This document outlines a two-day training program on strategic workforce planning (SWP) presented by Charles Cotter of Swazi Bank. The training will define SWP, assess current practices, and teach a six-step SWP process involving scanning, profiling, analyzing, developing, implementing, and controlling. Participants will diagnose SWP at Swazi Bank, identify gaps, and recommend improvements to better align SWP with the organization's strategy.

1. STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING
(SWP)
CHARLES COTTER
SWAZI BANK
7-8 JULY 2016
THE ROYAL VILLAS, SWAZILAND
www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter

2.  Defining Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP)
 Diagnosis of current SWP practices
 Research-based reality check
 Business Case: Strategic imperative and alignment of
SWP
 Evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of SWP
process
TRAINING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
– DAY 1

3.  Applying the 6-step (SPADIC) SWP process
SCANNING
P ROFILING
ANALYZING
DEVELOPING
I MPLEMENTING
CONTROLLING
TRAINING PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
– DAY 2

4.  Individual activity:
 Complete the statement by inserting one (1) word only. As a HR
Manager, in order to effectively apply Strategic Workforce/HR
planning, I need to/to be .…………………………………..
 Now find other learners with the same word as you.
 Jot these words down on the flip-chart.
 Each learner will have the opportunity to elaborate on their
chosen word.
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY

5.  Human Resources Management (HRM)
 The key functions of HRM
 Strategic Human Resources Management (SHRM)
 Ulrich’s view of SHRM and Roles Model
 Norton and Kaplan’s Balanced Scorecard and the HR Scorecard
 Workforce/HR Planning and Strategic Workforce Planning
DEFINING THE FUNDAMENTAL
CONCEPTS

6. THE KEY FUNCTIONS OF HRM VALUE
CHAIN

8. STRATEGIC HRM VALUE CHAIN

10. THE BALANCED BUSINESS SCORECARD

11. EXAMPLE: STRATEGY MAP

12. EXAMPLE: STRATEGY MAP

13. DEFINING WORKFORCE PLANNING
(WFP)

14. WFP - GETTING IT “RIGHT”

17.  Group Discussion:
 By referring to the Strategic HRM model, evaluate whether the
Swazi Bank’s HRM function is currently strategic.
 Identify areas of improvement (gaps)
 Recommend how the HRM function can re-position itself as a
strategic business partner.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

19. INTEGRATING HR AND BUSINESS
PLANNING

20. HOLISTIC SWP PROCESS

21.  Inventory of available organizational core competencies?
 Inventory of organizational scarce skills?
 Mission critical organizational jobs (to enable strategy
achievement)?
 Critical employee segments (to promote business
continuity/sustainability)?
 Competitivity and readiness of organizational talent pipeline?
 Identification of organizational talent gaps?
CLEAR VIEW?

22. CURRENT: HRM-BASED WORKFORCE
PLANNING ARCHITECTURE

23. REQUIRED: BUSINESS-BASED SWP
ARCHITECTURE

25.  #1: Aligned with organization’s strategic business plans and priorities.
 #2: Future-focused, adopting a strategic, medium to long-term forward-
looking approach.
 #3: Pro-active, sensitive and responsive to (internal and external)
environmental change and trends.
 #4: Provides accurate and reliable (clear view) talent
planning/management information e.g. available core competencies;
scarce skills; critical jobs and employee segments and talent gaps.
 #5: Collaborative, well coordinated and partnering effort (HRM has co-
opted business partners e.g. line managers to the process).
DIAGNOSIS: 10 BEST PRACTICE
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE SWP

26.  #6: Integrated (bundled) with other HR value chain processes e.g.
Recruitment, Succession Planning, Retention and Leadership Development.
 #7: Generates meaningful business intelligence which shapes, informs and
influences business planning and supports strategic decision-making.
 #8: Integrates both scientific (HRM metrics, predictive analytics and
strategy maps) with artistic (planning) principles.
 #9: Dynamic - regularly and systematically monitored, reviewed, evaluated
and adapted (committed to continuous improvement processes).
 #10: Yields a positive ROI, with tangible/demonstrable outcomes and
impact i.e. creates sustainable HCM competitive advantages
DIAGNOSIS: 10 BEST PRACTICE
GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE SWP

27.  Individual Activity:
 Diagnose the Swazi Bank’s current Workforce Planning
practices against the ten (10) best practice criteria.
 Group Discussion:
 Identify gaps and recommend improvement strategies.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

28. LEVELS OF SWP MATURITY

29.  Although 92% of companies have some level of workforce planning, only 21%
take a strategic, long-term approach to addressing the talent demand, talent
supply and the actions necessary to close the gap between the two.
 Only 11% of organizations have currently reached Level 3 of Maturity.
 Only 10% have reached Level 4.
 Although best-practice companies align workforce planning as an integral part
of their business and financial planning, 67% of companies at every level still
conduct workforce planning on an “as-needed” basis.
 Only 25% of workforce plans are effective at helping business leaders forecast
revenue and operating budgets.
 Only 27% of workforce planning processes are conducted by recruiting and
staffing departments . The majority of workforce planning processes are owned
by individual business leaders – so they are disjointed from recruiting and even
HRM.
RESEARCH-BASED (BERSIN) REALITY
CHECK

30.  “Strategic workforce planning helps organizations understand
the talent required to deliver their strategy – without it, the
costs are significant. A talented and aligned workforce is crucial
for bringing strategy to life and ensuring an organization delivers
on its objectives” (Hay Group UK)
 “Strategic workforce planning has become an integral business
function for today’s organizations; those that fail to embrace it
will likely struggle to have the right talent in place, achieve key
objectives and operate sustainably. However, the companies that
understand how the intersection of analytics, technology and
collaboration can support overall business strategy will be
better suited for success.” (Carl Rhodes, CEO: HCI).
THE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVE OF
WORKFORCE PLANNING

