Top Ten Reasons Workforce Planning Fails

Top Ten Reasons Workforce
Planning Fails
 
...and how to avoid them!
Implementation lessons from dozens
of organizations around the world
What is Strategic Workforce Planning?
 
The systematic development of HR strategy
through analysis of the business strategy, the
internal and external labor markets, and
organizational culture and programs, resulting
in targeted, measured recruiting and retention
practices which define the most/least valuable
HR programs and spend
So why does it fail?
 
Top ten reasons, in descending
order…
#10:
  Inward Focus
 
Symptoms:
Prime focus on workforce analytics
Ignores business data
Workforce plans “for” the business, not with them
Does not include external trends and issues
Example Statement:
“We have 347 HR metrics we present to the
business, that’s our workforce plan”
Recommendation:  Look Out
 As Well
 
Actions:
Not just out of the organization,
 also out of HR
Implement environment scanning – in a cool way!
Care about what the business cares about
Goal:
<50% of effort should be focused on analyzing the
internal workforce or looking at HR “best
practices”
#9:  
Wonkheads
 
Symptoms:
Complex mathematical models
Black box calculations
Rigorous enforcement of “one way to do it”
Lots of decimal places
WFP and HR don’t work together on WFP
Example Statement:
“What kind of regression analysis are you using?”
Recommendation:  Humanize
 
Actions:
Talk, and record the conversation (the data is NOT
the most important part)
Create a common language, jargon-free
Make the models be as simple as possible
Goal:
Any model should be easily understood by an arts
freshman, either instinctively or by the clear
interpretation you provide
#8:  Using
 Traditional Change
Management
 
Symptoms:
Long, fixed project plans
Process/methodology fixed before any rollout
starts
Heavy focus on documenting things
Example Statement:
“We will do X in phase three of our project”
Recommendation
:
  Guerilla Change
Mgt
 
Actions:
Pencil sketch the vision, lock in the short term
Be opportunistic and adaptive
Do not use the term “workforce planning”
Sneak your way into their hearts
Goal:
Nobody realizes that what they are doing is
“workforce planning”
#7:  Poor Pilot Selection
 
Symptoms:
Early projects get poor or mediocre results
Senior leaders don’t notice you did anything
Nobody is pounding on your door to be next
Example Statement:
“We did the first pilot, but there weren’t any
actions from it.  Now we’ll do another one”
Recommendation
:  Identify
 a
LIGHTHOUSE
 
Actions:
Focus harder on who the players are than the
subject
Biz leader should be golden child or power pack
HR Advisor needs to be your best
Goal:
Stakeholders are a “dream team” – workforce is
less important
#6:
  Doing the Strategic Work Last
 
Symptoms:
Workforce analytics is first, “strategic” later
Participants think of strategic as harder
Focus is on data, not conversation and action
Futuring is phase ninety four
Example Statement:
“When we have our data right, we’ll be ready to
do the strategic work”
Recommendation
:  Focus
 on Parallel
Streams
 
Actions:
Define the separate streams – op/strat
Different key stakeholders, parallel paths
Interweave so that value is delivered regularly
Use real futuring techniques
Goal:
Valuable outcome from one or more streams
delivered at least every 90 days
#5:
  Lack of Business Engagement
 
Symptoms:
Business don’t show any interest
Senior leaders decline or delegate participation
All the work and decisions are done by HR
Example Statement:
“XYZ managers were too busy, so we developed
the workforce plan for them”
Recommendation
:  Make this the #1
Focus/Priority
 
Actions:
Remember if you do not do this well, everything
else you do is wasted
Lead with the problem, not the solution
Paint rich pictures of risk and challenges
Goal
Business leaders take accountability for talent
strategy; other leaders call you for your services
#4:  
HR Initiative Fatigue
 
Symptoms:
Business leaders think this is yet another HR
program
HR Advisors think this is one more thing to do
Example Statement:
“Let’s schedule workforce planning after we’ve
implemented talent management”
Recommendation
:  Sneak it in
 
Actions:
Think seriously about never using the term
“workforce planning”
Be opportunistic
Leverage, tweak and complement existing
functions rather than rolling out a “methodology”
or separate process
Goal:
Evolution, not revolution
#3:  HR
’s Internal Politics
 
Symptoms:
Everybody or nobody wants to participate or own
workforce planning
HR Advisors undermine or ignore WFP
Specialists insist on being involved in all
discussions
Example Statement:
“I own XYZ and you/they should not be talking to
the business about it”
Recommendation
:
 
Actions:
The Head of HR needs to have an executive
sponsor role
Run many collaborative HR education sessions
Clearly define roles and responsibilities
Goal:
All HR players understand, support and participate
in WFP
#2:  Lack of
 Accountability
 
Symptoms:
Lots of talk about how bad the data is
No measures of success assigned to programs
Separation of systems from programs
Example Statement:
“We can’t trust the numbers, and we can’t
measure success of these things anyway”
Recommendation
:
 
Actions:
Clear roles and responsibilities
HR programs all have measures of success
Publish and use data in everything you do
Goal:
Workforce planning is measurable, measured, and
the foundation of all HR work
#1:  Fear
 
Symptoms:
Putting reporting and analytics ahead of planning
Deferring workforce planning
Avoiding qualitative techniques
Not talking to the business “until we get it right”
Example Statement:
“You can’t predict the future”
Recommendation
:
 
 
Stop focusing on why you can’t, and instead
concentrate on 
how you can
!
 
