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Workforce Planning

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(February 11, 2005) - Workforce planning can seem so complicated that it never gets done. The visionary systems suggest that a combination of scenario planning and deep skills assessment can lead to a decision-making framework. We're closer to the back of the envelope school of thinking. That is, some level of planning is far superior to none at all.

In more complex settings, organizational dynamics and political issues complicate the problem. Ultimately, good workforce planning is an iterative (and ongoing) process. The bottoms-up estimating procedure will always be modified by top-down concerns. Workforce Planning is, after all, a planning conversation. Learning to engage the organization in the give and take of planning is at the heart of successful implementation.

The good news is that the techniques for small scale Workforce Planning are simple and easy to use. To the extent that workforce planning is a local problem, it can be more easily solved. The issue becomes complex at the point that you try to integrate the details at a system level. Then workforce planning becomes subject to the sorts of organizational issues that drive other strategic conversations.

- John Sumser

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