Develop a Winning HR Mission Statement

The human resources mission statement is a deceptively simple, yet powerful tool. Most employers don’t have one. They may not know what it is. Or they think it’s worthless because it doesn’t drive revenue. But nothing could be farther from the truth.

All businesses today compete aggressively for employees. Having an HR mission statement up your sleeve is key to unlocking a whole new world of hiring potential. As a result, your business can attract top talent, retain the best people, and avoid costly bad hires.

What is an HR mission statement?

A human resources mission statement is a concise articulation of your company’s values and culture, business goals, and value proposition as an employer. A well-written HR mission statement is a touchstone for everything your HR department does and is especially helpful in recruiting.

Why an HR mission statement is a smart recruitment strategy

Clearly defining your HR mission statement is an act of strategic importance. It requires a deep understanding of the type of people you want to attract and retain.

Your HR mission statement also serves as a frame of reference for the procedures and methods you use to recruit candidates. Ultimately, an HR mission statement will help guide all the hiring decisions for your business.

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How to define your HR mission statement

Aim to create a mission statement that is specific yet easy to understand. It should be no more than a few sentences and address your company’s commitment to your employees.

As you craft your statement, consider these four areas of your business:

1. Your organization’s values and culture. Your core values are what make your company unique. It’s important to directly reference these values when formulating your HR mission statement.
2. The definition of success in your industry. What does it take to be a leader in your industry and how do the people you hire fit into that?
3. Your company business goals.  You will only achieve your business goals by hiring the right people. Reviewing your goals will give insight into the type of people needed to reach those benchmarks.
4. Your value proposition as an employer. Why should someone want to work for you? What can you offer as an employer?

Example of an HR mission statement

As an example, an HR mission statement for a restaurant in Kailua may look like this:

“We have a passion for local foods and flavors infused with the spirit of aloha. We hire people who are passionate, engaging and genuinely outgoing with attention to detail. We train our team to be knowledgeable and highly skilled and reward the value they bring to our business.”

This statement references the company’s values (local foods, aloha); culture (passionate, engaging, outgoing, attention to detail); industry success and business goals (knowledgeable and highly skilled); and value proposition (training offered, rewards given).

How to use your HR mission statement to hire the best people

Once you’ve created your HR mission statement, be sure to share this with your hiring team and perhaps your entire in-house staff. Use this statement as a guidepost for your recruitment strategy.

When evaluating potential new hires, ask yourself if they embody the core elements of your HR mission statement. Not only will this help you immediately identify whether or not a candidate is a good fit, it will also help dictate the type of recruitment methods you use to find top talent.