SHRM-Atlanta 082214

Keys to Developing a Business Case to

Ensure Funding and Enthusiastic Support for

HR Initiatives

Laura Lea Clinton

Global Organizational & Leadership Consultant

Equifax

Question

What challenges have you faced in trying to

get approval for an HR initiative?

Linking HR initiatives to

organizational goals

Required strategic elements

Preparing and presenting the Business Case

Learning Objectives

Resource Allocation

Revenue & Expenses

Remember:

Non-Profits are Still Businesses!

Employee Engagement

Competition

Accountability

Why is a business case important?

When money or other resources are

involved, a well-articulated business

case will significantly increase the

chance of approval and engagement

Ascertain and articulate the business need

Determine what you want to drive or implement

Link to organizational priorities

Identify solutions

Prepare to present your case

Do Your Homework!

Articulate the business need

Engage with your

organization’s leaders

to do this!

Determine what you want to implement

Questions to ask:

• What’s behind the ask?

• Why is it important?

• How does it support the

organization?

Link to Organizational Priorities

HR Goal Action Step(s) Organizational

Goal

Foster innovation through

cultivation and promotion of high-impact approaches

Attract, develop and retain best-in-class talent

Reduce time-to-fill by 10%

Implement applicant tracking

system

Use Numbers!

Identify detailed solution(s)

Other Important Information

Key Learnings

Frame Your Issue

Decision/Question Situation/Context Relevant Learnings Assumptions

Decision Makers(s) Stakeholders & Inputs Recommendation/Options Decision Timing

• What problem are

we trying to solve?

• What is the value to

the organization?

• What has prompted

this question or

decision?

• What are the relevant

circumstances

internally and

externally?

What have we learned

from past decisions or

research that may be

relevant to framing the

current request?

What assumptions are

we making that may

affect this decision

(competition for talent,

funding landscape,

critical success

factors)?

How quickly do we

need to make this

decision? Why?

• What will convince the

decision maker and

stakeholders that this is

a “good” decision?

• What are our “musts”

and “wants” for the

outcome of this

decision?

• What is the alternative

if not approved?

• Who will need to

provide input into this

decision?

• What kind of

qualitative or

quantitative

information will we

need?

Who ultimately owns

the decision?

Know your Audience

• Socialize

• Anticipate questions

• Determine:

– How much time you

have

– Materials in advance?

– Detailed or high-level?

Tailor your presentation to what resonates!

Example:

Recent Business Case Presentation

Employee Engagement Drives Results

Retention

Productivity

Constituent Satisfaction

Results & Revenue

Engagement Drivers for Equifax

Increased Employee Engagement

Recognition

Career Develop-

ment

Articulate the business need

Leader engagement was key!

Desire for career growth tools and resources

• Leaders, managers, employees

• Engagement survey provided inputs

• Initiative driven through senior leadership

• Strong change management and

communications effort required

Determine what to implement

Business Advisory Council

HR Goal Action Step(s) Organizational

Goal

Every leader will be responsible for retaining,

developing and attracting great

talent

Maximize employee

productivity and engagement

while building our next

generation of leaders

Develop and implement recognition framework

Implement Career

Development Portal

Link to Organizational Priorities

Context

• Strong career framework

• Unsustainable resource mechanism

Use Numbers!

Identify detailed solution(s)

Best practices research

Validation

Cost, impact on engagement

Frame the Issue

Decision/Question Situation/Context Relevant Learnings Assumptions

Decision Makers(s) Stakeholders & Inputs Options Decision Timing

Approval to move

forward with RFP for

Career Development

Portal

• Engagement survey -

Employees want to

see career growth at

Equifax

• Good existing

framework; need

more

• SharePoint is not

sustainable or

interactive. Tools are

limited.

• Benchmarking indicates

strong alignment with

needs

• Initiative driven

through senior

leadership

• Strong change

management and

communications effort

required

Immediate to ensure

inclusion in August

budgeting process for

implementation in 2015

Option 1:

Implement Career

Development Portal

Option 2:

Maintain existing

SharePoint site

Stakeholders:

Employees, managers,

senior leaders

Inputs:

Engagement survey

and recommendations

of Business Advisory

Council

CEO and Senior

Leadership Team

1st Draft

Final Presentation

A bit more on involving leaders. . .

Key Takeaways

Involve your

leaders

Connect to

organizational

priorities and results

Questions?

Laura Lea Clinton

[email protected]