The recruitment seminar that we ran last week addressed a wide range of issues being faced by employers who are currently finding recruitment to be a massive challenge. The seminar has been a catalyst for a number of our clients and now, conversations have moved on to Workforce Planning. It seems that for some employers, a lack of foresight a few years ago has led to a recruitment crisis today.

A solid workforce plan should be influenced by, and sit alongside an organisation’s full business plan. Stakeholders will include the MD or CEO who’ll be driving the business. The Operations Director who will know what the shape of the business needs to be in terms of personnel required to meet the business plan; and the Financial Director who will be responsible for ensuring that the wage bill for the future workforce can be met.

Regardless of where the responsibility for recruitment lies, whether that’s the HR department or individual departmental managers, the workforce plan needs to be fully embedded in the actions of all departments. The availability of people to recruit into the business and the ability to pay for them, shouldn’t be issues that prevent the business from growing and moving forward. This means planning ahead.

Despite a digital, global economy, businesses shouldn’t overlook basic logistics when they’re planning for the future. Businesses that require employees to be on site, such as in manufacturing and distribution, amongst others, need to recruit from areas in easy commuting range for their employees; so that means local. It will be the pupils and students of local schools and universities now that provide the talent pool of the future. It’s crucial then that businesses have a rapport with the local education establishments to engage a potential future workforce early on.

Let's try and put Workforce Planning into a 5-step rough guide:

Step 1 - Ensure key stakeholders in the businesses understand the implications of the 1,3 and 5 year business plan and the resources that are required to deliver it. Eg. Materials, finance, investment, equipment, skills, market place demands, competition and community.

Step 2 - From a people perspective, understand the skills required. What do you already have in the business. What can be developed internally and what training is required.

Step 3 - Career discussions amongst your team should be the norm. Make sure they happen and understand what your employees want from the company and how you can develop them.

Step 4 - What is the shortfall? What skills will you need to recruit externally? Are those skills available and how attractive is your company to those who have them?

Step 5 - Review your employer branding and you employee value proposition. Put a long term people plan in place.

We’ve hardly skimmed the surface here. To really get under the skin of what an effective Workforce Plan should look like and include, come along to one of our forthcoming Workforce Planning seminars. We have two currently scheduled. 8th March in Gloucester and 29th March in Worcester. There are just 12 places per seminar and they’re going fast so make sure you get on board now.

In the meantime, if you require any help and support with your current planning, recruitment or other people issues, call us on 01452 331331 or drop us an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.