MEMBERS
HDA Associates Limited
Trading as HDA
Registered Office address:
Avon Wharf
23 Bridge Street
Christchurch
BH23 1DY
Company registration no:
01981354
VAT Registration no:
220 2406 29
OUR SERVICES
Strategy
Why we work in this area
Many of our corporate clients consult with HDA on their talent and future proofing strategies, and HDA takes a strong outcomes-focused approach to addressing the talent needs of client organisations.
More on how we specifically support organisations to develop a talent strategy around their talent attraction, employee performance, employee engagement or key skills retention ‘burning platform(s)' can be found on the Talent Strategy Development.
Nevertheless, it is unrealistic that a talent strategy can develop in a vacuum, and, in order to leverage the success of any talent strategy; our view is that the success of any talent strategy implementation requires the following:
- Solid organisational change (transition) management: any talent strategy, by definition, requires adjustments to supporting behaviours, structures and infrastructural components, processes, specific talent systems, etc. In short, the roll out of any talent strategy requires solid Organisational Transition underpinnings, to ensure that it is supported by organisational leadership, and to ensure that any outputs, such as senior talent pools, high potential programmes, graduate development schemes and so on are optimised,
- A fully empowered and performing HR/Talent team operating as true business partners: unless HR operates as a true partner to the business, (with a strong coaching remit and a clear understanding of business drivers), it is unlikely that any talent strategy will be optimised. HR Business Partner Development does not guarantee the success of a talent strategy, but an empowered and performing HR/Talent team will provide strong leverage towards the success of an organisation's talent strategy,
Being outcomes-focused, HDA is constantly seeking ways to ensure that businesses follow talent strategies which address key business drivers, and are hence likely to be successful. To this end, our consulting approach includes an effective mix of organisational transition and business partner development expertise.
Our competencies in this area
- HDA's team includes consultants with significant thought leadership, hands-on experience and expertise in this area
- HDA partners with organisations with significant thought leadership expertise in this area, and in particular with organisations who are well placed to assist us to deliver tangible and measurable quick-win talent strategy outputs, eg. reputation and communication specialists, employer branding specialists, etc.
- We have significant experience as facilitators and coaches, posing challenging, devils advocate questions to organisations about inputs vs desired outcomes, and we apply this devils advocacy approach to this area
Our approach in this area
- HDA takes a strongly outcomes-focused partnership approach in delivering consultancy in this area
- HDA's approach includes strong devil's advocacy, to challenge organisational leadership to secure the best strategies for the future of the organisation
- HDA's consultancy in this area is supported by in-depth facilitation capability, tools and approaches
Who we work with in this area
HDA has recently worked with or advised organisations like European Diamonds, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, The Institute of Cancer Research, The Department for Transport, Fidelity and Universal Music in this area. See more here.
Our talent strategy case studies
Illustrative HDA Talent Strategy Case Studies
Our opinions in this area
We are pleased to advise that HDA’s Melissa Gallagher is a weekly Talent Retention insight contributor on the Grapevine Online. Please follow Melissa's weekly Industry Insight here
The Current HR Agenda - Melissa Gallagher - December 08
Managing a Changing Talent Landscape - Executive Grapevine - Clayton Glen - May 07
Managing a Changing Talent Landscape - Implications for Attracting, Engaging and Retaining Key Leadership and Technical Talent - Clayton Glen - April 07
Developing the HR Profession in 2007 - Executive Grapevine - Clayton Glen - February 07
The New HR Reality - Implications for development within the HR profession - Clayton Glen - February 07
HR Models and the link to Business Partnership - Opinion Paper - Dennis Preston & Kaye Thorne - January 07
Seven Secrets for Getting the Best from Your Staff - Kate Turner - August 06
Golden Rule of Organisation Design - Tim Harding - July 06
War for Talent - Clayton Glen - January 06
See more on our recent briefings, press releases and opinions
Who to contact about our services in this area
Clayton Glen, Director - cxg@hda.co.uk / +44 (0) 207 484 5065
About Talent Strategy Development
Many companies have a talent strategy in place – but ask them to describe how the strategy supports their business, or how the company’s drivers inform the strategy, and whether they have functioning HR partner development, and they very often can’t articulate their strategy very clearly.
An effective talent strategy on the other hand should be easy to articulate, with regards to its intended impact on talent attraction, talent deployment, talent engagement, talent performance and talent retention, particularly at times of organisational transition or where future-proofing challenges are envisaged in the coming years.
Talent strategy development outlines activities, a supporting infrastructure and behaviours that feed back to the core drivers that impel the company. Focusing on outcomes is crucial in talent strategy development, of course – specialists like HDA provide strong thought leadership and expertise as well as services including HR business partner development to companies striving towards quality talent strategy development.
A common situation HDA finds when providing talent strategy development related consultancy services is where there is a suitable level of resource for talent strategy development and programmes in place, but no clear links between these and the impact they have on competitiveness, and no HR business partner development.
Why Do You Need Effective Talent Strategy Development?
Effective talent strategy development can weed out impotent programmes and any waste, to leave transparent links between plans implemented and results expected.
Talent strategy development is particularly needed by companies going through organisational transition. This is for several reasons.
First, organisational transition usually implies complex change at many interdependent levels, and if not handled properly, any change can increase staff uncertainty and in turn create staff performance, staff attendance and staff engagement issues.
Effective HR business partner development can help shift the organisation forward rapidly during organisational transition, by creating solid commercial thinking and requisite behaviours to effectively give momentum to the transition process.
Why HR Business Partner Development?
HDA are experts in organisational transition and are trained and experienced to deal with the impact of any organisational transition with a strongly outcomes focused approach to delivering excellent solutions in this area. Established and internally developed organisational transition consultancy models are used to inform their advice and feed into a company’s talent strategy development at what can be a tricky time, with particular attention placed on assisting and developing HR teams to take clearer commercial ownesrship of transitional initiatives which have direct, measurable commercial impact.
It’s important for a company going through organisational transition to be challenged in the way it is proceeding, and a good organisational transition consultant will act as devil’s advocate to ensure all avenues are explored.
A wide range of expert tools and approaches are available to HDA when they partner with organisations on organisational transition initiatives, and they can facilitate a smooth change as the company moves to more efficient, fit-to-purpose models.
About HR Business Partner Development
HR people have been adding new skills to their traditional and valuable repertoire in recent years, and now play a huge role in facilitating change in businesses going through organisational transitions of all magnitudes and taking part in talent strategy development.
These skills can all be enhanced by HR Business Partner development, where experienced coaches can help HR people to understand their value in achieving business success and assist in talent strategy development. The HR business partner development approach complements the traditional broad range of HR skills to help drive organisational performance improvement.
What Role Does HR Business Partner Development Play?
In talent strategy development, HR business partnership development can play an important role in linking commercial imperatives with programmes and their desired outcomes. Companies such as HDA can record significant behavioural development successes by implementing HR business partner development solutions, combining the development of commercial astuteness with coaching excellence.
A professional being coached using the HR business partner development approach can work in either a one to one or group environment – HR partner development is perfectly customisable for different situations.
Organisational Transition
Any organisational transition is challenging, but its effects can be mitigated by appropriate talent strategy development and HR business partner development – and the outcomes can include increased efficiency, competitiveness and, ultimately, profit.