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The HR Strategy

One of the governing body's main responsibilities is to ensure that the people aspects of the institution are being well managed, taking account of present and future needs within an affordable framework. This means that a suitable HR strategy should exist, which is consistent with the overall mission and values. It should also underpin other relevant strategies such as those for learning and teaching.

Generally the HR strategy would be expected to include:

An opening section that identifies the business strategy - this ensures that what follows supports and integrates with institutional strategy.
An analysis of the operating context - including the strengths and weaknesses of the institution, the threats and opportunities it faces, an assessment of how well placed it is to respond to those threats and opportunities in terms of the competencies of its people and the political, economic, social and technological context in which it operates, key aspects of other sub-strategies, and staffing profile data.
Identification of the key issues that need to be addressed by the HR strategy which directly affect the achievement of the institution's goals. This section should also address the resources necessary to implement the strategy.

Usually appended to a strategy should be a detailed plan (assigning responsibility for the delivery of actions to named individuals, with timescales for completion, and KPIs) and an equality impact assessment.

People management capacity and performance should be regularly reviewed, and should inform future HR Strategy.

The funding councils have different requirements in relation to HR strategies.

More information [PDF, 48Kb]. See also further material on the HR Strategy [Word, 30Kb]

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