Business strategies and plans don’t stand alone. Your business strategy—the goals and plans driving your organization forward—must include your plan for making sure that your team’s and employee’s talents, development, and motivation align with what you want to achieve – in the short and long term. When business decisions are supported by an investment in people, you build, fuel, and maintain the capability to get things done. Some ideas for ensuring your people strategy lines up with your business strategy.
Start with a Shared Vision
Be clear. Do people understand the goals of the company and why? You gain commitment and energy when everyone in the organization knows how their day-to-day tasks connect to the company’s important objectives. Develop that message and deliver it regularly. Having a mantra can seem hokey at first, but a consistent message reminds and reassures people (employees and customers) that you are firm in your vision and steady on the path to pursuing success. Use these words as a framework for coaching conversations, career discussions, and goal setting, and as an effective way to convey the importance and the impact of what you are asking others to do.
Bridge the Gap Between Strategy and Execution
Think big with vision, strategy, and dreams. With direction and feedback, think small, actionable, do-able. And then provide tools, resources, training, and structure that empower people to get things done. Eliminate work that has low or zero value. Automate routine tasks so people can spend more time being creative, thinking critically, and building relationships – all required for moving your organization forward.
Pro Tip: Use tools like competency models or skill gap analyses to align employee development plans with organizational needs. For example, if your business strategy involves entering a new market, prioritize training on cultural competence or new product knowledge.
Prioritize Leadership Development
It begins with strong leadership at all levels. Senior leadership sets the tone and enforces the culture. Employees look to their immediate supervisor, and the leaders in the middle follow the example set from above. Invest in impactful leadership skills like self-awareness, communication, and positive motivation so they can inspire and guide their teams. And expect that they do so.
Build a Culture That Reflects Your Strategy
Culture isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the backbone of how work gets done. Aligning your culture with your business strategy creates an environment where employees feel motivated to contribute to organizational goals.
Pro Tip: Identify cultural values that directly support your strategy. For example, if innovation is a key business goal, foster a culture of experimentation where employees feel safe sharing innovative ideas.
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Alignment doesn’t happen through one conversation or an email series. It requires ongoing communication at every level of the organization and across levels. Speak regularly about progress toward business goals, celebrate milestones, and reinforce how employees’ efforts are making a difference. Ask others what they are working on, what they need to be successful, and how their work connects to the company’s objectives. And listen. The subheading of this section should be, “Listen, Listen, Listen.”
Measure What Matters
How do you know if your people strategy is working? Use metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that track the behaviors and actions appropriate and necessary to achieve goals. Ensure these behaviors and actions align with company values and that you are not just checking the result. Remember that what you are asking people to do is often difficult and may have never been done before. Measure and check frequently to make sure your organization is on the right path and headed in the desired direction.
Final Thoughts
Aligning your people strategy with your business strategy is not a one-time exercise. It’s an ongoing process of reflection, communication, and adaptation. By investing in your people and ensuring their efforts align with your goals, you’ll create a more agile, responsive organization ready to thrive in any environment.
At Success Labs, we specialize in helping organizations align their people strategies with business objectives. Let us help you build a roadmap for success in 2025 and beyond. Together, we can turn potential into performance.
Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For 40 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to grow leaders, build teams, and drive results through great people strategy. Contact us to get proactive about expanding your company’s potential and stay up-to-date with our latest news and leadership development updates here.
By: Gloria McConnell
