manpower planning | human resource management | leadership | career development | talent management
People planning or employee planning is
the politically correct name for what we all understand to be manpower planning.
This technique of using retrospective data in manpower planning to give us a predictive ability is
one area where HR can, with existing resources and data formulate decisions that
can provide proactive decisions, which will create added value.
Unit costs can play an important role if we are to understand return on
investment from our human resource. If we fully understand the unit cost of
recruitment and training for a new employee - we can chart the minimum time they
need to be with the organisation for them to be 'adding value'.
In some industries where there is a high turnover, it makes little sense to just
carry on with an existing process. Better recruitment and more cost effective
training may be just two factors which should be looked at. This is another
proactive action, the benefits of which can be costed and provide added value.
Many of the items already mentioned you may be already doing as a matter of
course. This is really to remind you of the value of not only collating the data
but also applying it in a proactive way. In Stephen Covey’s book “The Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People” first on the list is being proactive.
Much of the statistical manpower planning information you are able to produce and many of the
resulting trends will be of immense value to your customers. It is important to
make sure that the resulting benefit or saving is measured and you include that
in your added value contributions. Planning is nothing but using the available
assets for the effective implementation of the production plans. After the
preparing the plans, people are grouped together to achieve organizational
objectives.
Planning is concerned with coordinating, motivating and controlling of the various activities within the organization. Time required for acquiring the material, capital and machinery should be taken into account. Manager has to reasonably predict future events and plan out the production. The basic purpose of the management is to increase the production, so that the profit margin can be increased. Manager has to guess the future business and to take timely and correct decisions in respect of company objectives, policies and cost performances. The plans need to be supported by all the members of the organization. Planning is making a decision in advance what is to be done. It is the willpower of course of action to achieve the desired results. It is a kind of future picture where events are sketched. It can be defined as a mental process requiring the use of intellectual faculty, imagination, foresight and sound judgment.
It involves problem solving and decision making. Management has to prepare for short term plan and measure the achievements, while the long term plans are organized to develop the improved and new products, services, expansion to keep the interest of the owners.
Advantages of Manpower planning:
Manpower planning ensures optimum use of available human resources.
1. It is useful both for organization and nation.
2. It generates facilities to educate people in the organization.
3. It brings about fast economic developments.
4. It boosts the geographical mobility of labor.
5. It provides smooth working even after expansion of the organization.
6. It opens possibility for workers for future promotions, thus providing
incentive.
7. It creates healthy atmosphere of encouragement and motivation in the
organization.
8. Training becomes effective.
9. It provides help for career development of the employees.