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TRAINING ON HR PRACTICES THAT YEALD BEST PERFORMANCE Session 3: Developing and Using a Strategic HR Plan

Respicius Shumbusho Damian, BA, MA (Public Administration) Director, Senior Consultant, Researcher, and Trainer Shumbusho and Associates Consulting (T) Limited P.O. Box 4859, Dar es salaam Phone: Phone: +255736403442 Cell: +255 772 228 318 Mob: +255 786 428 318 E-mail: saconsultingtz@gmail.com

Session 3: Session Objectives

At the end of this training session, the participants are expected to be able to: Explain the meaning and essence of HR planning Identify and describe core considerations while conducting Strategic HR Planning Identify and describe the core components of a standard Strategic HR Plan As long term outcome, participants be able to develop and use a strategic HR plan for their organization (s)

Consulting

What is Human Resources Planning? It is a both a qualitative and quantitative processes aimed at forecasting the future (short term and long term) HR needs of the organization and developing appropriate strategies so as to address those needs. It is aimed at making sure that there are right numbers of people with right job and behavioral qualifications at a right time in the right jobs. HR planning is a strategic function: it must aim at aligning the organizations human assets with the long the central goal of the organization. It is not only about headcounts, but it is all about making quantitative and qualitative forecasts to address the gap between the present and future human resources requirements of the organization.

The Scope of Strategic HR Planning A Model for Strategic HR Planning

What is our strategic goal?

Numbers

Qualities

How many
Flexibility

What type

The Scope of Strategic HR Planning

It is about both numbers and qualities because you want to have right numbers with right qualities in right jobs at a right time. A HR plan includes several interconnected plans, which need to work together: Resourcing plans; where to get the best talents for the organization (strategic Resourcing goes beyond recruiting-it includes developing and motivating people to develop their talents) Training and development plans; how to develop the right skills and behavior within Succession plans; how to get talented individuals to fill gaps that may occur in senior positions Retention Plans: how to motivate and keep the best talents in the organization? Flexibility plans: how to institute procedures that would allow the organization to benefit from the available talents

Why is HR Planning important?

It is a tool for ensuring that people related issues are made part of the organizations short-term and long-term strategic plans. It provides a systematic approach for assessing the number and type of needed by the organization are understood. It is a tool for ensuring right number of people with the right skills, in the right place at the right time to deliver short and long-term organizational objectives. Information on demand and supply analysis (obtained from environmental scanning) allows the organization to develop substantive strategies for recruitment, development, retention, succession, and talents management plans.

The Process of Developing a HR Plan

What to consider while developing a strategic HR plan? A SWOT framework is appropriate to answer these questions. SWOT Analysis in HR planning is a continuous process. Whenever planners analyze the numbers required (demand), they must also analyze the capacity of the organization to attain, support, the organizations brand status, and retain those numbers as well as the internal supply (Strength and Weaknesses), the external demand and supply including the levels of pay in the market, training programs, technology, the cost of attaining skilled manpower, e.t.c. This is a case nearly at all stages of planning.

Stages/Components in Strategic HR Planning

Q1: What is the organizations strategic direction? What is the organizations core objective? Strategic Goal? What is the vision? How does the organization envision reaching that end? Some organizations may think of innovation, research, good governance, participatory decision making, teamwork etc. Think of growth, expansion, professionalization, starting new programs, rebranding, leadership development, going online, reengineering, renewal of relationship with stakeholders At this stage you can also think of the numbers that the organization may need in relation to the strategic direction. Use the template in the next slide to think about numbers:

Use this template to think about numbers

Year 1 Needs Executive Director Personal Secretary Admin Assistant Accountant Program Officer (HIV) Program Officer (Grant) Program Officer (Advocacy ) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Year 2 Needs Year 3 Needs

Total Comment:

7 Total Comment: Why?

Total Comment: Why?

Stages/Components Cont
Q2. What is the workload for the current available staff?

