Workforce Planning Process In the contemporary word, it is arguable that workforce is the most significant concrete asset for many companies. Despite its crucial role in an organization’s success, many companies have sidelined this asset due to lack of planning and optimization. It is evident that many businesses are not conversant with the existing or imminent workforce gaps (Louch, 2014) . Such gaps are a risk to im plement different business strategies. Hence, workforce planning can be defined as the methodological style in discovering and dealing with the gaps between the current workforce and the future human capital.
Workforce planning can be explained using five steps. The first phase involves devising the strategic direction that associates the planning with other business strategies. The work activities required to meet the short-term and long- term goals are evaluated. Secondly, there is the identification of the gaps within the workforce. Her, the human resource faces the task of determining the existing workforce resources and their progress over time. Additionally, they establish the specifications for the quantity and quality of workforce required.
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The third step is creating an action plan to fill the gaps identified. Strategies are developed as well as the measures for evaluating the process. These strategies include factors such as recruitments, re-skilling the staff, restructuring, and technological improvements amongst others. The fourth phase is the implementation of the action plan. The final step involves the assessment and the revision of the workforce plan. Progress is monitored across various milestones as well as ensuring there is continuous improvement. Besides, adjustments can be made to tackle the emerging issues in within the entire plan (Louch, 2014) .
In case the planning processes are not adequately followed, an organization will register negative growth. For instance, employers will face the risk of not meeting the company’s objectives, and goals since the number of gaps to be tackled will increase. On the other hand, employees will face the risk of underperformance because of the disorganization in the work specifications.
References
Louch, P. (2014, 10 March). Workforce Planning Is Essential to High-Performing Organizations . Retrieved June 16, 2016, from Society for Human Resource Management: https://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/technology/articles/pages/louch- workforce-planning.aspx
