Continual processes in the business environment align the work as well as set the priorities in achieving objectives, either in the short or long run. Workforce planning forms an integral part of such strategic activities. This significance made it one of the most discussed topics at the HR Tech Europe Conference in Amsterdam in October 2013.Many organisations who think forward have now made it a goal which can be implemented as a daily practice. Companies around the world ask questions, such to how they could source the local talent which needed to grow the business in a new region as quickly as the business wants to, or what would be the best location for a new distribution plant that allows them to stay within a specific budget. In an era of various talent pools, market opportunities, it is up to the business leaders of an organisation to make these decisions lined up with their strategies.

One of the first steps in ensuring that workforce planning is properly implemented and exercised is through a human resource management system (abbreviated to HRMS or HRIS). Business HRIS such as PeoplesHR acts as a comprehensive repository of important information with relation to employees and the work. This system enables managers and other strategic decision makers of the organisation to clearly retrieve, understand the data and take necessary decisions to coordinate their resources with the best strategic intentions. Systems such as PeoplesHR are built with modules integrated onto one another such as payroll modules; hence the financial statistics which are applicable to the given situation can be applied. Another key note to remember when it comes to ensuring proper workforce planning is discipline. A cultural shift will have to be adopted in order to get people to think on a more analytic perspective about how they manage talent on a daily basis.

•  Adopt a clear understanding why workforce planning is needed. Documents to review include vision and mission statements, organisational performance plans, financials and budgets and other important documents.
• Define the workforce requirements and outline how the skills can be developed, recruited, developed through training, re-training, relocation are a few of such requirements.
• Implement the solution and developing a detailed action plan.
• Developing of a tactical resource plan to allocate the resources around efficiently.
• Identify future demands and needs, gaps and bottlenecks, finding solutions to overcome those problems.
• Integrate with other planning processes and plans such as talent management, career paths etc.