Q.1. What do you mean by Manpower Planning?

Describe the various stages & obstacles

involved in Manpower Planning.

Ans. Definitions
According to K. F. Turkman manpower planning can be defined as an attempt to match the
supply of people with the jobs available in an organization. Statistical techniques have been
used to ascertain the supply of people with the jobs available.
Bruce Coleman has defined manpower planning as the process of determining manpower
requirements and the means for meeting those requirements in order to carry out the
integrated plan of the organization.

Five stages in Manpower Planning-
Evaluate Present Manpower Inventory
It is very important to evaluate the present manpower status before making a forecast for
future manpower planning. To evaluate the present manpower status a department level
analysis and a job-role analysis is conducted to arrive at the required manpower versus the
available manpower. This is accumulated across the organization at different levels and
departments.
The final report is then consolidated and the required manpower versus the available
manpower is stated in terms of the quantitative analysis. Another analysis on the qualitative
side similarly shows the competencies required versus competencies available for each of the
job roles. This provides the present manpower inventory. There may be excess or deficit or in
extremely few cases just the right number quantitatively. The report on the qualitative front
may rarely have a 100% match between required competencies versus available
competencies.

Manpower Forecasting
Manpower planning is done based on the manpower forecasts. The common manpower
forecasting techniques are:
(i) Expert Forecasts: This includes formal expert surveys, informal decisions and the Delphi
technique.
(ii) Trend Analysis: Manpower needs can be seen through the past practice of the firm or
organization keeping the principle year as a basis and a central tendency of measure
(iii) Work Load Evaluation: This depends on the nature of the work load in a branch,
department, or a division in a firm or organization.
(iv) Work Force Evaluation: As production and the time duration are to be kept in mind,
allotments have to be made for getting the total manpower requirements.

Develop a Manpower Sourcing Plan or Retrenchment Plan
Once the current inventory is compared with the future manpower forecasts then the
manpower sourcing or retrenchment plan is drawn. The sourcing plan includes recruitment,
selection, placement, hiring temporary staff and outsourcing.
The retrenchment plan involves sending show-cause notices to bottom performers called
bottom scraping, asking people to leave the organization by providing the requisite severance
allowance, allowing employees to go on a sabbatical and finally out-placing employees in
other organizations to reduce the manpower. It is harder to retrench manpower. The need for
retrenchment could also be minimized by very objectively approving any additional
manpower.

Manpower Allocation & Retention
Manpower allocation helps in managing the impact of deficits and excess in manpower
supply through promotions, transfers and job-rotations. Enhancing manpower utilization
requires managing the dynamics of leadership and motivation. Manpower retention would
mean taking necessary steps to ensure that the organization provides a conducive-atmosphere
to the employees to perform and keep each employee engaged.

Building Requisite Competencies
Once the future manpower forecasts are compared to the current inventory, there may be
some gaps in competencies amongst the available internal resources for them to qualify for
the future manpower forecasts. In such cases organizations may choose to develop resources
through training programs. A training calendar is designed to ensure that the competencies of
existing staff are enhanced to meet the future manpower forecasts. Additional training
programs may be designed when organizations are diversifying or expanding. Training
programs may be designed to train existing resources on the latest improvements and
advancements in technology or the related business subject. Training is provided to improve
the knowledge, skill and capability of the employee.

Obstacles in Manpower Planning
The major obstacles in manpower planning are as follows:
Non Optimal Utilization of Manpower
The biggest obstacle for manpower planning is the fact that organizations cannot optimally
use their manpower once manpower planning begins. During manpower planning, the
number of resources required for a job is decided based on the total work load, the processes
to be followed and the criticality of the job. Once the analysis is done, it is decided that one
person can only handle a certain portion of the workload and hence for any additional
workload, additional resources need to be hired proportionately.
Absenteeism
Every organization has witnessed an increase in absenteeism. This has lead to errors creeping
in the manpower planning exercise. If the plan stated that 4 employees are required to
manage the total workload, increased degree of absenteeism leads to the partial failure of the
manpower planning exercise.
Lack of Employable Labor
People are not employable. The slow pace of acquiring business required competencies by
people at large also result in low employee productivity. All manpower planning is done by
keeping a certain productivity level as the benchmark. And low productivity has negative
implications for manpower planning.

