How can you make your workforce vision compelling?

1 Define your purpose

Your workforce vision should reflect your organization's purpose, or the reason why you exist and what you contribute to the world. Your purpose should be clear, meaningful, and relevant to your employees and stakeholders. It should also be aligned with your mission, vision, and values, and support your strategic objectives. By defining your purpose, you can create a workforce vision that motivates your employees to pursue a common goal and feel proud of their work.

2 Involve your employees

Your workforce vision should not be imposed from the top, but co-created with your employees. Your employees are the ones who will execute your vision and face the challenges and opportunities of the future. Therefore, they should have a voice and a stake in shaping it. You can involve your employees by soliciting their feedback, ideas, and concerns, engaging them in workshops and focus groups, and empowering them to take ownership and accountability for the vision. By involving your employees, you can create a workforce vision that reflects their needs, aspirations, and perspectives, and fosters their commitment and engagement.

3 Be realistic and aspirational

Your workforce vision should be realistic and aspirational, meaning that it should be achievable and challenging at the same time. It should be based on a realistic assessment of your current situation, your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities and threats, and your resources and capabilities. It should also be based on an aspirational vision of the future, your desired outcomes, your competitive advantages, and your innovation potential. By being realistic and aspirational, you can create a workforce vision that balances the present and the future, and encourages your employees to stretch themselves and grow.

4 Be specific and flexible

Your workforce vision should be specific and flexible, meaning that it should be clear and adaptable to changing circumstances. It should be clear enough to provide direction and guidance, to set expectations and standards, and to measure progress and performance. It should also be flexible enough to allow for creativity and experimentation, to accommodate diversity and inclusion, and to respond to feedback and learning. By being specific and flexible, you can create a workforce vision that reduces ambiguity and uncertainty, and promotes agility and resilience.

5 Communicate and reinforce

Your workforce vision should be communicated and reinforced, meaning that it should be shared and supported throughout your organization. It should be shared with your employees, managers, leaders, customers, partners, and other stakeholders, using various channels and formats, such as presentations, newsletters, videos, posters, and stories. It should also be supported by your policies, processes, systems, culture, and behaviors, such as recognition, rewards, training, coaching, and feedback. By communicating and reinforcing your workforce vision, you can create a workforce vision that is visible and memorable, and influences your actions and decisions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?