It may be cliche for organizations to say that people are their most precious resource, but truly no strategy can be well executed without appropriate people strategies. The people strategy is one that needs to cascade throughout the entire organization — with each level aligning to the one above but focused on the specific needs of that team.
The people strategy has to reflect what is needed to execute the organization’s strategy in terms of the culture and human capabilities required. This should also explicitly translate into clear direction on staffing levels, organizational structure, and insourcing vs. outsourcing. It should also explicitly address how employees will be compensated and rewarded to attract/retain the right employees and to incent the right behavior. The strategy will guide specific recruiting and staffing decisions, investments in training and development, and performance management including promotions and corrective actions. It will also guide the creation of appropriate outsourcing and partnering relationships.