Human service organizations are integral in fostering the wellness of the populace. In this regard, exploring steps that promote the continuity and the success of such entities is integral. According to Mosley and Smith (2018), human service organizations are cont5emporarily operating in an environment where the demand for effective, impactful, meaningful services is rising faster than the organizational knowledge on how such objectives can be attained. The pressure to do more and broaden the scope of services rendered without an in-depth evaluation of what those changes might mean for the long-term future of the organization. In a bid to ensure that the human service company that I worked, which focused on distributing relief food and overseeing the welfare of people in hunger-stricken regions, can develop sustainably, this paper presents several strategic planning steps that must be observed.
The first step that will be undertaken to commence the strategic planning process is determining the organization’s readiness to adopt change. It is irrefutable that as the organization intends to diversify its services to other regions, the legal provisions pertaining to the operations of a non-profit must be observed (Austin, 2013). Therefore the stakeholders that must be brought on board at this level include the employees and the government of the proposed host country. The employee will be integral in ensuring that the organization can move wholesomely towards the proposed direction, serving a broader population, and adhering to set regulation. Including employees at this stage will ensure that decisions made are agreed upon and are deemed acceptable by the workforce. The government of the host country will be crucial to the development of the organization, and it will communicate the requirements. The entity will strive to determine whether it is prepared for such changes.
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The second step is determining who should be on the strategic planning team. A diverse team can make holistic decisions. Conversely, having a huge team may impede the efficiency and speed with which decisions are made (Bryson, 2018). At this stage, representatives from the executive board or upper management, a couple of members of the subordinate staff, and key sponsor representation must be included. The management will shade insight into the feasibility, the operational and financial capacity of the organization to execute the proposed plan. The members of the subordinate board will elucidate whether the current workforce can execute the plan or further training or human resource interventions are necessary. Lastly, representatives of key sponsors will affirm whether the suggested long-term goals coincide with the sponsor’s expectations or the new direction may threaten the influx of funds to the organization.
The third step is collecting current data about the organization. The data will elucidate the current financial position of the organization, the immediate and long-term goals of the organization, gaps in the service delivered, and consumer feedback. The stakeholders that must be included at this stage are consumers and the employees. The consumer would provide insight into how availed services can be improved. On the other hand, employees will provide insight on measures that can be taken by the organization to maximize the productivity of the workforce.
The success of the planned changes and efforts to diversify operation will only be attained if stakeholders wholly support and are confident with the plan. Stakeholder support would be garnered by employing effective communication and demonstrating confidence in addressing grievances and questions, ensuring detailed information is conveyed to stakeholders promptly, clarity and honesty must be adopted in the communication process, and the last step is to understand stakeholders and their unique needs. If stakeholders are understood, the information about the strategic plan can be tailored to be appealing and address the knowledge gaps to promote support.
References
Austin, J. M. (2013). Organizational histories of nonprofit human service organizations . (2017). Place of publication not identified: Routledge.
Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement . John Wiley & Sons.
Mosley, J. E., & Smith, S. R. (2018). Human service agencies and the question of impact: Lessons for theory, policy, and practice.
