Planning Factors
These are the factors that relate to what is already happening inside the business. This includes how the organisation is changing to cope with new methods of working or new demands made on it, such as the introduction of technology or new products or services. It is also a way of considering the new skills that will be needed in the future and those that the existing staffs already have. The gap between the skills already present and those that are needed can be measured.
Organisational needs - The workforce needs to be able to adapt to changes. Demand for products and services will affect the number of people needed in certain roles. Businesses can look to move into new markets - this could mean abroad and staff needing new skills such as languages. More staff may be needed in distribution if the business grows. Technological change can also affect the internal working arrangements - machinery leads to redundancies, new training may be needed etc. (Internet shopping and self-scan checkouts) Outsourcing production to cheaper countries.
Skills requirements - Assessing the skills of the current workforce is an essential part of human resources planning as it enables a business to build up a profile of the training, experience and qualifications that employees already have. This is very important whether the business is capital intensive or labour intensive. As the nature and type of work changes within an organisation, so do the skills requirements. An organisation must measure the skills levels of its workforce in order to plan for the future - appraisals, awards, certificates etc.
Workforce profiles - This means that a manager can view and monitor the types of employee working for the business. They usually include details such as age, gender, ethnicity and availability. Knowing ages can help you plan for the future and also ensures that you fulfill any legislation requirements. Large gaps in ages can cause