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Get Started With HR Project Management

Apply project management fundamentals to guide impactful HR outcomes.

Only 19% of HR respondents report their department is highly effective in project management (McLean & Company 2023-2025 HR Management and Governance Survey; n=1,681).
Gaps in project management fundamentals, including effective scoping, key player engagement, planning, and risk management, increase the risk of missed deadlines, rework, and key player dissatisfaction, limiting HR’s ability to deliver on strategic priorities.

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Executive Summary

Critical Insight

Successful HR projects don’t happen by chance. Success results from deliberate planning and execution grounded in project management fundamentals that drive progress, optimize resources, build key player trust, and deliver measurable value to the organization.

Impact & Result

Effective HR projects deliver measurable value to the organization. From strategy development to program design, successful project execution translates into tangible outcomes that improve HR’s impact and support organizational objectives.
Project management fundamentals enable HR to streamline workload management, resulting in projects completed on time, on budget, and in scope.
Strong project management elevates HR’s role as a strategic partner. HR departments who highly rate their project management effectiveness are more likely to have high overall effectiveness and business partnership capabilities, enabling HR to deliver on organizational priorities with greater credibility and impact (McLean & Company HR Management and Governance Survey).

Research & Tools

1. Setup

Prioritize change management, assess project complexity, clarify scope, engage key players, establish a project team, and prepare to manage scope creep.

2. Planning and execution

Prepare a project kickoff meeting, anticipate and assess potential risks, create a project plan, facilitate team touchpoints, sustain key player engagement, and monitor progress.

3. Closure

Wrap up project deliverables, gather project feedback, document lessons learned, and communicate project value.

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Guided Implementation

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation, which gives you direct access to our world-class analysts who will connect with you at critical milestones to advise, coach, and ensure your project stays on track.

Guided Phases: Get Started With HR Project Management

Set Up the Project

Call 1

Confirm completion of project initiation tasks and plan to assess project complexity.

Contributors

Aaron Blair, Professor of Project Management, Conestoga College
Libby Clark, Director of HR & Safety, Platte River Power Authority
Cassandra Dobrzynski, Human Resources Program and Systems Manager
Ruth Flavier, Human Resources Manager, SELC College
Lina Neaga, Director, Project Management & Talent Initiatives, Nexus communications North America
Sam Prince, Former HR Project Manager, CyraCom Language Solutions
Harrick Snow, Change Practice Manager, Victoria University Wellington
Laura Wiliams, Director, Total Rewards
4 anonymous contributors

How We Deliver

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