A workforce plan links each business goal to the people you need. It answers three questions: which roles, which skills and by when. This post gives you five steps and a one-page worksheet. You can finish a first draft in two hours.
Learn these skills in the course Human Resources (BL-HR), module 2.
Who This Is For
HR managers who plan next year with the leadership team. Also department heads who need to explain their people needs.
Start From the Business Goals
HR plans fail when they start from HR. Start from the goals of the company for next year. Ask the leadership team for their three main goals. Then ask what each goal needs from people.
The Workforce Plan in Five Steps
- Write the three main business goals for next year, in the words of management.
- For each goal, list the roles that deliver it. Mark new roles and changed roles.
- For each role, list the skills it needs. Compare them with the skills you have today.
- Choose an action for each gap: hire, train, move a person or use a partner.
- Give each action an owner, a date and a cost. Agree the plan with the leadership team.
The Workforce Plan Worksheet
Use one row for each role. Keep the plan to one page.
| Business Goal | Role | Skills Gap | Action | Owner | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open a branch in Johor Bahru | Branch manager (new) | No branch manager today | Hire | GM and HR | March |
| Open a branch in Johor Bahru | Sales executive (2 new) | Local market knowledge | Hire and train | Sales manager | April |
| Cut order errors by half | Customer service executive | System and checking skills | Train | HR | February |
Work With the Leadership Team
A workforce plan needs the agreement of leadership. Book a one-hour meeting. Show the worksheet, not a long report. Ask each leader to confirm the roles and the dates for their goal. Review the plan every quarter.
Example: A Food Manufacturer
Take a food manufacturer in Selangor that plans a second production line. The goal needs one line supervisor and six operators. Two senior operators can become supervisors with training. HR plans training for both and hires six operators. The plant manager owns the training dates. HR owns the hiring dates.
What Good Looks Like
- Each business goal links to named roles.
- Each skills gap has one action: hire, train, move or partner.
- Every action shows who does it, by when and at what cost.
- The leadership team has agreed the plan.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Starting from the HR wish list, not from the business goals.
- Planning only headcount. Skills gaps matter as much as the number of people.
- Writing a long report. Leaders read one page; they rarely read twenty.
- Making the plan once a year. Review it every quarter with the leadership team.
Try It This Week
Ask your manager for the three main business goals of next year. Fill in the worksheet for one goal only. Show it to the leader who owns that goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we update the workforce plan?
Review it every quarter. Update it when a business goal changes.
Where does the course teach this?
Module 2 of Human Resources (BL-HR) teaches how to align HR plans with company goals.
Next Step
Read the full outline of Human Resources (BL-HR). All class dates are on the Training Calendar. For a group from your company, get a quote for in-house training. More HR Work Tips are in the skill area HR. Read also:
