Associated Employers provides planning services to help organizations plan for the future they want to create. Whether this is your first time venturing into the daunting waters of strategic planning or you are looking for ways to bring new life and enthusiasm to a static planning process, AE planners can help you create strategic plans that will effectively guide your organization to achieving its vision.
The future should not be a vague concept and strategy should not be a daunting task. Additionally, Strategic Planning is not something done only when times or profitability are bad. No matter how good or bad it is, it’s going to change. A good strategy will help you anticipate and focus on possibilities.
How does AE help you develop a plan?

1. Strategic Analysis

This activity includes conducting a review of the organization's environment. Planners carefully consider various driving forces in the environment, for example, market segments, competitive evaluations, technology, regulations, economics. Planners also look at the various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats regarding the organization.

2. Setting Strategic Direction

Planners carefully come to conclusions about what the organization must do as a result of the major issues and opportunities facing the organization. These conclusions include what overall accomplishments (or strategic goals) the organization should achieve, and the overall methods (or strategies) to achieve the accomplishments. Goals should be designed and worded as much as possible to be specific, measurable, acceptable to those working to achieve the goals, realistic, timely, extending the capabilities of those working to achieve the goals, and rewarding to them, as well.

3. Action Planning

Action planning is carefully laying out how the strategic goals will be accomplished. Action planning often includes specifying objectives, or specific results, with each strategic goal. Therefore, reaching a strategic goal typically involves accomplishing a set of objectives along the way -- in that sense, an objective is still a goal, but on a smaller scale.
Action planning also includes specifying responsibilities and timelines with each objective, or who needs to do what and by when. It should also include methods to monitor and evaluate the plan, which includes knowing how the organization will know who has done what and by when.

4. Follow-up

This is the part of the process that sets Associated Employers apart from other organizations offering strategic planning. Monthly follow-up sessions are built into the first twelve months after planning to ensure that targets are being met. Then annual planning sessions are conducted to review the plan and process. This entire process ensures that AE’s members are getting the best possible planning services available.