3.17 Developing and 3.17 Developing and implementing implementing
workforce plansworkforce plans
Learning objectives
identify and explain
components of a workforce
plan
assess the factors
influencing workforce
plans
Analyse positive and negative
effects of implementing a workforce plan
Assess the value of using
workforce plans
What is workforce What is workforce planning?planning?
DefinitionThe process of determining
the labour needs of the business now and in the
future
DefinitionThe process of determining
the labour needs of the business now and in the
future
What does it involve?
How many?total
employees, full time, part time
How many?total
employees, full time, part time
What skills?What skills?
When needed?When
needed?
Where needed?Where
needed?
How to achieve targets?Increase staffing through: training; redeployment, external recruitment
Decrease staffing (rationalise) through: natural wastage; voluntary redundancy;
early retirement; compulsory redundancy
How to achieve targets?Increase staffing through: training; redeployment, external recruitment
Decrease staffing (rationalise) through: natural wastage; voluntary redundancy;
early retirement; compulsory redundancy
Demand: internal influences
Staff turnoverProportion of staff leaving over a period of
time
Staff turnoverProportion of staff leaving over a period of
time
Salestotal, by region,
product, country
Salestotal, by region,
product, country
Functional and strategic decisions
eg move to direct marketing or telesales,
new products
Functional and strategic decisions
eg move to direct marketing or telesales,
new products
100 xperiod time given in post in staff of number average
period time given in leaving staff of number
Use the information on the worksheet provided to calculate the labour turnover rate for Steward and Mathers over the period 2004 - 2008
Task 1Task 1
Read the information provided on the worksheet for Pickerell’s
Calculate the number of staff that need to be recruited in 2008 in each of the categories mentioned
How would the number of full-time staff below manager level that needed to be recruited be affected by additional training which reduced labour turnover by 20%?
Task 2Task 2
Demand: external influences
Competitiontends to reduce staffing
needs, raise skills or flexibility needed
Competitiontends to reduce staffing
needs, raise skills or flexibility needed
Technologytends to reduce staffing needs or
raise skills needed
Technologytends to reduce staffing needs or
raise skills needed
Changing production techniques
improving productivity through new machinery, teamworking reduces need
for workers and increases skills required
Changing production techniques
improving productivity through new machinery, teamworking reduces need
for workers and increases skills required
Supply: internal influences
PromotionPromotion
Staff development and training
Staff development and training
Staff loss and retirement
Staff loss and retirement
Flexibilitychanging workforce
practices may help supply of
labour
Flexibilitychanging workforce
practices may help supply of
labour
Supply: external influences
Housing market
availability and price
Housing market
availability and price
Public transportPublic
transport
Competition
Competition
Unemployment
Unemployment
Availability of skills
Availability of skills
Population
Population
Availability of flexible workersAvailability of
flexible workers
Government training and
subsidies
Government training and
subsidies
Key issues
Employee / employer relationsInternal recruitment and training tend to motivate staff but may not suit needs of
employer
Employee / employer relationsInternal recruitment and training tend to motivate staff but may not suit needs of
employer
CostsInternal
recruitment can be more cost
effective
CostsInternal
recruitment can be more cost
effective
Corporate image
particularly important when there is a need to downsize as may
impact on sales
Corporate image
particularly important when there is a need to downsize as may
impact on sales
Value of workforce planning
Prevents unforeseen difficultieslabour shortages and surpluses are costly
Prevents unforeseen difficultieslabour shortages and surpluses are costly
Limitationsonly as effective as quality of information
on which they are based and how appropriate plans are – they need to be
adaptable to changing strategy and external environment
Limitationsonly as effective as quality of information
on which they are based and how appropriate plans are – they need to be
adaptable to changing strategy and external environment
Use the Work Foundation website to research examples of workforce plans implemented by one of the following businesses / organisations Elli Lilly Lloyds TSB Marks and Spencer Price Waterhouse Coopers Royal Bank of Scotland Unilever BT Inland Revenue
Task 3Task 3