Illinois Human Resources Strategic Plan20212026

Purpose and Vision

The Illinois Human Resources Strategic Plan (20212026) sets a clear direction for the States workforce, aiming to attract, develop, and retain a diverse, skilled, and engaged talent pool. The vision is A highperforming, inclusive public service that delivers exceptional outcomes for the people of Illinois. By aligning humanresource practices with the broader state goals, the plan seeks to strengthen the capacity of state agencies to meet current and future challenges.

Core Mission

The mission of the Office of Human Resources (OHR) under the plan is to provide strategic leadership, innovative services, and datadriven solutions that enable state employees to excel. This includes delivering timely recruitment, fostering professional growth, ensuring equitable compensation, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Strategic Goals

1. Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning Build a proactive pipeline of qualified candidates and use workforce analytics to forecast needs.
2. Employee Development & Learning Offer accessible, competencybased training that supports career pathways.
3. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Embed DEIB principles in all HR policies and practices.
4. Compensation & Benefits Excellence Maintain competitive, transparent pay structures and robust benefits.
5. Organizational Effectiveness & Culture Strengthen leadership capability, employee engagement, and performance management.

Key Initiatives

• Workforce Analytics Dashboard An interactive portal that tracks recruitment metrics, turnover, skill gaps, and diversity indicators.
• Illinois Talent Pipeline Program Partnerships with community colleges, universities, and trade schools to create apprenticeship and internship pathways.
• Learning Management System (LMS) Upgrade Consolidates elearning, microlearning, and certification tracking into a single platform.
• DEIB Council A crossagency group that reviews policies, recommends inclusive hiring practices, and monitors progress toward representation targets.
• Compensation Review Cycle Biennial market analyses to ensure salaries remain competitive while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

Implementation Framework

Implementation is organized around four phases:

1. Assessment Baseline data collection on current workforce composition, skill inventories, and employee satisfaction.
2. Design Development of policies, tools, and communication plans tailored to each goal.
3. Deployment Rollout of technology solutions, training programs, and recruitment campaigns.
4. Evaluation Quarterly reporting, stakeholder feedback loops, and adjustments based on measurable outcomes.

Each agency designates an HR strategic liaison to coordinate with OHR, ensuring consistent application of the plan across the state.

Metrics & Accountability

Performance is tracked using a balanced scorecard that includes:

• Timetofill critical positions (target: <30days for 75% of roles).
• Employee engagement score (target: 80% favorable response).
• Representation of underrepresented groups in leadership (target: 30% increase by 2026).
• Training completion rate for core competencies (target: 90% of staff annually).
• Costperhire reduction (target: 10% decrease from 2021 baseline).

Annual reports are posted on the OHR website, and the Governors Office receives a summarized brief each fiscal year.

Funding & Resources

The strategic plan is funded through a combination of state appropriations, federal workforce development grants, and costshare agreements with partner institutions. A dedicated budget line for technology modernization ensures that the LMS, analytics tools, and digital recruitment platforms remain uptodate.

Stakeholder Engagement

Broad stakeholder input shaped the plan. Public hearings, focus groups with current employees, and surveys of prospective candidates provided insight into barriers and opportunities. OHR maintains an opencomment portal where individuals can suggest improvements or report challenges in real time.

Looking Ahead

By 2026, the Illinois Human Resources Strategic Plan aspires to demonstrate measurable gains in workforce readiness, employee satisfaction, and service delivery quality. The plans flexible design allows it to adapt to emerging trends such as remote work, AIdriven recruitment, and evolving skill demands, positioning Illinois as a model for modern publicsector human resources management.

For more information, visit the official strategic plan page or contact the Office of Human Resources directly.