Manpower Planning

FORECASTING MANPOWER DEMAND

Forecasting manpower demand helps organizations avoid workforce shortages or surpluses, enabling them to optimize their human resources strategically. It plays a crucial role in workforce planning, recruitment, and talent management, ensuring that the organization has the right people with the right skills at the right time.

• Business Strategy: Align your manpower forecast with the overall business strategy. Consider the company's expansion plans, new projects, and market trends.
• Economic Conditions: Consider the overall economic conditions and how they might impact the demand for your products or services. Economic downturns or upturns can influence staffing needs.
• Employee Turnover: Analyze historical turnover rates to estimate future turnover. Consider the reasons behind turnover and work on retention strategies.
• Skill Requirements: Identify the skills required for current and future roles. Consider emerging skills and technological advancements.
• Technological Changes: Evaluate how technological advancements may automate certain tasks, affecting manpower needs. Consider the need for upskilling or reskilling existing employees.
• Historical Data: Examine past workforce data to identify patterns and trends. Look for seasonality or cyclical patterns in manpower demand.
• Scenario Planning: Develop multiple scenarios based on different assumptions. Consider best-case and worst-case scenarios for more robust planning.

 

FORECASTING MANPOWER SUPPLY

Forecasting manpower supply involves estimating the availability of qualified and skilled individuals in the labor market to meet the workforce needs of an organization. Here are key factors to consider when forecasting manpower supply:

• Workforce Profile: Understand the composition of your current workforce in terms of skills, experience, and roles. This forms the baseline for your manpower supply forecast.
• Skill Development Programs: Assess the effectiveness of skill development programs in producing a workforce with the required competencies. Consider partnerships with educational institutions and training providers.
• Internal Talent Pipeline: Assess the potential for promoting and developing internal talent. Consider succession planning and career development programs.
• Technology Advancements: Evaluate the impact of technological advancements on the skills demanded in the labor market. Consider the availability of individuals with skills aligned with emerging technologies.
• Recruitment Channels: Determine the most effective channels for sourcing manpower. This could include job portals, recruitment agencies, social media, or professional networks.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Consider offering flexible work arrangements. This can attract a broader range of candidates, including those who value work-life balance.
• Labor Market Trends: Analyze current and projected labor market trends, including unemployment rates, participation rates, and demographic shifts. Consider regional variations in labor supply.
• Demographic Changes: Examine demographic factors such as population growth, age distribution, and migration patterns. Consider how demographic changes may affect the size and composition of the labor force.
• Collaboration with Educational Institutions: Establish partnerships with educational institutions to understand and influence the skills being developed. Consider internship programs and collaboration on curriculum development.

BALANCING MANPOWER GAP

Managing Manpower Surplus

• Redeployment and Internal Mobility: Encourage internal mobility by offering training and development programs that allow employees to acquire new skills. Facilitate internal transfers or promotions to areas of the organization where there is a shortage of skills.
• Voluntary Attrition Programs: Implement voluntary attrition programs, such as early retirement options or voluntary redundancy packages. Offer incentives for employees who choose to leave the organization voluntarily.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Explore flexible work arrangements, such as part-time work, job-sharing, or reduced hours, to accommodate surplus employees while maintaining productivity.
• Cross-Training and Upskilling: Provide opportunities for cross-training and upskilling to enhance the skill sets of employees, making them more adaptable to different roles within the organization.
• Temporary Assignments and Projects: Assign surplus employees to temporary projects or assignments that align with their skills. This can help keep them engaged and contribute to the organization's goals.
• Outplacement Support: Offer outplacement services to support employees in finding new opportunities outside the organization. This may include resume writing workshops, career counseling, and job search assistance.
• Cost Reduction Strategies: Implement cost reduction strategies, such as freezing hiring in non-essential areas, delaying recruitment, or cutting back on overtime.
• Communication and Transparency: Communicate openly with employees about the surplus situation, the organization's strategies for managing it, and the support available to them. Maintain transparency throughout the process to build trust among employees.
• Legal Compliance: Ensure that any actions taken comply with labor laws and regulations. Consult with legal experts to navigate potential legal implications.

 

Managing Manpower Shortage

• Redistribution of Tasks: Redistribute tasks among existing employees to cover essential functions. Ensure that workload is distributed reasonably and does not lead to burnout.
• Cross-Training: Implement cross-training programs to enhance the skill sets of existing employees. This can provide flexibility by allowing employees to fill multiple roles in times of shortage.
• Temporary Staffing: Consider hiring temporary or contract staff to fill immediate gaps. Temporary staff can provide relief while you search for more permanent solutions.
• Overtime and Flexible Hours: Offer overtime opportunities to existing employees, but be mindful of potential burnout. Implement flexible work hours to accommodate the needs of the existing workforce.
• Recruitment and Onboarding: Prioritize recruitment efforts to quickly fill essential positions. Streamline the onboarding process to get new hires up to speed as efficiently as possible.
• Employee Referral Programs: Encourage current employees to refer qualified candidates for open positions. Employee referral programs can be an effective and quick way to find suitable candidates.
• Remote Work and Freelancers: Explore the possibility of remote work to widen the pool of potential candidates. Consider hiring freelancers for specific projects or tasks.
• Retain and Motivate Existing Staff: Ensure that existing employees feel valued and motivated during times of shortage. Recognize and reward their efforts to maintain morale and reduce the risk of turnover.
• Utilize Technology: Explore automation and technology solutions to streamline processes and reduce the dependency on manpower.

