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Taking the First Step in HR Strategy Implementation

The Chinese Lao-tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Likewise, implementing strategies in HR management requires taking a series of action. It is not easy and the road is long. But it is worth it.

Many people may say that it is a futile exercise but you know better.

Some will say most employees are not trustworthy but you see things differently.

When top management have doubts you know you can convince them, given the opportunity.

People are the catalyst that make your organization grow and succeed. People are like a yeast that makes your organization rise to new heights.

So study how you can take that first step in HR strategy implementation taking into consideration all the internal and external factors having either positive or negative effects on your organization.

You do not need to run in order to implement HR strategies. You can adopt the way of the tortoise. This little creature can only take one little step at a time but when you go and check on it after a few minutes, it would have traveled a good distance. In time it will reach the pond, it will achieve its objective.

This is not to say that to reach its destination, the tortoise has a strategy. It may have. Anyway, its instinct tells it that the pond is somewhere in the direction it is traveling. This example is to demonstrate that HR transformation is a slow process.

I like to quote Dr. David Ulrich who said that the number of organizations that used strategies in human resource management had not changed much since about a decade ago or so. This is one of the important reasons why organizations need to take the first step in HR strategy implementation initiatives.

Organizations are still struggling in trying to understand how HR can leverage their productivity. Some are still not convinced that people are crucial to their organizations' success.

This is not surprising as many HR people are not well equipped for the tasks they are entrusted with. In most cases, it is not their fault. There are many contributing factors ranging from the type education made available by institutions of higher learning to HR policies, quality of management process and system, corporate leadership, and employees themselves.

If you are the HR Manager in your organization, you are exposed to the criticism that HR failed to recruit the right people, that HR is not helpful in a meaningful way, among many others.

HR strategy is more than this.

If you are newly recruited into the HR department, get to know well the organization's business activities, overall objectives, and the HR function and objectives, and so on. This will help in your professional advancement

College education may not have prepared you fully for this. However, you can read books and study the corporate reports, HR manual, employee handbook, among others official documents.

Management may need some convincing. They may want to see concrete examples of organizations that made gains after implementing HR strategy. You can engage a consultant with a proven track record in HR strategies. This particular example may convince you on the importance of human resource strategy.

Implementing strategies is a slow process. It is like taking one painful step after another. In time you will find yourself at the intended destination. This is how it is in taking the first step in HR strategy initiatives.

That destination is nothing less than where the HR objectives go hand in hand with the corporate strategies and activities meant to achieve the overall strategic goals.

You can only reach there by making that bold decision in taking the first step in HR strategy implementation.

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