Product Roadmaps: The Missing Piece in HR's Strategic Planning Puzzle - Part 2 of 2
How to leverage Roadmaps in your HR strategic planning - Some examples
Recap of Part 1
The first part of this article discusses what product roadmaps are, delves into the key differences between Roadmaps and Delivery Plans (hint: a Roadmap is a Strategy document, not a Delivery document), and discusses some best practices when putting together and organizing roadmaps.
Applying Roadmaps to HR
A product roadmap for HR initiatives should include several key components. First, it should clearly articulate the overall goals and objectives of the roadmap, including how they align with the company's overall strategy. Second, it should include specific initiatives and projects that support those goals, along with timelines and milestones for each one. Third, the roadmap should identify key stakeholders and teams responsible for executing each initiative, as well as any potential risks or dependencies. Fourth, it should include metrics and KPIs to track progress and measure success. Finally, the roadmap should be flexible and adaptable, allowing for adjustments and refinements as the business landscape evolves. By including these components, HR teams can create a comprehensive roadmap that guides their initiatives and ensures alignment with the broader business objectives.
Product roadmaps provide a structured approach to planning and executing initiatives, which is especially valuable for HR teams that are often tasked with managing complex, cross-functional projects. By creating a roadmap that outlines the initiatives, goals, and milestones needed to achieve success, HR teams can align their efforts with those of the company and ensure that everyone is working towards the same objectives. Additionally, product roadmaps help HR teams to prioritize their initiatives based on the most impactful outcomes, and provide a framework for measuring success and adjusting courses as needed. Overall, product roadmaps enable HR teams to work more strategically and collaboratively, driving better outcomes for the business and its employees.
Some examples of using Roadmaps in HR
So how can product roadmaps be used in HR? One example is using a roadmap to plan and execute a company-wide employee engagement or HR transformation initiative. The roadmap could include initiatives such as launching a new employee recognition program, implementing more regular feedback and check-ins, and investing in professional development opportunities. Another example is using a roadmap to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The roadmap could include initiatives such as unconscious bias training, creating more diverse recruitment pipelines, and implementing policies to promote inclusivity in the workplace.
Talent Development Roadmap: Just like product managers create product roadmaps to guide the development of new features and enhancements, HR teams can create a talent development roadmap to guide the development of employees. The roadmap can include training and development programs, mentoring and coaching opportunities, and performance management initiatives that help employees grow and develop their skills over time. The goal of the talent development roadmap is to align employee development with organizational goals and create a pipeline of future leaders. Sources: Talent Development Roadmap, Findem, and Revature.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Roadmap: Just like product managers create product roadmaps to guide the development of new features and enhancements, HR teams can create a DEI roadmap to guide the development of a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. The roadmap can include initiatives such as training programs, employee resource groups, and diversity recruitment initiatives that help create a more inclusive and welcoming workplace. The goal of the DEI roadmap is to create a culture where everyone feels valued and included, which can lead to better business outcomes. Source: “5 Steps to create your DEI Roadmap” by Culture Amp.
HR Technology Roadmap: Just like product managers create product roadmaps to guide the development of new products and features, HR teams can create an HR technology roadmap to guide the development and adoption of new HR technologies. The roadmap can include initiatives such as HR automation, self-service tools, and employee engagement platforms that help improve the employee experience and HR efficiency. The goal of the HR technology roadmap is to align HR technology with organizational goals and create a more modern and efficient HR function. Sources: “Using a Road Map for HR Technology” and “What is an HR technology roadmap and why should it be included when shaping your five-year people strategy?”
Employee Engagement and Experience Roadmaps: Just like product managers create product roadmaps to guide the development of new features and enhancements, HR teams can create an employee engagement roadmap to guide the development of initiatives that improve employee engagement and satisfaction. The roadmap can include initiatives such as employee recognition programs, wellness programs, and work-life balance initiatives that help create a more engaged and productive workforce. The goal of the employee engagement roadmap is to create a culture where employees are happy and fulfilled, which can lead to better business outcomes. Source: “How to Build an Employee Engagement Road Map” and “How to Build an Employee Experience Roadmap”.
Some examples of organizations that use HR Roadmaps
There are several real-world examples of companies that have successfully used product roadmaps in their HR strategy. Of course, strategic documents such as these are not always public, but I managed to find a few ones that you can use as examples.
A great one of these is Roadmunk’s dogfooding (a practice that refers to a company using its own product internally, essentially “eating their own dog food”) by using its own road-mapping tool to generate an HR roadmap for its organization.
Another example would be the University of Iowa using an external HR Roadmap to outline its major initiatives and their state of completion, or the HR Department Strategic Plan for the County of San Mateo, CA.
And, while not specifically a roadmap, Google’s Re:Work is a treasure trove with LOTS of valuable information about how to approach HR strategically.
What tools to use
You can use any of your favorite diagram creation tools (you can even use Excel for a very basic one) but many tools in the Product Management space already provide templates focused specifically on HR needs for example:
The Roadmunk HR roadmap template mentioned above
Atlassian’s multiple HR templates for Trello, Jira, and Confluence
Miro’s many Roadmap templates
Figma has over 60 templates, including roadmaps, Kanban boards, service blueprints, and many others
Summary
Product roadmaps can be applied to multiple initiatives within HR, including employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, talent development, and HR technology. Many companies are using them, and there’s a plethora of tools you can use. What are you waiting for?