Step 2: Define Staffing Gaps and Surpluses

Once you have identified the staffing issues to be addressed, the next step is to define, for each issue, the staffing gaps and surpluses that must be eliminated (or at least alleviated) if that issue is to be addressed fully (and thus your business strategies implemented effectively). In order to create staffing strategies, you must first define the staffing gaps and surpluses that are expected during each planning period of your planning horizon. These gaps are specific, quantifiable, and objective. There are three kinds of differences that you might identify:

• Staffing levels. You may have too many staff (a surplus) or too few staff (a gap or deficit) in some job categories to implement the company’s business plans effectively.

• Capabilities. It may be that you have the right number of staff, but that these individuals lack particular capabilities that will be needed to implement the company’s business strategies.

• Mix. It may be the case both that you have the wrong number of staff and that the staff you have lack critical capabilities. I call this a staffing mix problem.

In order to define these differences in sufficient detail, you will need to create a staffing model that allows you to define staffing requirements, forecast staff availability, and compare requirements to availability. Step 2a describes the overall approach that should be used to structure the staffing model process. Step 2b describes the steps involved in developing and implementing a specific, detailed staffing model. A separate staffing model will be required for each staffing issue that you are going to address.