Hello lovely Community,
It is (almost) end of January and we are all gradually settling into the new year. We might still be mixing up the last digit of the year, but the excitement and anticipation of the journey ahead can hardly be contained. The start of the year is once again a perfect occasion for...
the HR strategy along with its HR goals.
Whether you are deeply involved in HR, leading a team or just starting out, one thing is clear: A well planned HR strategy forms the basis for successful HR work.
But what success does an HR strategy really bring if it is not in sync with the overall company objectives?
The HR strategy is based on the company's objectives, which is why it is especially important that HR knows and understands the overarching goals.
Involve management and ask questions such as: In which direction is the company moving in the year ahead? What are the most important success factors and key figures for your company?
Based on the answers, concrete goals for HR such as increasing productivity, reducing costs or increasing social responsibility within the company can be formulated.
The next step is to specify the HR objectives. You can find some examples in our HR lexicon, such as:
Company goal: Increase productivity
HR goal 1: Make onboarding processes more efficient
HR goal 2: Automate administrative tasks
The goals are set, but how can they be achieved?
Well, we can help you with that. Our wide range of 🧠 knowledge sources can help you in your day-to-day work so that you can excel not only in HR, but also as a Personio expert. Our VP in Customer Education, Adam Avramescu
Q: First, tell us a bit about yourself Adam:
A: Hi, everyone. I’m Adam Avramescu and I lead Personio’s Customer Education team. I currently live in Amsterdam and have lived there since 2022 after moving from the San Francisco Bay Area. But originally, I’m from Montreal, Canada.
Q: What do you do at Personio?
A: I lead Customer Education, which includes everything from this great community to our help center articles, videos, Voyager Academy courses, customer events like Personio Product Update and HR Hour, and more. We’re also responsible for internal enablement of our Customer Experience team.
Q: How important do you see setting goals at the beginning of the year?
A: It’s critical. Goals are important for three reasons:
1️⃣ If you don’t know where you’re going, you won’t get there.
2️⃣ Committing to concrete goals forces you to set priorities and consider the connection to company-level strategies – when thinking about what you can actually achieve, you have to make harder decisions about which goals are most worth pursuing.
3️⃣ An underrated skill for people leaders is that setting goals clarifies your expectations and gives them “signal strength.” You may have complete clarity in your own mind of what you want to achieve, but unless you’re communicating that clearly and consistently to your team, you won’t see the clarity of execution that you expect.
Q: Can you give our Community tips for successful collaboration with management?
A: It’s important to be a domain expert in HR, while also knowing how to use that expertise to further company goals using your business acumen. There are two parts to this:
- If you aren’t familiar with key business metrics or literate in reading a balance sheet, then it will be tough to understand what executives are thinking or why they’re making certain decisions.
- You’re here as a partner to drive the business, so it’s important to balance HR best practices with the realities of the business you’re in.
The more you can actively frame HR initiatives and programs to respond to top-level strategic needs, the better your collaboration will be. And not to mention, priorities often change quickly, so being adaptable and resilient is always a plus.
Q: How can we support our great Community with their HR goals?
A: We’re committed to continuing to provide you with resources, content, and connections that help you succeed in your role and shape the future of HR. First, we’ll make it as easy as possible for you to get your work done in Personio and use the software to make your HR processes more effective. But also, we’ll be sharing more tips and perspectives from HR experts that help you raise your game as a modern HR professional, similar to the programs we shared last year on using AI as part of your HR strategy.
Finally, none of this works without YOU and your perspectives. HR professionals and Personio customers come here to support each other, because no one knows your job and day-to-day better than you do. 🚀
Your turn:
How are you preparing for the new year 2024? Are there any professional (or personal) goals you can share? 
Best,
Melissa and the Personio Voyager Community Team