Workforce Planning and Analytics

Welcome to Strategic Workforce Planning. This is one of the most important topics for the new economy because without the proper preparation, organizations will be inundated with unanticipated change and challenges. While organizations cannot predict the future, they can prepare for it.

In its simplest terms strategic workforce planning is getting ‘‘the right number of people with the right skills, experiences, and competencies in the right jobs at the right time.’’ This shorthand definition covers a comprehensive process that provides managers with a framework for making staffing decisions based on an organization’s mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources, and a set of desired workforce competencies.

Many organizations have developed models for workforce planning. Putting aside variations in terminology, the processes are all very much alike. All rely on an analysis of the present workforce, an analysis of the organizational business strategy; an identification of competencies needed in the future; a comparison of the present workforce to future needs to identify competency gaps ; the preparation of plans for building the workforce needed in the future; and an evaluation process to assure that the workforce competency model remains valid and that objectives are being met.

This process is simple in outline but depends on rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the organizations work, workforce, and strategic direction.

Workforce planning requires strong management leadership; clearly articulated vision, mission, and strategic objectives; and cooperative supportive efforts of staff in several functional areas. Strategic planning, budget, and human resources are key players in workforce planning. Organization plans set organizational direction and articulate measurable program goals and objectives.