Manpower planning planning is among the essential parts of HR management activities. Through the formula of manpower preparation, companies make sure an adequate labor force availability to sustain organization operations.
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As the most valuable asset in a business, HR must meet the expectations and needs of the business. Otherwise, there is a high possibility that the company might stumble.

So, what is workforce preparation and what are its strategies? Learn the complete review in the following Mekari Talenta short article.

Manpower preparation is a process of determining, preparing, estimating, and satisfying the labor force with the right amount, time, place, and expense according to the company's needs.

However, nowadays, the term manpower planning is not just about satisfying labor force demand and supply.

But likewise about how companies can ensure that existing workforce can have the abilities needed by the business and determine what technology is needed to enhance the skills of these employees.

Marcus Lemonis, an American entrepreneur, said, "The customer is second for me ideal behind the employee." It implies that company ought to constantly put their employees welfare initially above all else.

The tactical application of manpower preparation can have impacts not only on HRD but on the general business too.

Here are some advantages that companies can obtain through great workforce preparation:

- Increasing company productivity as the business can estimate the quantity and types of workforce and technology needed.

• Enabling the business to have quality workforce in line with business needs and objectives.
• Detecting problems early in the management system, particularly in the HR field, together with mitigation methods.
• Creating effective labor force administration so that when there is worker turnover, the business does not have uninhabited positions causing disruptions in the organization.
• Facilitating HR managers to make strategic choices in developing the labor force in terms of technology, abilities, and worker complete satisfaction.
• Quoting Deloitte, manpower planning can cost-effectively handle labor expenses. This is due to the fact that the business can spending plan the variety of employees and expenses precisely.
• Creating customer fulfillment. With excellent workforce planning, the business management instantly has great systems and requirements, which impact consumer fulfillment.
  
  Manpower Planning Objectives
  
  The primary goal of implementing manpower preparation is to ensure the availability of workforce according to the business's needs. This planning process is not an activity that is done as soon as or two times. Instead, it is a constant process as long as the company exists.
  
  Moreover, every 5-10 years, commercial innovation constantly changes and develops, thus companies inevitably need to adapt.
  
  For example, 10 years earlier, cloud computing innovation or expert system (AI) were not well-known by markets. However, recently, these innovations have become properties for business to endure in the digital era.
  
  Companies are needed to meet these requirements by having Human Resources or workforce capable of developing and operating such innovations. Manpower preparation procedure is likewise needed when a business sees brand-new organization chances and wants to execute them.
  
  Such tasks need time, cost, workforce, and innovation. If done quickly, these opportunities can turn into risks resulting in losses.
  
  For instance, HR in your company has recruited 5 employees. However, the needed technology is not readily available yet, the job timeline is uncertain, and even the budget does not satisfy the project's expectations.
  
  Here is where workforce preparation plays its role in ensuring that these components are met appropriately according to the company's needs. Thus, business opportunities can run as expected.
  
  Simply put, another goal of workforce preparation is to ensure no inequality among the labor force, time, location, innovation, and economy.
  
  According to The 2022 Global Talent Shortage by ManpowerGroup, the average talent scarcity worldwide reached 75 percent in 2022.
  
  The sectors most impacted include government, education, health care, technology, manufacturing, finance, and retail.
  
  Meanwhile, according to the World Bank report in 2018, Indonesia requires a minimum of 9 million IT employees in between 2015 and 2030.
  
  This is also supported by data from Korn Ferry in 2017, which forecasted Indonesia would face a skilled labor deficit of as much as 3.8 million by 2030.
  
  If both of these situations take place in your company, the service growth rate will be substantially slower. Companies will also struggle to complete and endure, especially in the future.
  
  One method to narrow the talent gap and even boost the company's ability to fulfill its workforce requires is through workforce planning.
  
  Best Practices in Manpower Planning Process
  
  As a standard, there are 4 main actions in strategically establishing workforce planning, as follows:
  
  Know the Company's Business Conditions and Plans
  
  Although workforce preparation is an ongoing procedure that runs continually, every year the business has company strategies and examines the present and future conditions.
  
  HR managers, in this case, should coordinate with all departments and company units. What are the tactical plans of each service system and what funds are needed?
  
  To get to know your business to align with manpower planning, a minimum of think about the list below aspects:
  
  - The existing workforce, how numerous business units there are, and the types of tasks currently offered
• The existing work culture. Does it currently meet expectations for the company, workers, and clients?
• Business objective concerns both short-term and long-lasting
• The kind of people and skills required by each company system
• Also, know the development stage of your business, whether it's startup, development, fully grown, or decline. This will determine the required workforce capacity.
• Potential company dangers both existing and future ones.
  
