Transforming Results through Organisational Alignment and Purpose-Driven Strategies
7 minute read | Article | Leadership Department and organisation People and culture Workforce management Change and business transformation
What do you think of when you think of a successful organisation? Successful organisations and high performing teams usually all have one thing in common – alignment towards a shared objective. Organisational alignment provides a significant competitive edge for teams and businesses. With well-defined objectives and key results (OKRs), every team member is empowered to work cohesively towards the same goals.
Achieving true organisational alignment means ensuring that your business strategy, initiatives, resources, and management systems are all geared towards your company’s success. However, creating such alignment in the workplace can be challenging. According to Hays research on the significance of purpose, only 28% of employees feel connected to their company’s goals, and just 39% perceive the value they create.
How can you change this and what steps can you take to achieve genuine organisational alignment?
During board meetings, we explore strategies to take hold of opportunities amidst the current economic climate. We focus on quarterly, annual, and three-year strategic plans, tracking progress, and identifying necessary actions to meet our key metrics.
In reality, how many of us ensure that weekly team meetings align with strategic priorities?This crucial step is where many leaders face communication breakdowns. Often, weekly meetings are centred around to-do lists, crisis management, and number crunching. Neglecting to regularly emphasise the bigger picture can lead to a disconnect in employee engagement. Consequently, team meetings may shift focus away from essential strategic objectives.
To address this, establish clear strategic goals and outline the steps to achieve them. At Hays, we emphasise the impact on employees, customers, the organisation, and the broader industry when crafting our story. This approach fosters business organisational alignment.
To ensure effective communication, we deliver the story through our leadership teams. As each team leader shares the story, they become the storyteller, engaging with their teams to discuss and customise it. The central themes are maintained to make the story meaningful and impactful for everyone.
Storytelling is just one way to communicate your long-term goals. The key lies in being transparent about your company culture and business objectives – take a look at ours. It is essential to guide your colleagues, not just instruct them, so they can make informed, independent decisions.
Organisational alignment requires company-wide common goals rather than isolated silos. Every strategy execution, whether by teams or individuals, affects other groups or individuals. Therefore, it's essential to clearly define processes, roles, and responsibilities to achieve true alignment.
When teams discuss your vision and strategy, it quickly becomes evident which priorities resonate more with specific groups. However, it's crucial to remind leaders not to overlook discussing how their story and efforts impact other departments. Without defined processes, the lack of clarity can result in unnecessary calls and meetings, where one would suffice.
Aligned on organisational responsibilities and vision? Check and done. Now it's crucial to assist your teams in breaking down what this means for them. It can be particularly challenging to keep managers focused under the pressure of short-term goals. Without changing how you measure progress, your alignment efforts won't effectively reach everyone.
At Hays, we empowered our teams to identify necessary changes and establish ongoing monitoring. We encouraged integrating alignment strategies as a regular topic in their meetings. We also urged employees at all levels to hold their leaders accountable for maintaining organisational alignment.
We engaged in discussions on how the company’s mission influences our annual plans, quarterly priorities, and KPIs. To sustain aligned company values, it’s essential to empower and motivate employees consistently.
Effective communication is crucial. A single announcement from one individual isn't sufficient. Ensure everyone in the company is aware of the focus for the next quarter, the upcoming year, and long-term objectives.
Alignment requires more than just top-down communication. It necessitates seamless communication up, down, and across your organisational structure between teams. This communication must be a two-way street. In a successful organisational alignment model, effective communication involves both listening and being heard.
Just as Hays’ storytelling approach includes a feedback loop, so should your communication strategy. Without this, you won’t evolve or secure stakeholder buy-in. Empower your employees to connect with your higher vision and find personal meaning in their roles. This way, every team member contributes to achieving the desired results.
Strategic alignment is crucial for any organisation's success in today's competitive economic landscape. Achieving true business strategic alignment involves defining processes, roles, and responsibilities to maximise organisational results.
Successful adoption of strategic alignment starts at the top but must permeate throughout the organisation. Rather than limiting strategic discussions to board meetings, focus on fostering communication and teamwork. Bring your story to life for everyone in the company.
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