Q.2. What are the key HR elements practiced by HR managers in decision making?
Explain any five of them

Ans. Key Human Resource Elements-

I) Planning and Evaluating Employees
Organizations need to articulate the vision, mission, goals and objectives. These goals need to
cascade down to every employee in the organization based on the job role. Performance
targets are achieved through strategic initiatives, operational excellence and adherence to core
values of the organization. Organizations implement interventions of employee development
to achieve higher standards of performance. Employee performance is evaluated against
documented goals to decide action steps in terms of rewards, training and development.

II) Job Design
Some organizations have categorized jobs into 3 categories:



The individual contributor job roles do not require too much in terms of team working skills.
However the people developer job roles and business operator job roles require extensive
team working skills. Based on the job role category, hiring of candidates is decided.
Individual contributors need to be excellent in their domain area. They are expected to
manage their role independently most of the times. In people developer job roles and business
operator job roles, interpersonal skills, communication skills, ability to build rapport and
working in teams is a critical requirement. These skills are required over and above the
domain area competencies.

III) Job Analysis
Job analysis is a procedure to collect information or data about the job duties, responsibilities,
required skills, and work environment or atmosphere of a particular kind of job. In short, job
analysis refers to various methodologies for analyzing the requirements of a job. Job analysis
leads to job specification and job description which helps in getting the right candidate for the
right job.

IV) Individual and Team Development
Organizations have to identify the needs for employees skill development, competency
development, and educational needs. Organizations also identify the growth needs and
aspirations of employees. This is done at the individual level and at the team level.
Interventions are planned to enhance the skill, competencies of employees. Other initiatives
encourage employees to undertake further education along with work. This enables the
employees to gain relevant competencies so as to be able to contribute to their organization
far more effectively. Managers and HR is the critical link to ensure employee aspirations and
growth needs are met.

V) Career Planning and Career Path
Organizations should aim to help employees recognize their strengths and weakness and to
apply these strengths, weaknesses, aptitudes and abilities to their future work. If an
organization shows the career path to each and every employee and enables employees with
potential then these employees climb up the corporate ladder fast. Career planning brings
clarity and allows for employees to get promoted or earn more.
Managers need to ensure once a stipulated time period of service is completed by the
employee, then the employee must be shown his career path based on his/her potential
without wasting an extra day. The employee should be made to feel special and valued.
His/her growth should be of interest to the organization as well.

Q.3. Define Resourcing Strategy. Explain the components of Resourcing Strategy.

Ans. Resourcing strategy looks at establishing methods or processes which enables the
organization to link resourcing to their strategic goals. In other words it is a tool which
refines or makes resourcing more purposeful. Resourcing encompasses all the processes
connected from identification of resource labor pools to inducting and retaining right people
in the system. It also emphasizes on welfare and development of existing employees to
benefit the organization.

Components of Resourcing Strategy
The important components of resourcing strategy are:


