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Plan for HR Shared Services

Look before you leap! Engage in detailed planning and design to find the right HR shared service model.

  • HR departments need to deliver services with greater efficiency, while at the same time increasing the quality of service, boosting strategic contribution, and becoming a data-driven function. While shared services are a common response to these challenges, they are extremely complex and differ in many ways from one organization to another.
  • Large-scale transformations like shared services require a lot of buy-in, but organizations are hesitant to disclose details before they know what the final outcome will be.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst.


  • Get on-demand project support
  • Get advice, coaching, and insight at key project milestones
  • Go through a Guided Implementation to help you get through your project

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • There is no single HR shared service (HRSS) model that fits everywhere. Use a detailed planning process that identifies objectives, maps the current state, and then explores several options for improvement before deciding on a final recommendation.

Impact and Result

  • Follow a detailed planning process to create a shared service model that is tailored to your organization and specifically created to achieve your objectives.
  • Ensure employee experience is considered throughout the process so the final product will fit their needs.

Plan for HR Shared Services Research & Tools

1. Create vision for HRSS

Establish the HRSS vision, objectives, and scope and develop a high-level communication plan.

2. Document current state

Gather relevant information to create an HR task list and determine HR time allocation.

3. Develop a framework to support HRSS

Shortlist HRSS activities, evaluate scenarios, and select recommendations.

4. Prepare to proceed to the next stage

Build a business case and identify success metrics.

Plan for HR Shared Services preview picture

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company is an HR research and advisory firm providing practical solutions to human resources challenges via executable research, tools, diagnostics, and advisory services that have a clear and measurable impact on your business.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your HR problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Need Extra Help?
Speak With An Analyst

Get the help you need in this 4-phase advisory process. You'll receive 8 touchpoints with our researchers, all included in your membership.

Guided Implementation 1: Create vision for HRSS
  • Call 1: Confirm your vision, objectives, and scope are matched to your organization’s needs.
  • Call 2: Discuss stakeholders, both within HR and the broader organization, that are necessary to move forward with planning and how to approach them. Review communications plan.

Guided Implementation 2: Document current state
  • Call 1: Discuss data collection options for task analysis and choose the most appropriate methodology.
  • Call 2: Prepare and conduct an HR stakeholder management survey to understand client satisfaction.

Guided Implementation 3: Develop a framework to support HRSS
  • Call 1: Analyze task data to determine the biggest wins for an HRSS model.
  • Call 2: Map processes to confirm suitability for HRSS and identify efficiency gains.
  • Call 3: Discuss future state scenarios for your organization.

Guided Implementation 4: Prepare to proceed to the next stage
  • Call 1: Build a business case and identify success metrics.

Contributors

  • Christian York, Director of Client Success, Kira Talent
  • Karen Larsen, Senior Business Systems Analyst, TD
  • Michel Hebert, Director, Research & Advisory, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Michelle Turner, Lead, HR Shared Services, Tangerine
  • Nicholas Malcom, Director, HR Operations, UnityPoint Health
  • Sandi Conrad, Senior Director, Research & Advisory, Info-Tech Research Group
  • Scott Manning, Partner, ScottMadden
  • Multiple anonymous sources were also interviewed