Workforce Planning’s goal is to supply the right skills and expertise at the right time at optimal cost to sustain the demand generated by clients and/or customers (short and long term). It is a supply / demand balancing act to optimize skill and expertise availability during any environmental, business, and people dynamics. What does a Workforce Planner need to focus on right now regarding access to skills and expertise? Immediate…
What characterizes trying times for Workforce Planning is how fast the variables on which we make decisions can change from one day to the next, and the impact that has on the business. The time to make decisions can be shorter than your normal comfort zone given the impact these decisions have. The not so long ago “long-term focus on growth” has shifted to a today-focused survival mode for many…
The focus on organizational design has continued to increase as organizations seek to optimize their structures to position themselves for better performance and growth, as well as to increase innovation and agility. But the traditional model of organizational design needs to be adapted. The traditional model consists of developing a new structure, implementing it in a large-scale change effort, and then essentially “freezing” the structure. Then when that structure no…
Cost-cutting is a reality of organization life. Whether caused by the economy, industry dynamics, or company actions, it is something that almost all organizations face at some point. Recent concerns about a recession have brought this topic back to the forefront for many. Too often, cost-cutting decisions are still made in very qualitative or across-the-board ways that have a long-term detrimental impact on the organization. With the evolution of workforce…
Workforce planning is one of the most critical competencies for an HR organization. It is the foundation of the partnership between the business and HR and provides the organization with critical information about how to meet its staffing needs and how to allocate its HR resources to meet business goals. Workforce planning can help a business answer questions ranging from how many people it needs, where they should be located,…
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High“. One of the all-time greatest flicks with almost as many life-affirming lines as “The Big Lebowski“. Sean Penn played the iconic Jeff Spicoli, who more than once was late for class, causing Mr. Hand great frustration. Mr. Hand: Mr. Spicoli, what’s your reason for your truancy? Jeff Spicoli: I just couldn’t make it on time. Mr. Hand: You mean you couldn’t or wouldn’t? Jeff Spicoli: Well, there’s like a full crowd…
Businesses experience fluctuations based on market conditions, competitive landscapes, and other internal and external factors. Whether these business challenges are exciting (accelerating growth) or nausea-inducing (layoffs), you’ll need a strong HR team that can adapt to your unique position and help your business achieve its goals. If you need to bolster your current team with specific skills or add additional resources for project-based work, you should consider interim staffing. Interim…
A common discussion among HR leaders today is Organizational Design. CEOs want scalability and operational efficiency, while remaining responsive. Organizational design is a critical component of creating an agile organization that can support these goals. Anyone can move boxes around on a white board, but how do you ensure that an organization design actually makes a difference in performance and agility? Both a top-down and bottom-up approach is required to…
