Confidential or Transparent HR Strategy

This is quite common topic. Human Resources prepares the HR Strategy, which gets approved by the top management and then it is set confidential for the rest of the organization.

The confidential HR Strategy is very risky for Human Resources. When something in the field of Human Resources is confidential, it is taken as a “document against managers and employees.”

It has no value added to prepare sophisticated HR Strategy, when the top management does not trust its managers and makes the HR Strategy confidential. The confidential HR Strategy means, that just a very limited group of employees in the organization understands to the HR Initiatives and HR overall goals.

The HR Strategy has its target groups in the organization. Making HR Strategy confidential avoids several target groups from knowing the details of the strategy. They always know, the HR Strategy exists, but they have no access to its details. They do not lose their interest, the rumors will start to spread across the organization.

Human Resources has always support and fight for the public HR Strategy as the transparency is one of key values for Human Resources. Transparent HR Strategy brings attention and can be fully discussed in the organization as employees and managers have a chance to ask about the details.

The HR Strategy is a living document and as a living document it cannot be confidential.