can provide a free sounding board with no obligation or, if you’d prefer, we can discuss your plans and any costs for me to support in improving your data, helping your team find time and delivering your projects.
