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This workforce planning guide is provided for organizational leadership, managers, supervisors, human resource personnel and others who have a shared responsibility to ensure successful implementation of a workforce planning process. There are variations in workforce planning terminology; however, all workforce planning models are very similar. This guide has been developed for NC state government from research and a study of workforce planning models provided by federal and state governments, private entities and associated literature, and adopted from the study of other models for its simplicity and functionality. Links to the workforce planning models and articles used are provided at the end of this guide for further research and options.

Each agency has a unique operating culture and business needs. This planning guide should be modified to meet your specific needs. Your developmental strategy should include a variety of approaches that fits the needs of your organization. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

The development and implementation of a workforce plan will require organizational commitment and staff resources. Senior managers should endorse and provide leadership for the workforce planning process, ensure that workforce plans are aligned with strategic directions, and assume responsibility for their staff's participation in the process.

It is recommended that a coordinator be appointed to champion, organize and lead the workforce planning process. It is further recommended that a dedicated workforce planning team be formed consisting of HR professionals, organizational leadership, and managers and supervisors. The size of your team will depend on the size of your agency. It is important to realize that workforce planning is a management function as well as an HR function. HR and management must engage in a strong partnership for workforce planning initiatives to be successful.

Communications should clearly state that workforce planning is about talent management. It is about hiring, motivating, developing and retaining talent. The capacity to perform workforce planning will take time to develop. Start small. You should consider targeting those areas of the workforce that will have the greatest strategic impact - for example, key positions, positions hardest hit by attrition and that are the most difficult to fill.

strategic workforce planning model