“MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE” in HR.
A basic principle in technical works requires that measurements be done twice before
irreversible actions are taken e.g cutting a piece of cloth to make a dress in tailoring; or cutting
wood in carpentry, or laying a foundation in construction.
In HR, this principle is applied in workforce planning. Everyone knows someone who has either
been:
1) Asked not to report to work on their first day because the management changed their
mind about hiring for that position. (never mind the fact that the candidate had successfully
undergone the recruitment process, had an appointment letter, and had resigned from their
former job)
2) Positions declared redundant within a year or less of recruiting new staff.
It is important to have a clear, dynamic, and updated MANPOWER PLAN…regardless of your
organization’s size. We will discuss Manpower planning in a 3 part series within the next few
weeks, with this being an introduction.
Manpower planning is a forward-looking function of Human Resource Management. It involves
the assessment of an organization’s human capital capacity against the organization’s current and
future needs with the aim of finding remedies in case of any gaps. Not only does it address
staffing levels but it also ensures that teams and individuals are working towards meeting the
organization’s objectives. To keep pace with growth, organizations must ensure they are not
reactive when developing staffing plans. Some of the benefits of Manpower planning include:
1. Alignment of Individual goals to HR needs and the Organizational objective:
A manpower plan helps individual employees align their career advancement plans with
those of the organization. Additionally, it enables the HR department to align Human
resources capabilities/skills with the organization’s objective. This 360 degrees alignment
gives the organization a better chance of achieving its goals.
2. Boosts employee productivity:
Proper workforce planning helps organizations focus on training, technologies, and other resources that boost employee productivity.
Additionally, the alignment of the organization’s objectives to each position’s outcomes
also motivates an employee intrinsically, therefore, boosting individual productivity.
3. Employee motivation:
The manpower plan clearly maps out the HR needs of an organization; This, therefore, inspires employees to meet the requirements of potential
future prospects.; Training plans/programs are also a source of motivation since it gives
employees a chance to meet their career development ambitions.
4. Strong Leadership pipeline and succession planning:
Manpower planning helps organizations recruit and develop sufficient numbers of individuals for the leadership
pipeline by ensuring that the company projected growth needs/ emerging needs are in
tandem with the capabilities of its managers and leaders.
5. Training Needs Analysis:
Manpower planning processes help identify gaps in the required skills, therefore, identifying training needs. This allows the organization to
effectively use its limited resources to provide useful and relevant training to address its
current and future needs.
6. Proper placement of talents:
Manpower planning ensures the organization has the right talent it needs, in the right place and at the right time. This ensures effective and efficient
utilization of resources.
For organizations to fully utilize the potential of the human resources at their disposal, manpower
planning is crucial. It guarantees that the company chooses its workforce with objectivity. No
organization can work effectively without Manpower planning. Let’s embrace it!!
To support your organization’s Manpower Planning, feel free to talk to us.