  Mapping the Company's Future Workforce Needs
  
  The next action is to map the future workforce requires or manpower forecasting. Through manpower forecasting, you can approximate the required labor force and the abilities needed by these employees. Manpower forecasting itself has 2 methods: internal and external.
  
  Internal analysis consists of:
  
  - Expert analysis involving all workers including stakeholders from each department and C-level. This can be done through studies or casual conversations.
• Workload analysis by thinking about the existing work culture, functions, and the skills most required by each department or service unit.
• Workforce analysis, which involves observing the of recruits, yearly turnover rates, participation records through online applications, and worker performance.
• Other workforce-related analyses such as financial and service analyses.
  
  While external analysis consists of:
  
  - Analysis of the task market trends and its impact on the business.
• Third-party analysis. Whether it's stakeholders who can provide external information or innovation providers who can support the company's workforce planning procedure. For example, making use of employee recruitment applications.
  
  Develop Workforce Programs
  
  The next step is to develop workforce programs that include recruitment process designs, Standard procedure, and workforce placement.
  
  Additionally, it should be kept in mind that in manpower preparation, the business not only concentrates on acquiring the needed labor force but also on how to retain it.
  
  Compensation programs, working hours, lacks, ease of access, and other techniques to guarantee employee fulfillment with the business are important aspects not to be neglected.
  
  Design Workforce Development Programs
  
  Finally, labor force advancement need to be executed to satisfy the business's needed skill demands. As pointed out previously, workforce planning not only concentrates on hiring new skill but also on developing existing skill.
  
  According Huawei's Future of Work: 2022 Digital Talent Insight report, there are three primary programs that companies can carry out in labor force development programs:
  
  - Leadership: Building a labor force culture in the management stage so that the existing labor force has the same state of mind as the company's vision.
• Upskilling and reskilling: Developing existing staff member abilities or introducing brand-new skills to workers.
• New skilling: Providing new abilities to new graduates, for example, through internship programs or external training.
  
  Examples of Manpower Planning
  
  Here are some research study cases that describe some cases on how manpower preparation can be used.
  
  Manpower Planning on Recruitment Process
  
  Manpower planning frequently used in the recruitment procedure because some businesses have reasons to work with more staff members. With efficient workforce technique, company can identify its objective while figuring out the number of staff members they require to complete some jobs.
  
  For instance, a manufacturing business that produces steel products for building jobs analyses its sales number and found that the number of consumers might increase two times within a year. The company recognizes that it doesn't have adequate employees to satisfy the production numbers for the increasing customer. This projection suggests the needs of working with extra workforce to satisfy production quotas.
  
  Then, they develop a plan and recognize the number of staff members needed to increase production number. The business learns that they require 20% more workforce to run the strategy and starts recruiting new workers. Over two years, they can accomplish their goal to fulfill the demand of production for their increasing clients.
  
  Manpower Planning on Leadership
  
  Leadership often stands as a critical part within a service's labor force. Effective leadership generally results in enhanced efficiency, the implementation of brand-new policies, the growing of healthy work environments, and the assistance of effective processes.
  
  Moreover, it is generally essential in fostering preparedness for change. As an organization goes through functional shifts, proficient leadership can considerably aid the modification process. A workforce strategy typically evaluates the existing leadership capability within business, highlighting the prospective need for leadership advancement.
  
  For circumstances, one business specializing in personal financing assessment, conducts an analysis of its HR metrics and observes a steady decline in worker engagement. It expects that just 20% of its existing workers may stay within the next three years.
  
  Recognizing the requirement for office improvement to reinforce staff member relations and retention rates, it designs new policies. However, it acknowledges the need for boosted leadership to efficiently carry out these policies and attain their objectives.
  
  Consequently, the business develops a labor force plan that integrates training and development efforts for its present management. Through participation in leadership advancement programs, both management and senior workers improve their leadership competencies.
  
  Then, staff members begin to place greater trust and regard in their leadership figures, thereby promoting a more favorable workplace atmosphere. As a result of the enhancement in its leadership abilities assisted in by boosted labor force planning, it observes a rise in its forecasted retention rates.
  
  Manpower Planning Through HRIS
  
  One method in conducting manpower preparation is by relying on HRIS.
  
  Through HRIS technology, you can utilize workforce data more quickly and thoroughly. This information can then be used to determine the future direction of business, particularly in HR.
  
  According to Gartner's report, just 12% of business effectively utilize labor force data, especially in assisting business decision-making.
  
  One service provider of HRIS in Indonesia is Mekari Talenta.
  
  Mekari Talenta is a software that has functions covering several HR functions such as online participation, payroll, performance management, employee self-service, staff member database management, and manpower preparation.
  
  With Manpower Planning (MPP) feature, business no longer needs to do manual information analysis, mapping, calculation, and determination of employment plans. The allocation of workforce requirements is more transparent to prevent unpredictability and to tone down recruitment expenses.
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