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Workforce planning - introduction

Author: Jim Riley  Last updated: Sunday 23 September, 2012

Workforce planning

For most businesses, large or small, the task of identifying what work needs doing and who should do it is a continuous challenge!

It is rare that a business of any size operates for long without having to recruit or remove employees. For example, consider why a business might need to recruit staff:

• Business expansion due to
• Increasing sales of existing products
• Developing new products
• Entering new markets
• Existing employees leave:
• To work with competitors or other local employers
• Due to factors such as retirement, sick leave, maternity leave
• Business needs employees with new skills
• Business is relocating – and not all of existing workforce want to move to new location

The world of work is also changing rapidly:

• Increase in part-time working
• Increased number of single-parent families
• More women seeking work
• Ageing population
• Greater emphasis on flexible working hours
• Technology allows employees to communicate more effectively whilst apart
• People rarely stay in the same job for life

Businesses need to understand and respond to these changes if they are to recruit staff of the right standard – and keep them!

So what is workforce planning?

Workforce planning is about deciding how many and what types of workers are required

There are several steps involved in workforce planning:

• The workforce plan establishes what vacancies exist
• Managers produce a job description and job specification for each post

Job description

• Detailed explanation of the roles and responsibilities of the post advertised
• Most applicants will ask for this before applying for the job
• Refers to the post available rather than the person

Job specification

• Sets out the kind of qualifications, skills, experience and personal attributes a successful candidate should possess.
• A vital tool in assessing the suitability of job applicants
• Refers to the person rather than the post

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