..planning process which ensures you always have the optimum number of workers, with the right up-to-date knowledge and skills in place when needed..

Workforce Planning is a planning process which ensures that a business always has the optimum number of workers, with the right up-to-date knowledge and skills in place when required.  The main aims of workforce planning are:

• To ensure key business plans are not undermined by failure to retain or recruit key staff.
• To anticipate the problems of potential excesses or deficits in employee numbers and plan to minimise the impact of this on business effectiveness.
• To "horizon scan" and thereby anticipate changes in the business environment e.g. new competitors, changes to legislation etc. which might impact on workforce requirements.
• To constantly monitor business plans and ensure the linked workforce plans are continually reviewed and updated.
• To ensure the business takes pro-active actions to ensure it always has the workforce it needs.

Effective Workforce Planning requires a sound framework to ensure it is properly incorporated into the business and robustly project managed. Human Resource Solutions has developed a Workforce Planning Model which provides clear stages, direction and worksheets to guide organisations through the process. This has now been made available for free. It can be downloaded below.