Departmental SWOT Analysis Template

Introduction: How to Use This Tool

Use this template to learn about and conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis for each department in the organization. This exercise should be done by an HR representative and a department leader, such as a manager or director. First, the HR representative and department leader should independently evaluate the same department. Then, they should meet to review the results and use them to formulate goals for the department. To use this template, start by deleting all text in light grey. Then, identify the department to be assessed and distribute the template to the HR representative and department leader selected to do the SWOT Analysis. Department: Assessment by: Position: Research Pat Smith Director of Research

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT analysis will help to identify and analyze the Strengths and Weaknesses of a target, such as a business unit, a proposition, or idea. Another goal of the SWOT Analysis is to identify and analyze Opportunities and Threats in the external environment that could impact the target. The factors identified in the analysis are those on which to capitalize, invest, improve, or minimize. For this exercise, you will assess a department in your organization. The frequency of analysis will depend on the nature of the organization and industry but, ideally, a departmental SWOT Analysis should be done every one to two months.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Every department has strengths and weaknesses that affect performance and outputs. Strengths are positive internal factors within your control on which you want to capitalize. What does the department do well?

Weaknesses are negative internal factors within your control that want to limit or improve. What does the department struggle with?

Opportunities and Threats

Every department has a number of opportunities and threats that will impact future departmental processes and outputs. Opportunities are positive external factors in which you should invest. Are there external Opportunities for the department to increase profit or grow? For example, can consultants

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be used to do part of the work or are there cultural trends that impact the availability of employees? Threats are negative external factors whose effects you want to minimize. Are there any external factors that will seriously threaten the department? For example, is changing technology a problem for the department or is there a new management team that has a history of outsourcing?

Internal Positive

Negative

External

Why Do a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT analysis will provide a conversation point for HR and a department leader to discuss key departmental issues and factors. The information provided by both parties will contribute to the formulation of goals and strategies that capitalize on the departments strengths, improve or limit the departments weaknesses, invest in external opportunities, and minimize the impact of external threats to future departmental growth.

How to Do a SWOT Analysis

1. Set aside focused time to complete this worksheet. For a SWOT Analysis to be beneficial, it should be thorough. 2. Use the tables below to identify the departments Strengths and Weaknesses (Table 1), and Opportunities and Threats (Table 2). A list of factors is provided for each category to jump start your thinking. Note that these lists are not exhaustive. 3. Review the factors you identified and highlight the most important Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats the department will face in the coming months. Doing this will provide a reasonable list of factors to guide goal-setting.

Tips
Use precise, verifiable statements. Avoid long lists of factors by trying to focus only the most significant.
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You might find that a factor fits in more than one category. Try to put factors in only one category by thinking about which category it fits best. Keep in mind that the options generated will be used later for strategy and goal formation.

Table 1. Analysis of Departmental Strengths and Weaknesses Department: Research Assessor: Pat Smith Strengths What does the department do well? What do others see as its strengths? Think about factors such as: Staff (e.g., selection and retention, workforce planning) Management (e.g., role, style, communication) Training and Development (e.g., program(s) in place, quality, effectiveness, quantity) Resources (e.g., finances, materials, space, IT) Change management Culture and values Legal and regulatory compliance Department structure Weaknesses Where does the department struggle? What do others see at its weaknesses? Think about factors such as: Staff (e.g., selection and retention, roles, skills and capabilities, workforce planning) Management (e.g., role, style, communication) Training and Development (e.g., program(s) in place, quality, effectiveness, quantity) Resources(e.g., finances, materials, space, IT) Change management Culture and values Legal and regulatory compliance Department structure Reliant on specific individuals with key skills. No training programs for new technologies. No space available to expand department. Managers have too many employees reporting to them which impacts amount of face-to-face time. Low attrition rate. High engagement. Able to react to changing conditions effectively. New staff orientation rated favorably.

After brainstorming Strengths and Weaknesses, identify (i.e., highlight, underline, bold, etc.) what you think are the departments greatest strengths and weaknesses. Remember that these will be used to set goals for the department.
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Table 2. Analysis of Departmental Opportunities and Threats Department: Research Assessor: Pat Smith Opportunities How can the department grow? Are there trends to capitalize on? Think about factors such as: Economy Markets (e.g., size, growth, new) Financial resources Changing demand for skills Staff (e.g., accessing new talent, values) Cultural/societal trends Process optimization New customer segments (internal and external to department) Product/service offerings Union Governmental and legal regulations Technology Threats Does the department face any obstacles? Do weaknesses threaten the department? Think about factors such as: Economy Markets (e.g., size, growth, new) Financial resources Changing demand for skills Staff (e.g., accessing new talent, values, loss, costs, values, expectations) Cultural/societal trends Process optimization New customer segments (internal and external to department) Product/service offerings Union Governmental and legal regulations Technology New company executive that wants to introduce more training and development opportunities. External consultants could be used to do some department functions. Add-in programs for PowerPoint to improve efficiency. Trend for local college graduates to want to remain in the city which could improve access to talent.

New company executive has history of outsourcing the type of work done by the department. New computer operating system being released. Economic downturn. Trend for those under 25 who refuse to work overtime.

After brainstorming Opportunities and Threats, identify (i.e., highlight, underline, bold, etc.) what you think are the departments greatest opportunities and threats at the moment. Remember that these will be used to set goals for the department.

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Next Steps
1. Schedule a meeting with others that completed the SWOT Analysis for the given department. Each person should bring their completed SWOT Analysis tables (Tables 1 and 2 above) to the meeting. 2. In the meeting, start with Strengths and have each assessor share the factors they identified. Then, do the same for the other three categories. Differences and similarities are both informative. The outcome of this exercise should be consensus on 2-4 important strengths and weaknesses of the department and 2-4 main opportunities and threats the department could face in the next few months. Record these agreed upon major SWOTs in the chart below. 3. The next step is to turn the major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats into goal statements and action items for the department. Ideally, you want to find strategies to capitalize on the strengths and weaknesses and minimize or improve on the weaknesses and threats. Enter these goals in the Goal sections of the chart below. Table 3. SWOT Summary and Related Goals Strengths S-Goals Enhance reward program for top projects to maintain attrition and engagement levels. Low attrition rate. High engagement. Weaknesses Reliant on specific individuals with key skills. No space available to expand department. W-Goals Increase training opportunities. Develop mentor program. Examine space in all departments to identify free spaces.

Opportunities O-Goals Cost-out add-in programs. Develop add-in training program Do recruitment sessions at local colleges. Attend college job fairs. Add-in programs for PowerPoint. Trend for local college graduates to want to remain in the city which could improve access to talent.

Threats Economic downturn. Trend for those under 25 who refuse to work overtime. T-Goals Conduct an analysis of department costs to find areas to trim. Develop over-time incentive program.

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