Do you think the workload is fairly shared and distributed? Are some of the skills utilized or underutilized due to the design of jobs in the organization. Quantitative analysis of the workload may not be enough as it cant help you decide the levels of pay. You may need to go a little bit far and look at the intellectual, skills, behavioral, and other qualities needed for the job (e.g. making risky decisions, maturity, physical strength?) At this stage you need to identify who does what; if it is hard you may need to document what every individual in an organization does from morning to the closing. Include what is not included in the formal responsibilities of an employee: See an example in the next slide;

Documenting the Workload

Position: Human Resources Officer Duties (Actual) Opens the office and places the attendance book on table Goes to buy newspapers Collect letters from the post office Signs permission, leave, and allowance forms Prepares payroll reports Inspects cases of discipline and work progress across departments Approves internal travel and per diem retirements Inspects if there are guests, picks them at the airport, reserves accommodation for them. Organizes staff meetings, prepares meeting agenda, and publish them Takes minutes during meetings, writes minutes, and files reports Keeps staff records in an appropriate order. Hears and attends to conflicts between staff Helps staff in understanding policies and procedures Maintains an organizations resources and information center Prepare notices and advertisements for vacant staff positions. Schedule and organize interviews Participate in applicant interviews Conduct reference checks on possible candidates Assignment: What can you comment on the nature of workload assigned to the HR officer?

Q3. What is the current state of the organizations human resources treasury profiles
You must do job analysis and develop job descriptions for the current and future jobs to be created. For each of the existing and expected job, clarify the requirements, attempt to combine related jobs and skills if possible.

Generate the necessary information and document them as in the next slide

Developing a job description

Position: Title: Purpose: Scope: Reporting To: Requirements: Minimum Education: Basic knowledge needed ( which allows a person to think/decide maturely):

Skills Based Competencies:

Desired Behavioral Competencies: Physical Qualities: Extra Efforts Required: Working Conditions:

Q3. Continues Can the organization offer enough human potential to address all the needed (present and new) human resources qualities? E.g. In terms of education, skills, physical and behavioral qualities? If yes, wont the organization need replacement if the available skills and behavioral qualities can address future needs? Go beyond and look at the ages of employees you have; arent they tired (right to retire). What is the current rate of retention (how many employees have left within the last 12 months) calculate them as a percent of the present staff?

Q4. Labour market scanning (are the needed human resources available?)
Sometimes this goes with research: At this stage you are analyzing the external supply (and demand). Look at the external pool of workforce from which the organization can draw; Are there the needed qualifications in the labor market? Are schools developing such knowledge as wanted in your organization? How many employers would need them? What is the cost of attaining them in the current labor market? Are the possible graduates from schools and colleges possessing the right skills or you will need training after recruiting them? Ascend on and make a strategic analysis of Internal and External HR Environments: a SWOT analysis is the best way to do it at this stage. Remember to consider internal and external environments.

SWOT Analysis Framework

Exercise: Can you identify the SWOT factors to consider at your organization?

STRENGTH Finance/higher pay staff HR experts present HR Planning experts present Good internal reserve (succession) Positive/attractive brand in the labor market Attractive motivational scheme WEAKNESS

OPPORTUNITY Programs offered by all universities Demand of our services is growing Sufficient numbers in the market Training programs everywhere

THREATS

Q5. What strategy might be needed to fulfill the organizations human resources needs (Developing HR Strategies)?

Different strategies may be used to address the HR need of the time, but one needs to be careful since each strategy has its advantages and disadvantages. Compare these: Train the existing staff in newly required skills? Redesign jobs (combining responsibilities)? Send people for formal training out of work place? Conduct on job training? Institute a formal leadership development program? Recruit people who have strong command of the required skills from within? Recruit fresh entrants from outside? Outsource, contract out, or seek partners with plenty of required skills? Note: Some may not work in certain situations.

Assignment in Groups: Study the flowchart and attempt to explain your organizations HR Plan for the next three years

.
6. Develop Strategies to address efficiency and future skills gap.

1. Identify the Orgs Strategic direction

2. Job and workload analysis

5. Scan environment. Is it safe to decide? Yes 3. Programs Efficiency analysis 4. Note future critical skills gap, show needs

Redeploy and realign skills and plans?

Develop Training/development plans?

Plan to hire new employees? Develop Succession Plans Contract, outsource, partner

Implement, Monitor, and Evaluate, Revise. Go back to step 1 and keep traversing along the cycle

Winding Up Assignment:
Closing Assignment: Pull all the loose strings together and put your plan in a comprehensive and detailed document. Choose someone to coordinate this exercise. Choose the deadline to complete the assignment. Implement the plan and continue to make necessary strategic revisions and amendments.

Thank You,
Keep trying, the Future is Hidden, But through Planning we see it.