As an employer, you’ll recognise the need for strategic workforce planning when you find yourself reacting to staffing issues more and more often, rather than anticipating them. Positions remain vacant for too long, teams are under constant pressure, and the expertise you’ll need tomorrow is already lacking today. This article answers the most frequently asked questions about strategic workforce planning, so that you know where you stand and what you can do.
What are the early warning signs that staff planning is falling short?
The early signs that staff planning is falling short are often subtle but consistent. These might include a growing workload for permanent staff, difficulty in finding suitable candidates for vacant roles, or the feeling that certain knowledge and skills are lacking within your organisation whilst the market is changing.
Other tell-tale signs include:
- Employees who say they no longer know what career path they are heading towards within the organisation
- High staff turnover in specific teams or roles
- Projects that are delayed because the right people are not available
- Managers who spend more time putting out fires than on development
- There is little clarity as to which staff members will still be suited to their current roles in two or three years’ time
Taken together, these signs suggest that the HR policy is too reactive. As soon as you recognise them, that is the moment to make the move towards a more forward-looking approach.
How does strategic workforce planning differ from ordinary workforce planning?
Strategic workforce planning differs from standard workforce planning in that it is not about filling vacant posts, but about actively shaping the future composition and development of your team. Standard workforce planning is operational and short-term in focus. Strategic workforce planning is proactive and links HR policy directly to the organisation’s long-term goals.
In day-to-day staff planning, you answer questions such as: how many people do I need right now, and who is available? In strategic staff planning, you ask different questions:
- What knowledge and skills will our organisation need in three to five years’ time?
- Which staff members can we develop to help shape that future?
- Where are the weaknesses in our current staffing structure?
- How can we ensure that people remain employable in the long term in a changing environment?
So the difference lies in the perspective. Operational planning solves today’s problems. Strategic workforce planning prevents tomorrow’s problems.
When is the right time to start strategic workforce planning?
Now is the right time to start strategic workforce planning, regardless of the size of your organisation or the stage you are at. Waiting until a crisis arises means you’re already playing catch-up. Strategic workforce planning is most effective when you build it up during a period of relative calm, so that you’re prepared for change.
However, there are specific moments when the urgency becomes particularly clear:
- In the event of a reorganisation or merger involving changes to roles and responsibilities
- When a large proportion of your experienced staff are due to retire in the coming years
- If your organisation is growing rapidly and the current structure is no longer adequate
- When the market in which you operate undergoes radical change due to technology or regulation
- If you notice that staff are finding it difficult to envisage a career within the organisation
By 2026, we will see that organisations which have already started implementing strategic workforce planning are more resilient and able to adapt more quickly to changes in the labour market.
What risks does an employer face without strategic workforce planning?
An employer without strategic workforce planning runs the risk of the organisation becoming dependent on chance. When there is no deliberate policy for the development and employability of staff, a gap arises between the people you currently have and the organisation you want to be.
The most specific risks are:
- Loss of knowledge: If key staff members leave without their knowledge being documented or passed on, you lose valuable experience.
- Insufficient flexibility: Without an understanding of your team’s skills, it is difficult to respond quickly to new opportunities or challenges.
- Reduced job satisfaction: Employees who see no prospects for their careers become less engaged, which affects teamwork and productivity.
- Higher recruitment costs: Recruiting on a structural basis – because internal development is not organised – costs more time and money than investing in existing staff.
Strategic workforce planning is therefore not just an HR tool, but an investment in the continuity and resilience of your organisation as a whole.
As an employer, how do you assess the current staffing situation?
As an employer, you assess your current staffing situation by systematically examining three areas: the people you have, the roles you fulfil and the skills you will need in the future. This begins with an honest assessment of what is already in place within your organisation.
Step 1: Understanding talent and competencies
Identify the skills, talents and ambitions of each employee. Scientifically proven methods, such as the BrainsFirst methodology we use at Nieuwkans, help to reveal employees’ natural talents and cognitive behavioural preferences through online brain games. This provides an objective and nuanced picture that goes beyond a CV or job profile.
Step 2: Compare the current situation with the desired situation
Once you know what the current situation is, you compare it with what the organisation will need in the future. Where are the gaps? Which roles are set to become more important? Which staff members can develop into those roles with the right support? This provides direction for your development policy and helps to define priorities.
What role does coaching play in strategic workforce planning?
Coaching plays a central role in strategic workforce planning because it bridges the gap between organisational objectives and individual employees. A plan on paper only brings about change if employees are actually able to take the step towards new roles, skills or ways of working. Coaching makes that step possible.
Specifically, coaching contributes to strategic workforce planning by:
- To help staff explore their own talents and ambitions and align them with the organisation’s direction
- Supporting managers in conducting effective career development discussions
- To support teams through changes to their composition or working methods
- Supporting staff in transition as they move into a new role, either internally or externally
Coaching is therefore not a stand-alone tool, but an integral part of a well-thought-out HR policy. It ensures that the strategy you define at organisational level is also felt and embraced at employee level.
How Nieuwkans helps with strategic workforce planning
Here at Nieuwkans, we support employers and employees in developing a human resources policy that really works, both now and in the future. Our approach is always tailored to individual needs, because we believe that everyone can shape their own future if they receive the right guidance.
What we offer in concrete terms:
- Personal coaching focused on career development, leadership and personal effectiveness
- Scientifically-based talent analyses using the BrainsFirst methodology
- Support with outplacement and ‘second track’ programmes
- Development programmes for teams and managers
- Tailor-made programmes for organisations working towards sustainable employability
Whether you’re just starting out with strategic workforce planning or want to refine your existing policy, we’d be happy to help you find the right solution. Get in touch and find out what we can do for your organisation. Would you like to know more about further opportunities in the field of talent development? Be sure to check out Skillscapers for further information.