Effective human resources planning

A well thought out approach to human resources planning would usually include the following step-by-step process:

• defining skill needs of the organization and focusing on the role of its employees and how they fit into the overall objectives of the business;
• translating overall organizational needs into the skills and competencies that employees require to achieve the objectives of the business;
• evaluating the skills that the organization currently possesses;
• determining skills gaps and determining training needs;
• developing and planning formal and informal training objectives to be incorporated into the everyday life of the business;
• cultivating employer-worker working relationships to execute training effectively;
• evaluating the effectiveness of the training program in meeting organizational needs.

The level of complexity and sophistication of the planning and training process will vary greatly depending upon the size and characteristics of the organization. However, an approach that includes these steps will be effective, whether it is applied intuitively by the owner of a small firm or articulated in a full-fledged corporate plan in large firms.

Source: Statement on Training and Education Policy for the Business Community in Canada, CLFDB Business Liaison Group, Ottawa, 1993, p.24.