EXTERNAL RECRUITMENT SOURCES

External recruitment refers to methods and channels through which organizations attract and hire individuals from outside the company to fill job vacancies. These sources extend beyond the current pool of employees and tap into the external job market. Here are some common external recruitment sources:

• Job Boards: A website used by recruiters to advertise job vacancies from where job seekers can find opportunities.
• Social Media: Employer branding and recruitment marketing are collectively used to pitch candidates for hiring through social media platforms. LinkedIn is considered as the largest medium where professional networks can be built.
• Print Media: Employers can also publish ads in the newspapers and magazines to attract candidates for recruitment.
• Company Website: Providing the contact information like phone numbers and email addresses of HR professionals/employers is another way to hear from the eligible candidates.
• Referrals: Employees working with an organization can refer their friends, relatives, and acquaintances with suitable skill sets to apply for a job vacancy.
• Career Fairs: AKA job fair is a recruiting event organized at a particular position where employers & recruiters from different organizations come together and meet with potential employees for filling vacant positions in their respective companies.
• Direct Contact: This is the approach where either the candidates appear for walk-in interviews or any of the party (employer/applicant) directly calls up to enquire about the vacancies in the organization.
• On-Campus Placements: Through this means of recruitment, employers visit certain colleges and educational institutions to interview and select candidates.
• Placement Agencies/Third Party Recruiters: These are the consultancy firms that different organizations (employers) hire or partner with to coordinate with prospective candidates.
• Contacting qualified applicants from the past: The candidates you didn’t hire the first time around may deserve a second look for a new and different role at your company – especially in a tight labor market. Revisit resumes from past applicants to find potential talent that has already expressed interest in your company. 

 

INTERNAL RECRUITMENT SOURCES

Internal recruitment is the process of filling job vacancies within a company by considering existing employees for the positions. Instead of looking outside the organization, internal recruitment focuses on identifying and promoting qualified individuals who are already part of the workforce. Here are some key aspects of internal recruitment:

• Temp-To-Hires: Some outperforming interns, trainees, or temporary employees are converted into permanent employees under certain terms & conditions.
• Internal Job Posting (IJP): Once in a while, organizations declare job vacancies within the organization to shuffle the interested, capable, and eligible employees from one department or location to another.
• Transfers: In this case, the employers transfer an employee from one location/branch of the organization to another due to promotion, performance or other reasons.
• Promotions/Service Extensions: Performance appraisals lead to promotions and change in designations of employees. Similarly, service extensions provide them more time to work with the organization. In both cases, a vacant position remains filled.
• Training and Development: Invest in your current employees' development. It's like growing your own talent from scratch.
• Cross-Functional Projects: Assigning employees to cross-functional projects can help identify individuals with potential for growth and leadership roles.
• Overtime Opportunities: When looking for employees to work overtime, consider those who have expressed interest or willingness in the past. It's an internal source that can help meet temporary spikes in workload.
• Succession Planning: Companies maintain talent pools or databases of employee skills, qualifications, and career aspirations, facilitating easier identification of suitable candidates for internal positions. Internal recruitment is closely tied to succession planning, where organizations identify and groom employees for key positions in the future.

Succession planning is a systematic process

• Identify Key Positions: Determine which positions are critical for the success of the organization. These are typically leadership and key technical roles that, if left vacant, could significantly impact operations.
• Identify Successors: Identify potential successors for each key position. Look within the organization to find individuals with the skills, knowledge, and potential to take on these roles in the future.
• Assess Skills and Competencies: Evaluate the skills, competencies, and leadership qualities of potential successors. This assessment may include performance evaluations, skills tests, and feedback from managers and colleagues.
• Create Development Plans: Develop individualized development plans for potential successors. This may involve providing training, mentoring, and stretch assignments to help them acquire the necessary skills and experiences.
• Communication and Transparency: Communicate the succession plan to key stakeholders, including the employees involved. Transparency about the organization's commitment to talent development and advancement can boost employee morale and engagement.
• Monitor Progress: Regularly monitor the progress of individuals in their development plans. Adjust the plans as needed and provide ongoing feedback and support.
• Review and Update: Periodically review and update the succession plan to reflect changes in the organization's strategy, structure, or personnel. Succession planning is an ongoing process that should adapt to the evolving needs of the organization.
• Emergency Succession Planning: addition to long-term planning, consider creating contingency plans for unexpected departures. Identify individuals who can step into key roles temporarily until a permanent successor is ready.
• Leadership Development Programs: Implement leadership development programs to groom high-potential employees for future leadership roles. These programs can include workshops, seminars, and other educational opportunities.
• Evaluation and Feedback: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the succession planning process. Seek feedback from both current leaders and potential successors to identify areas for improvement.
• Boosts Employee Morale: Knowing that there are opportunities for career advancement within the company can boost employee morale and job satisfaction.
• Referrals: This is a common practice in external as well as internal recruitment. When we talk about the latter, only employees of the organization are referred by their colleagues for filling a vacant position and not from outside the organization.