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How to develop an effective workforce planning?

Key Activities & Deliverables

​By Mansour Baker, SHRM-CP

Posted  10 March 2020

​To develop a workload-based workforce planning approach and methodology according to industry and international best practices and train human resource staff members on its administration and associated tools.

Objectives

• To enable the company to achieve and sustain a balance between demand for and supply of needed workforce.
• To identify areas with the greatest risk of misalignment or gaps and to develop mitigation strategies and recommendations to address identified gaps.

Near Term (1-6 months) Initiatives

• Develop a strategic workforce plan/workload-based workforce planning approach and methodology according to industry and international best practices.
• Train HR staff members on the administration of the new workforce planning approach and associated tools.

Medium Term (6-12 months) Initiatives

• Manage expectations and train concerned stakeholders on workforce planning process.
• Train front line department heads to implement strategic workforce planning at the unit level.
• Deploy methodology to identify optimal staffing levels for the company and all its functions.

Exhibit 1

Manpower planning is work-load based for accurate projections

Key Activities

• ​Conduct baseline assessment of workforce to evaluate work predictability and volatility, key measures, etc.  
• Undertake supply analysis focused on workforce and competency supply
• Conduct demand analysis to assess workload and competency demand
• Carry out workforce gap and risk analysis  
• Working group of company staff to assess desired framework for revised workforce planning approach 
• Develop company’s strategic workforce plan 

Key Deliverables

1. Workforce baseline assessment 
2. Supply analysis 
3. Demand analysis 
4. Workforce gaps and risk analysis 
5. Strategic workforce plan and approach

1. Workforce baseline assessment

• Assessment of current company workforce planning methodology.
• Evaluation of work predictability and volatility and defining key measures of organization performance.
• Definition of up to 10 mission critical occupation types/position groupings upon which to focus analysis.

2. Supply analysis

• Detailed baseline of company’s current workforce attributes (current staffing levels/mixes, key workforce trends that affect the size and mix of future workforce supply, etc.).
• Assessment of the extent the workforce possesses those competencies deemed most important for successful job performance by assessing current proficiencies (informed by demand analysis).

3. Demand analysis

• Baseline of how work is distributed, and current levels of staffing are used.
• Definition of anticipated changes in the nature, type, and/or quantity of the work.
• Evaluation of future requirements for numbers, types, and levels of employees.
• Definition of competencies that are required for successful job performance.

4. Workforce gaps and risk analysis

• Assessment of the level of risk associated with those gaps or surpluses.
• Working group of selected company staff to assess desired planning framework.
• Draft recommendations on workforce planning methodologies.

5. Strategic workforce plan and approach

• Assessment and prioritization of identified gaps and identification of critical mismatches between current and future workforce and competency requirements.
• Integrated workforce planning strategies to effectively bridge or close the workforce and competency gaps.

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