31.  The companies that get it right understand that strategic workforce planning
must be a collaborative process, involving full alignment between people, data
and technology – enabling the company to drive the important changes that
lead to successful SWP and positive overall business results.
 A Disconnect between Expectations and Results: Although 69% of respondents
report that SWP is an essential/high priority at their organizations, almost half
(45%) report that their organization is unprepared for the talent needs of the
future.
 SWP is Underutilized: Overall, 43% of those surveyed said that their SWP process
is scalable across the organization, and even less (37%) stated that their SWP
process is used throughout the organization.
 The Biggest Obstacles: Factors such as lack of resources and commitment to
the process, an unclear definition of SWP and poor technology continue to be
the biggest barriers to SWP success. 73% of respondents rate their technology
for SWP as far from ideal, and 52% report that their organization is not
adequately staffed to conduct SWP.
SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING
THROUGH COLLABORATION (HCI: 2014)

33.  Group Discussion:
 By referring to the illustration of the strategic workforce
planning process, evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of
each process step at Swazi Bank.
 Identify areas of improvement (gaps) and recommend how HR
management can enhance performance and value add.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

35. SYSTEMS VIEW - SWP PROCESS
ILLUSTRATED

37.  SCANNING
 P ROFILING
 ANALYZING
 DEVELOPING
 I MPLEMENTING
 CONTROLLING
SWP: S-P-A-D-I-C PROCESS/CYCLE

38. THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS
ENVIRONMENT – V-U-C-A

39.  Reviewing current HRM and organizational strategies
(Strategic Direction and Intent)
 Conducting an environmental scan
 Identifying workforce trends and challenges
 Benchmarking
 Preferred Scanning tools – SWOT and PESTEL Analyses
STEP 1: SCANNING – STRATEGIC
ANALYSIS

40.  Group Discussion:
 By utilizing a SWOT Analysis Matrix, perform an environmental
scan/analysis of both the internal and external environments
for Swazi Bank.
 Internally, identify organizational strengths and weaknesses
and externally identify opportunities and threats.
LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

42. PESTEL ANALYSIS

43.  Forecasting HR Demand (Futuring)
 Segmentation
 Measuring Current Supply
STEP 2: PROFILING

44.  "Futuring is the field of using a systematic process for thinking about,
picturing possible outcomes, and planning for the future. Futurists are
people who actively view the present world as a window on possible
future outcomes. They watch trends and try to envision what might
happen.“ (Kirkwood, 2011)
 Futuring is a broader concept than the forecasting traditionally done
in Workforce Planning and enables organizations to look at the future
in four different ways (Cillie-Schmidt, 2013):
 The possible future - what could happen?
 The plausible future - what could realistically happen?
 The probable future - what is likely to happen?
 The preferred future - what we want to happen?
FUTURING

46.  Forecasting should consider the past and the present
requirements as well as future organizational direction/s
Number of employees
Type of employees
Skills requirements of these employees
 Consider and assess the challenges and constraints
 Preferred Scanning tools –”What If” and Scenario Planning
FORECASTING HR DEMAND

47.  Assess the current HR capacity of the organization by means of
the Skill inventories/audits method
The knowledge, skills and abilities of your current staff need to be
identified
Employee experience, education and special skills
Certificates or additional training should also be included
 A forecast of the supply of employees projected to join the
organization from outside sources
 HRM indicators, metrics and indices e.g. turnover rates
MEASURING CURRENT SUPPLY

48. STEP 3: ANALYZING –
RECONCILING/GAP ANALYSIS

49. STEP 4: DEVELOPING – STRATEGIC
HRM ACTION PLANS

50.  Group Discussion:
 Apply steps 2, 3 and 4 of the Workforce/HRM Planning process
in the context of Swazi Bank.
Step 2: Forecasting Human Resource Demand
Step 3: Analyzing Supply
Step 4: Reconciling
LEARNING ACTIVITY 5

51.  Develop and initiate a Resourcing Strategy
 Matching strategy (intervention) with scenario (surplus or
deficit)
 Action plan-based implementation methodology
STEP 5: IMPLEMENTING -
INTERVENTIONS

52.  There are five SHRM action plans for meeting your
organization's needs in the future:
Restructuring strategies
Training and development strategies
Recruitment strategies
Outsourcing strategies
Collaboration strategies
STRATEGIC HRM ACTION PLANS

53. HRM ACTION PLAN (INTERVENTION)
TEMPLATE

54.  Group Discussion:
 Apply step 5 of the Workforce/HR Planning process in the
context of Swazi Bank.
Step 5: Developing HR Action Plan
Prioritize these HR Action Plans
LEARNING ACTIVITY 6

55.  Tracking implementation progress – monitoring, measuring,
evaluating and reporting
STEP 6: CONTROLLING

56.  Group Discussion:
 Apply step 6 of the Workforce/HR Planning process in the
context of Swazi Bank.
 Focus on the process and methods/tools that you will utilize.
Step 6: Monitor, Evaluate and Adjust the HR Action Plan
LEARNING ACTIVITY 7

57. CONCLUSION
Key points
Summary
Questions

58.  SWP – getting it “right”
 HRM requires a clear view
 The strategic imperative of SWP
 Alignment of SWP and business strategy
 Application of best practice principles
 Application of 6-step SPADIC SWP process
LEARNING “TAKE-AWAYS” – SWP
AND ALIGNMENT (DAYS 1-2)

59. CONTACT DETAILS
 Charles Cotter
 (+27) 84 562 9446
 charlescot@polka.co.za
 LinkedIn
 Twitter: Charles_Cotter
 http://www.slideshare.net/CharlesCotter