Identify and explain 3 important aspects of workforce planning. Make sure you explain how they contribute to the overall process of workforce planning and the success of an organization. Reference must be made to real life examples of the chosen areas of workforce planning
Workforce planning is not just an imperative for expanding workplaces or those that need to replace workers, it is also critical when downsizing or undergoing restructures, mergers and acquisitions. By having a workforce plan in place it will help your business be better equipped to deal with unexpected labour shortage or labour surplus.
Know Your Workforce
Your workforce planning decisions must be based on good knowledge of staff. Some fundamental rules to go by:
• Be aware of workforce challenges associated with an ageing population and other demographic issues.
• Have enough base level data about your current workforce (number of employees, age breakdown, skills, staff turnover) to plan for your human resource needs and know who is ready for promotion.
• Which staff will need to change jobs when the new plan comes into affect
• Make sure you are aware of industry workplace trends and issues that could affect your ability to meet staffing needs. (eg if staff opt to go work in the mines etc for much more money)
• Look at ways to recruit the right staff or develop employee skills with more training
• Can we identify who or when employees are intending or thinking of leaving/ retiring /taking long service leave
• Know what your employees’ preferred work arrangements are. – this could be as simple as when they want to take holidays
• Make sure the skills and training of your employees meet the current and future needs of your business
• What incentives have you in place to retain existing workers and attract new people?
• Which employees do you have that are critical to your business running successfully when you/management are away?
• Are you able to or do you have