Conclusion: Strike the Right Balance

When implementing workforce planning, you need to strike the right balance between “common” and “tailored.” By following these guidelines, an organization will develop workforce plans that are adequately consistent across units. Yet by allowing for tailoring—and thus ensuring that the value of managers’ time and effort is maximized—companies will produce workforce plans that are effective and realistic. They will also engage managers directly in the process, instead of dragging them along kicking and screaming!