Ultimately, your workforce planning approach
should be so wide and integrated that having
a few of the ten happen won’t matter.
Top Ten Reasons Workforce
Planning Fails
 
Stacy Chapman
415-518-1201
stacychapman@gmail.com
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Learn the top 10 reasons why workforce planning fails and discover effective solutions to avoid these pitfalls. Understand the importance of strategic workforce planning and how to align HR strategy with business objectives. Find recommendations for improving workforce planning success, such as focusing on external trends, simplifying mathematical models, and avoiding traditional change management approaches.


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  1. Top Ten Reasons Workforce Planning Fails ...and how to avoid them! Implementation lessons from dozens of organizations around the world

  2. What is Strategic Workforce Planning? The systematic development of HR strategy through analysis of the business strategy, the internal and external labor markets, and organizational culture and programs, resulting in targeted, measured recruiting and retention practices which define the most/least valuable HR programs and spend

  3. So why does it fail? Top ten reasons, in descending order

  4. #10: Inward Focus Symptoms: Prime focus on workforce analytics Ignores business data Workforce plans for the business, not with them Does not include external trends and issues Example Statement: We have 347 HR metrics we present to the business, that s our workforce plan

  5. Recommendation: Look Out As Well Actions: Not just out of the organization, also out of HR Implement environment scanning in a cool way! Care about what the business cares about Goal: <50% of effort should be focused on analyzing the internal workforce or looking at HR best practices

  6. #9: Wonkheads Symptoms: Complex mathematical models Black box calculations Rigorous enforcement of one way to do it Lots of decimal places WFP and HR don t work together on WFP Example Statement: What kind of regression analysis are you using?

  7. Recommendation: Humanize Actions: Talk, and record the conversation (the data is NOT the most important part) Create a common language, jargon-free Make the models be as simple as possible Goal: Any model should be easily understood by an arts freshman, either instinctively or by the clear interpretation you provide

  8. #8: Using Traditional Change Management Symptoms: Long, fixed project plans Process/methodology fixed before any rollout starts Heavy focus on documenting things Example Statement: We will do X in phase three of our project

  9. Recommendation: Guerilla Change Mgt Actions: Pencil sketch the vision, lock in the short term Be opportunistic and adaptive Do not use the term workforce planning Sneak your way into their hearts Goal: Nobody realizes that what they are doing is workforce planning

  10. #7: Poor Pilot Selection Symptoms: Early projects get poor or mediocre results Senior leaders don t notice you did anything Nobody is pounding on your door to be next Example Statement: We did the first pilot, but there weren t any actions from it. Now we ll do another one

  11. Recommendation: Identify a LIGHTHOUSE Actions: Focus harder on who the players are than the subject Biz leader should be golden child or power pack HR Advisor needs to be your best Goal: Stakeholders are a dream team workforce is less important

  12. #6: Doing the Strategic Work Last Symptoms: Workforce analytics is first, strategic later Participants think of strategic as harder Focus is on data, not conversation and action Futuring is phase ninety four Example Statement: When we have our data right, we ll be ready to do the strategic work

  13. Recommendation: Focus on Parallel Streams Actions: Define the separate streams op/strat Different key stakeholders, parallel paths Interweave so that value is delivered regularly Use real futuring techniques Goal: Valuable outcome from one or more streams delivered at least every 90 days

  14. #5: Lack of Business Engagement Symptoms: Business don t show any interest Senior leaders decline or delegate participation All the work and decisions are done by HR Example Statement: XYZ managers were too busy, so we developed the workforce plan for them

  15. Recommendation: Make this the #1 Focus/Priority Actions: Remember if you do not do this well, everything else you do is wasted Lead with the problem, not the solution Paint rich pictures of risk and challenges Goal Business leaders take accountability for talent strategy; other leaders call you for your services

  16. #4: HR Initiative Fatigue Symptoms: Business leaders think this is yet another HR program HR Advisors think this is one more thing to do Example Statement: Let s schedule workforce planning after we ve implemented talent management

  17. Recommendation: Sneak it in Actions: Think seriously about never using the term workforce planning Be opportunistic Leverage, tweak and complement existing functions rather than rolling out a methodology or separate process Goal: Evolution, not revolution

  18. #3: HRs Internal Politics Symptoms: Everybody or nobody wants to participate or own workforce planning HR Advisors undermine or ignore WFP Specialists insist on being involved in all discussions Example Statement: I own XYZ and you/they should not be talking to the business about it

  19. Recommendation: Actions: The Head of HR needs to have an executive sponsor role Run many collaborative HR education sessions Clearly define roles and responsibilities Goal: All HR players understand, support and participate in WFP

  20. #2: Lack of Accountability Symptoms: Lots of talk about how bad the data is No measures of success assigned to programs Separation of systems from programs Example Statement: We can t trust the numbers, and we can t measure success of these things anyway

  21. Recommendation: Actions: Clear roles and responsibilities HR programs all have measures of success Publish and use data in everything you do Goal: Workforce planning is measurable, measured, and the foundation of all HR work

  22. #1: Fear Symptoms: Putting reporting and analytics ahead of planning Deferring workforce planning Avoiding qualitative techniques Not talking to the business until we get it right Example Statement: You can t predict the future

  23. Recommendation: Stop focusing on why you can t, and instead concentrate on how you can! Ultimately, your workforce planning approach should be so wide and integrated that having a few of the ten happen won t matter.

  24. Top Ten Reasons Workforce Planning Fails Stacy Chapman 415-518-1201 stacychapman@gmail.com

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