Strategic workforce planning involves a series of fixed steps: you assess current workforce capacity, determine future staffing requirements based on organisational objectives, carry out a gap analysis, draw up specific actions and monitor progress. This process helps organisations ensure they always have the right people in the right place, both now and in the future. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about each step.
What steps do you follow in strategic workforce planning?
Strategic workforce planning consists of five consecutive steps: assessing current staffing levels, determining future staffing requirements, carrying out a gap analysis, drawing up an action plan and monitoring progress. Each step builds on the previous one, and together they form a cyclical process that keeps organisations moving forward.
What makes strategic workforce planning unique is that it goes beyond simply counting roles and FTEs. It is about gaining an understanding of employees’ competencies, behaviour and potential in relation to the organisation’s strategic direction. By 2026, we will see that organisations have an increasing need for flexible planning models that can adapt quickly to changes in the market, technology and society.
A good strategic HR plan is never a static document. It is a dynamic tool that is regularly updated in the light of new insights and developments both within and outside the organisation.
How do you assess current staffing levels?
You assess the current staffing capacity by drawing up a detailed overview of the available staff, their roles, skills, levels of experience and development potential. This provides a clear picture of the human capital the organisation currently has at its disposal.
In practical terms, this means that you collect and analyse the following information:
- The number of staff per department and job category
- The knowledge, skills and behavioural characteristics of each employee
- The age distribution and expected progression or departure
- Contract types and availability in hours
- Employees’ development potential and career aspirations
Scientifically grounded methods can add significant value in this regard. By using tools that identify cognitive behavioural preferences and natural talents, you gain a much richer picture than if you were to look solely at job titles and work experience. This makes it possible to uncover hidden talent and better position staff within the organisation.
What is a gap analysis in workforce planning?
A gap analysis in workforce planning is a comparison between current workforce capacity and future staffing requirements. The result highlights where shortfalls or surpluses arise in terms of numbers, competencies or specific skills required to achieve the organisation’s objectives.
The gap analysis essentially answers three key questions:
- What are we short of? Think of specific professional knowledge, leadership qualities or technical skills that will be even more essential in the future.
- What do we have too much of? Roles or skills that are becoming less relevant as a result of automation or organisational change.
- What is the desired situation? The ideal workforce that aligns with the organisation’s strategic direction.
A good gap analysis looks not only at numbers, but also at the quality of the workforce. It is about whether the right people with the right skills are available at the right time. The more detailed the analysis, the more targeted the resulting actions will be.
How do you translate organisational objectives into staffing requirements?
You translate organisational objectives into staffing requirements by translating the organisation’s strategic direction into specific questions about people: what roles, competencies and behavioural characteristics are needed to achieve those objectives? This requires close collaboration between HR and management.
A practical approach consists of the following steps:
- Discuss the organisational strategy for the next two to five years with the board and senior management
- Translate strategic themes such as growth, innovation or digitalisation into specific job requirements and competence profiles
- Identify which new roles or skills are needed that are not currently in place
- Estimate which roles will become less relevant as a result of changes to business operations
- Take into account external factors such as labour market developments and demographic trends
It is important not only to think in terms of hard skills, but also in terms of behaviour and motivations. Employees who are intrinsically motivated and who naturally possess the right behavioural traits for a particular role consistently perform better and are more sustainable in the long term.
What actions stem from a strategic staffing plan?
A strategic HR plan leads to targeted actions in the areas of recruitment, development, mobility and collaboration. The gap analysis determines which interventions are a priority and when they should be implemented.
Common actions include:
- Recruitment and selection: Recruiting new staff with skills that are currently lacking
- Training and coaching: Developing existing staff so that they can progress into future roles
- Internal mobility: Guiding staff towards other roles within the organisation that are better suited to their talents and the organisation’s needs
- Career guidance: Supporting staff in exploring new career paths, both internally and externally
- Team development: Strengthening collaboration and shared leadership within teams
A bespoke approach is essential here. Every organisation faces a unique situation, and every employee has their own development path. Off-the-shelf solutions rarely address the specific challenges identified in a staffing plan.
How do you monitor the progress of strategic workforce planning?
You monitor the progress of strategic workforce planning by regularly assessing whether the planned actions are being implemented and whether they are having the desired effect on workforce capacity and organisational objectives. You do this using specific indicators and periodic reviews.
Effective monitoring comprises a number of key elements:
- Set measurable objectives for each action, so that you can see whether the intervention is successful
- Schedule regular review meetings, for example every quarter, to discuss progress with HR and management
- Use data on staff turnover, development and staff satisfaction as indicators of the health of the workforce
- Adjust the plan whenever the organisational strategy changes or when actions do not yield the desired results
Strategic workforce planning is a cyclical process. Monitoring is not the end point, but the starting point for a new cycle of analysis, planning and action. Organisations that structure this process effectively build an agile and forward-looking workforce organisation.
How Nieuwkans helps with strategic workforce planning
Here at Nieuwkans, we support organisations at every stage of strategic workforce planning, from identifying talent to guiding employees into new roles. Our approach is always bespoke, as we believe that off-the-shelf solutions rarely fit the unique circumstances of an organisation or an individual.
What we offer in concrete terms:
- Personal coaching focused on development, effectiveness and career direction
- Support with behaviour, leadership and team development
- Scientifically-based talent analysis using the BrainsFirst methodology, which identifies natural behavioural preferences and cognitive strengths
- Career guidance and outplacement for employees who are ready for a new challenge
- Alternative career paths for employees moving to a different employer or sector
Whether you’re an employer looking to get a handle on your HR strategy or an employee wanting to shape your own future, we’d be happy to help you think things through. Please feel free to contact us for a no-obligation chat. If you’d like more information about career development and talent development, please also visit Skillscapers.nl.