Recruitment and Selection



Research
Research is primarily done to understand the best options available to an organization to carry
out resourcing operations or part of it. It considers the options those are currently employed
by the organization and its likes. It looks at first analyzing what is the quality of human
resource and associated processes required for carrying out the job.
This involves the study of the profile of human resource required, their sources, locations
where they are readily available or from where they can be procured, other
external/outsourcing options, etc.
Planning
Planning is the most important component in resourcing. It is part of the process where
findings of research are used to arrive at strategic decision on resourcing.
Research findings suggested few opportunities and the challenges associated in exercising
those options. One of the challenges in employing candidates from smaller cities was quality
of communication. Detailed study suggested that the interaction was objective and repetitive
in nature and employees can be trained on the same. A few candidates from a smaller city
were trained and tested and the results were satisfactory.
Recruitment and Selection
Recruitment and selection is equally vital as organizations may have the best planning tools
but they will be of little help if the organization does not have the right people to execute
them. Lets say there is a candidate from a service industry where client interaction is of prior
importance and employees are expected to display courtesy and empathy. This candidate may
be a total misfit in an accounting firm where compliance and accuracy supersedes all other
essentials. Performance Management
Performance Management includes activities to ensure that organizational goals are
consistently met in an effective and efficient manner. It drives the employees to perform
better and meet or exceed standards of performance. Every time the performance exceeds
expectations, an incentive or bonus is offered. In order to ensure that exectations are met
consistently, employees increment in salary is also given. This drives productivity and
quality, resulting in lower requirement of manpower. This also requires lesser infrastructure,
administrative costs and training cost. Thus performance management is a key component of
resourcing strategy.
Employee Retention
Employee retention drives programs that engage employees and retains them. Successful
organizations understand that an effective employee retention plan will help them sustain
their leadership and growth in the marketplace.
1. Good organizations make employee retention a core aspect of their talent management
strategy and organizational development process.
2. Those that fail to make employee retention a priority are at risk of losing their top talented
people to the competition.

Q.4. Define Career Planning Process .Describe the various factors involved in Career
Planning Process

Ans. Career Planning Process
Career planning for individuals has gained significance due to phenomenal growth of
knowledge in new areas, better educational and training facilities and huge number of jobs
that have got created due to a burgeoning world population and the onset of consumerism and
globalization.
Similarly organizational level career planning gained significance due to new developments
in technology, demand for products and services, birth of global organizations of immense
scale with presence in 10-50 countries. Career planning is a structured exercise undertaken to
identify ones objectives, marketable skills, strengths, and weaknesses, etc., as a part of one's
career management. Career planning applies the ideas of strategic planning and marketing to
take charge of one's professional future. These steps will focus on career choice and the
process one goes through in selecting an occupation. This may happen once in an individuals
lifetime, but it is more likely to happen many times as we first define and then redefine
ourselves and our goals and objectives.
I) Self-Knowledge
The first and foremost step in career planning is to know and evaluate yourself. You need to
introspect yourself while deciding about a particular career option. You must examine and
evaluate your interests, abilities, aptitudes, desired lifestyle, and personality traits and then
consider the relationship between the career you have chosen and yourself.
II) Explore Opportunities in Market
Having completed the first step of self-assessment, the individual will explore the
opportunities in the market in general, in the industry in specific or based on his/her areas of
specialization or interest. This will enable him/her to obtain knowledge of employment
opportunities in demand today and in the future.
III) Goal Setting
In career planning the most important step is to set goals according to the academic
qualifications, work experience, relevant experience, priorities and expectations from life.
Specific goals and objectives must be formulated. The entire career management and career
planning procedure is based on the formation of well defined goals and objectives whether
general or specific in nature. The time horizon for the accomplishment of the chosen goals
and objectives whether short term, medium term or long term will have a major influence on
their formulation.
IV) Decide Strategy
After formulating goals, the individual develops a strategy to achieve these goals. The
strategy should be choosing the areas that you should focus on and are likely to exponentially
increase your chances of reaching your goal.
Anything that increases your chances does not necessarily qualify to be called strategic. It
could be more tactical in nature.
V) Implement Strategy
Then he/she implements the strategic plan and experiments and sees which steps move him in
the direction of achieving his career goals. The implementation is to be done with full rigor.
The implementation of the strategy is the key for getting success.
VI) Review Progress against Goals
At a planned frequency, the review of the process needs to be done by seeking feedback
about the effectiveness of the strategy and review of the goals from those involved with the
individual. Then repeat the process till you achieve your goals. Also during the review
process, please make a note of the changes in PESTLE i.e., political, social, economical,
technological, legal and environmental scenario.

Q.5. As an HR, you are asked to focus on the Talent Development Process in your
organization .How would you define Talent Development? Explain the necessity of Talent
Development from an HR perspective. Explain the model for achieving excellence in
Talent Development

Ans. The process involving the systematic identification, attraction, development,
engagement and deployment of employees who are of significant value to an organization is
defined as talent development. Talent development is an important part of HR. The process
involves changing an organization, its employees and its stakeholders. This process is
accomplished using planned and unplanned learning, in order to achieve and maintain a
competitive advantage for the organization.

