If your organization understands the benefits of creating a staffing strategy but has had little or no success to date implementing a traditional process, consider the alternatives described in this chapter and summarized in Figure 4-2. Think of strategic staffing as creating a longer-term context within which more effective short-term staffing decisions can be made. Integrate staffing into business planning; don’t think of it solely in terms of implementation. Create strategies that focus on particular issues, and vary planning parameters accordingly. Include only those jobs for which a longer-term perspective is really needed. Keep plans separate and distinct. Update staffing plans whenever significant changes in business plans are being considered. Work to provide managers with information, not data. And, most important of all, develop staffing strategies and plans that solve staffing issues and problems; don’t just build a new tool or system.
Figure 4-2. Consider New Approaches.
Instead of:
Consider:
Focusing on reporting and analysis
Focusing on planning and acting
Thinking of staffing as an implementation concern
Focusing on planning and acting
Focusing on organization units
Focusing on critical staffing issues
Defining a one-size-fits-all process
Tailoring planning parameters to fit each staffing issue
Including all positions
Focusing on positions where you need to be proactive or need time to react
Compiling results across units or groups
Keeping results separate and distinct
Planning on a set schedule
Defining issues and developing strategies whenever change occurs
Building models or creating processes
Solving problems, addressing issues, and answering questions
Thinking of Workforce Planning as a function that “feeds” of other HR functions
Thinking of Workforce Planning as a function that “feeds” other HR functions
