HR Planning

Explain why it is vital for organizations to have HR plans. What might be the problems if they do not?

The HR department is responsible for planning a number of things including; recruitment and selection, training and re-training, career progression, transfers and redeployment, early retirement, expected skills shortages, anticipated redundancies and many more. It is for this reason that it is absolutely fundamental for all organizations to have a HR plan no matter how large or small a scale they operate on.

The HR plan is a key management tool that helps improve an organizations control over certain aspects of their operation. The HR plan enables companies to predict actual competencies required, assists in responding to supply and demand, and helps to understand how to meet the organizations needs. Also, the plan helps in understanding the HR problems and how to tackle them. For example, if there was a shortage of skills within the workforce the HR plan would identify this problem and encourage managers to take appropriate action such as providing training, recruiting overseas, and changing contracts for more flexibility.

HR planning is also vital in helping management understand what kinds of duties are required of them, what tasks need to be carried out and how many employees would be required in order to complete those tasks. Not only this, but the plan also provides the organization with an indication of the validity of the action they plan on taking.

If a business does not carry out a HR plan they are likely to encounter problems concerning their staff. Without one, managers wouldn’t know what qualities to look for when recruiting staff and are therefore more likely to end up hiring unsuitable candidates who lack in the very skills that they require.

Using Rodger’s seven point person specification (in Foot and Hook) draft a person specification for a university lecturer.

· Physical make-up: Good communication skills, smart appearance, well organised.

· Attainments: suitable qualifications i.e. degree level as well as specialized teaching requirements and previous experience in teaching.

· General intelligence: innovative approach to both teaching and learning.

· Special aptitudes: evidence of extensive knowledge and experience within field/ subject

· Interests: must have a strong passion for education and be willing to learn as well as teach, must enjoy teaching.

· Disposition: must have good characteristics i.e. open mind, confident speaker etc…

· Circumstances: must be 100% committed to the job without any interference from external factors.

Key labour questions Waitrose would ask themselves when considering opening a new store in High Wycombe:

1) Who are the competitors?

2) Local demographics?

3) Do we need to invest in training new staff?

4) Population of High Wycombe?

5) Unemployment rate?

References:

Business Open Learning Archive, (2009). Alec Rodger: Seven Point Plan [online] Available from: http://www.bola.biz/recruitment/rodger.html [Accessed 18 April 2010]

IES, (1996). Human Resource Planning: an Introduction [online] Available from: http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/pubs/summary.php?id=312 [Accessed 18 April 2010]