Necessity of Talent Development
Talent development is necessary in any organization because of the following:
integrated learning management, performance management, and compensation management
systems to drive business results.
manages succession plans, minimizes business disruptions, and also takes care to reduce the
risk of non-compliance and litigation.
lent development is necessary to achieve extra ordinary goals. Extraordinary goals
require extraordinary talent.
the key issue for different organizations. So finding the proper talent and creating
opportunities for its development would be reasons enough for a talent to stay in the
organization.
organization. The cost of replacing a valued employee is enormous. Organizations need to
promote diversity and design strategies to retain people, reward high performance and
provide opportunities for development.
quirement to succeed
in the future. They do understand that it's critical to strengthen their talent pool through
succession planning, professional development, job rotation and workforce planning. Hence,
for that they need to identify the right talent and groom it the right way.

Model for Achieving Excellence in Talent Development
In order to achieve excellence in talent development, companies should focus on the
following factors:
Structure Functional profiles, competency models, and describing paths for growth are the
things companies should implement. Other than these a yearly performance management
cycle with some achievable targets should be set and incentive structures, career- and
succession planning are some things which form an integral part of the talent management
system.
Selective Development Most of the successful organizations carry on a close examination
of which are the talent programs and interventions that will be necessary to realize the
company strategy.
Process The total infrastructure for talent development should be such that it is a part of the
day-to-day leadership culture. Coaching and training skills are to be developed by the
managers who have an experience to execute talent management effectively.

Q.6. Write short notes on the following:
a)Recruitment
b)Succession Planning

Ans. (A). Recruitment
William F Glueck Recruitment is a set of activities and organization uses it to attract
potential job candidates possessing appropriate characteristics to help the organization reach
its objectives.
Byars & Rue Recruitment Involves seeking & attracting a pool of people from which
qualified candidates for job vacancies can be chosen.
Recruitment of applicants is a function that comes before selection. It helps to create a list of
prospective employees for the organization so that the management can choose the right
person for the right job at the right time from this list. The main goal or objective of the
recruitment is to help in the selection process.
Recruitment can be defined as: A process of finding and getting capable applicants or
employees or manpower for employment. This process begins when new people or
employees are sought or found. It ends when applicants matching the job description submit
their resume and application. The result is a list of applications from which new employees
are selected or chosen.
Recruitment Objectives
The objectives of recruitment are:
support the organization such that it is able to get, maintain and improve the best talent
and skills.
with planning & job evaluation activities.
petent employees who can achieve organizational goals & objectives.
right job from this list.
jobs in the
organization.
the placement of the right candidate at the right place at the right time.

(B). Succession Planning
One of the types of career planning is succession planning. Succession planning is a
technique for identifying and developing internal employees with the potential to fill
important organizational positions. Succession planning ensures the availability of
experienced, skilled and competent employees that are prepared to assume these roles as they
become available. Succession planning increases the progress of qualified employees from
individual contributors to managers and leaders. Thus:
It prepares present employees to undertake key roles
It develops talent and long-term growth of employees
It improves workforce capacities and performance of employee
It improves employee commitment and thus enables retention of employees
It ensures its support to employees throughout their employment term
It meets the career development requirements of existing employees
It understands the increasing difficulty of recruiting employees externally
It focuses on leadership continuity and improved knowledge sharing
It provides more efficiency in monitoring and tracking of employee proficiency levels and
skill gaps. Succession planning is an essential part of an organization's ability to reduce risks,
ensure smooth business continuity, create a proven leadership model, and improve employee
morale. There are four stages to developing an effective succession plan: Identifying roles for
succession; Developing a clear understanding of the capabilities required to undertake those
roles; Identifying employees who could potentially fill and perform highly in such roles; and
Preparing employees to be ready for advancement into each identified role, without the
implementation of a succession plan, there can be significant negative impacts on an
organization including; Loss of expertise and business knowledge, loss of business
continuity, damaged client relationships, time and effort to recruit and train and replacement
of employees