HR Coffee Time
164 | Becoming More Strategic as an HR Team: 3 Ways OKRs Can Help
HR Coffee Time
•February 13, 2026•13 min
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HR Coffee Time•Feb 13, 2026
Why It Matters
Strategic HR is essential for aligning people initiatives with overall business goals, yet many HR professionals feel caught between day‑to‑day tasks and bigger impact. By introducing a simple OKR framework, this episode offers a scalable method to boost HR's influence and demonstrate measurable value, making it especially relevant for leaders seeking to elevate their team's strategic credibility.
Key Takeaways
- •OKRs align HR work with organization’s top priorities.
- •Key results shift focus from activities to measurable outcomes.
- •Limited objectives force prioritization, reducing low‑value tasks.
- •OKRs translate HR initiatives into clear impact metrics.
- •Framework supports cross‑departmental collaboration toward shared goals.
Pulse Analysis
In today’s fast‑moving business environment, HR leaders often wrestle with the paradox of wanting to be strategic while being swamped by day‑to‑day demands. The episode clarifies that being strategic means shaping the future by identifying the organization’s biggest problem and positioning HR as the catalyst for its solution. By introducing the Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) framework—originally popularized at Intel and Google—the host shows how HR can move from reactive task lists to a purposeful roadmap that directly supports corporate strategy.
The conversation highlights three practical ways OKRs elevate HR strategy. First, they force alignment with the organization’s top priorities, turning vague initiatives into concrete objectives that mirror the company’s strategic direction. Second, key results replace activity‑based language with measurable outcomes, enabling HR teams to demonstrate real impact—such as higher employee understanding of role expectations or improved performance‑conversation confidence. Third, the limited number of objectives inherent in OKRs drives disciplined prioritization, helping HR say no to low‑value work and focus resources on what truly moves the needle. This shift from effort to impact creates a clear, data‑driven narrative that senior leaders can see and trust.
To adopt OKRs, HR professionals should start by mapping current strategic challenges—like post‑restructuring engagement—into a handful of high‑level objectives, then define three to five quantifiable key results for each. Supporting project plans can flesh out the activities needed to hit those metrics. The host recommends John Doerr’s "Measure What Matters" and Christina Wodke’s "Radical Focus" for deeper guidance, and invites listeners to join the Inspiring HR Leadership Program for hands‑on coaching. By embedding OKRs into everyday practice, HR teams can become true strategic partners, delivering measurable value without extending work hours.
Episode Description
What does it really mean for an HR team to be “strategic” – and how can you make that shift without adding more to your workload?
In this solo episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay explores a practical and accessible way to strengthen your team’s strategic focus: using OKRs – Objectives and Key Results.
If you’ve ever felt pulled between operational demands and the bigger picture, this episode will help you think differently about how HR goals connect to organisational priorities – and how to make that link clearer for your whole team.
Drawing on real examples (including a memorable orange analogy 🍊), Fay breaks down how OKRs can:
Create clarity and accountability
Connect HR activity to business impact
Help team members see how their work contributes to the wider strategy
You’ll come away with three practical ways to use OKRs to strengthen your strategic focus as a team – without overcomplicating things.
Chapters From This Episode
[00:00] Why HR struggles to be strategic
[01:10] What being strategic really means
[02:45] Shaping the future in HR
[03:50] Solving the biggest organisational problem
[04:55] What OKRs are and where they started
[06:10] Understanding objectives using a simple example
[07:40] How HR objectives link to strategy
[08:55] What good key results look like
[10:10] Moving from activity to impact
[11:25] How OKRs support prioritisation
[12:35] Books and next steps for HR leaders
Books Mentioned in This Episode
"Measure What Matters. OKRS - The Simple Idea That Drives 10x Growth" by John Doerr
"Radical Focus: Achieving Your Most Important Goals With Objectives and Key Results" by Christina Wodtke
“Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters” by Richard Rumelt
“The Strategy Book: How to Think and Act Strategically to Deliver Outstanding Results” by Max Mckeown
Want to Build Your Strategic Confidence?
If this episode has made you reflect on your own strategic impact, you might enjoy learning more about Fay’s:
Inspiring HR Leadership Programme– designed to help existing and aspiring HR leaders build confidence, credibility and influence
HR Leadership Impact...
Show Notes
What does it really mean for an HR team to be “strategic” – and how can you make that shift without adding more to your workload?
In this solo episode of HR Coffee Time, Fay explores a practical and accessible way to strengthen your team’s strategic focus: using OKRs – Objectives and Key Results.
If you’ve ever felt pulled between operational demands and the bigger picture, this episode will help you think differently about how HR goals connect to organisational priorities – and how to make that link clearer for your whole team.
Drawing on real examples (including a memorable orange analogy 🍊), Fay breaks down how OKRs can:
-
Create clarity and accountability
-
Connect HR activity to business impact
-
Help team members see how their work contributes to the wider strategy
You’ll come away with three practical ways to use OKRs to strengthen your strategic focus as a team – without overcomplicating things.
Chapters From This Episode
00:00 Why HR struggles to be strategic
01:10 What being strategic really means
02:45 Shaping the future in HR
03:50 Solving the biggest organisational problem
04:55 What OKRs are and where they started
06:10 Understanding objectives using a simple example
07:40 How HR objectives link to strategy
08:55 What good key results look like
10:10 Moving from activity to impact
11:25 How OKRs support prioritisation
12:35 Books and next steps for HR leaders
Books Mentioned in This Episode
-
"Measure What Matters. OKRS - The Simple Idea That Drives 10x Growth" by John Doerr
-
“Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters” by Richard Rumelt
-
“The Strategy Book: How to Think and Act Strategically to Deliver Outstanding Results” by Max Mckeown
Want to Build Your Strategic Confidence?
If this episode has made you reflect on your own strategic impact, you might enjoy learning more about Fay’s:
-
Inspiring HR Leadership Programme– designed to help existing and aspiring HR leaders build confidence, credibility and influence
-
HR Leadership Impact Assessment– a free self-assessment to help you reflect on your strengths and development areas
-
The Essential HR Planner– created to help HR professionals stay focused on what really matters
Other relevant HR Coffee Time Episodes:
'Operate Strategically' HR Coffee Time Podcast Playlist
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