Organization and People: The Backbone of a successful shared services operating model

An effective organizational structure and talented workforce allow the shared services model to deliver strategic value beyond cost savings. Shared service leaders need the right people in the right roles, guided by a strong organizational design and culture. Done well, the organization & people dimension not only supports operational excellence — it also drives innovation, resilience, and long-term growth.

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Culture, Vision, and Mission

An organization's culture — its shared values, beliefs, and behaviors — profoundly impacts how well an operating model performs. Culture change cannot be mandated — it must be modeled by leadership, reinforced by systems and rewards, and nurtured over time. Critical cultural elements include:

• Customer-centric mindset: everyone sees their work through the lens of end-user value.

• Accountability and ownership: individuals and teams take responsibility for outcomes.

• Data-driven decision-making: Basing decisions on evidence rather than intuition alone.

• Diversity: Ensuring all voices are heard and valued is crucial for cross-team collaboration and innovation, driving business success. This environment allows for creative ideas to be realized in the form of innovative products and solutions the business needs.  

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A shared services vision statement is a concise, powerful description of the future state or long-term purpose of a shared services organization. It communicates why the shared services function exists, who it serves (internal customers like business units, departments, or employees), and what it ultimately aims to achieve — beyond just cost savings. A strong shared services vision statement sets the direction, inspires employees, aligns stakeholders, and helps guide decisions as the shared services organization grows and evolves.

A shared services mission statement is a concise, action-oriented description of the core purpose and activities of a shared services organization. It explains what services are delivered, who they serve (internal customers like employees, business units, or departments), and how the services create value for the enterprise. It clearly the defines the scope of support for the shared service team so stakeholders are clear on the services, products, and solutions they receive.  

The mission statement focuses on the present — highlighting the shared services team's commitment to operational excellence, efficiency, consistency, and enabling the broader business to focus on strategic priorities. Key elements of a mission statement:

• Scope of services: What is being provided (e.g., HR, Finance, IT, Training, etc.).

• Customer focus: Clear emphasis on serving internal stakeholders.

• Operational excellence: Commitment to quality, efficiency, reliability, and continuous improvement.

• Support for business goals: Enabling the broader organization’s success by freeing up resources for strategic work.

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Organizational Design & Structure

An organization's culture — its shared values, beliefs, and behaviors — profoundly impacts how well an operating model performs. Culture change cannot be mandated — it must be modeled by leadership, reinforced by systems and rewards, and nurtured over time. Critical cultural elements include:

The starting point for building a strong operating model is designing an organization that supports business goals. The organizational structure must align with service strategy and business objectives. Clear, purposeful organizational design ensures:

• Clearly defined functional roles and responsibilities: Clearly defined role descriptions mapped to each business function help drive alignment between the strategy and operational aspects of the operating model. Avoid ambiguity by ensuring each role maps to a business function and contributes clearly to process and outcome Business functions to consider in your functional design include business relationship management, product management, service delivery, project management, technology & tools management, measurement and reporting.  

• Optimal span of control: Balancing managerial oversight with empowerment of teams and individuals. Shared services require roles that blend operational excellence with stakeholder management. Key positions often include Service Delivery Managers: who oversee day-to-day operations and ensure SLA compliance, Process Owners who Drive standardization and continuous improvement across functions, and Business Partners: Act as liaisons between shared services and business units, aligning priorities

• Optimal staffing model: Successful staffing models often adopt flexible structures such as matrixed or hybrid models to allow for unplanned demand spikes or reductions in budgets. We recommend shared service leaders utilize a hybrid staffing model, using an approved vendor pool to help scale services for unplanned demand events while optimizing utilization of internal staff.  

• Functional alignment: Ensuring your support functions (e.g., BRM, PMO, Product Development), internal partners, and business units operate in harmony rather than silos

• Geographic alignment: Services are delivered by region to address local nuances

• Customer segment alignment: High-touch support for business-critical or high-growth business units

The structure should support scalability, agility, and clear accountability, ensuring that service delivery remains consistent even as business needs evolve.

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Talent Strategy: Hiring, Developing, and Retaining the Right People

A proactive talent strategy is essential - hiring for both technical skills and service mindset, and nurturing talent through defined career paths within the shared services organization. An operating model is only as effective as the talent behind it. A robust talent strategy is critical to ensure that:

• Critical skills are identified and prioritized: Especially as technology, analytics, and customer expectations evolve.

• Recruitment is strategic: Hiring not just for immediate needs, but for future capabilities.

• Development is continuous: Upskilling, reskilling, and leadership development programs are embedded into the culture.

• Retention is a focus: Building career paths, offering mentorship, and promoting a purpose-driven culture reduce turnover.

Forward-thinking organizations also recognize the need for more agile talent models — using contractors, gig workers, and automation alongside full-time staff to maximize flexibility.  

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Skills, Capabilities & Development

The shift from transactional support to value-added services demands upskilled talent. Organizations must:

• Invest in continuous learning: From process automation to data literacy.

• Encourage cross-functional mobility: Enabling employees to gain broad experience across services.

• Leverage centers of excellence (CoEs): For areas such as analytics, change management, or digital transformation.

This evolution elevates the perception of shared services from a back-office function to a talent incubator.

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Future-Proofing the Workforce

As automation and AI reshape operational roles, the workforce must evolve:

• Hybrid roles will emerge, blending technology oversight with human judgment.

• Agile workforce models will become the norm, leveraging gig talent, automation, and on-demand expertise.

• Leadership development will be crucial—especially in influencing without authority, stakeholder engagement, and digital acumen.

Investing in the Organization & People (your talent) isn’t just an HR initiative—it's a strategic imperative that determines whether shared services thrive as a partner to the business or remain a cost center.

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What’s Next?

Part III of Rob's series on Operating Model Blueprint will come out shortly.

👉  Stay tuned and follow the series! What challenges are you facing with your shared services operating model? Let our experts help you - contact us today.

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