Manpower Planning
Manpower Planning which is also called as Human Resource Planning consists of
putting right number of people, right kind of people at the right place, right time, doing
the right things for which they are suited for the achievement of goals of the
organization. Human Resource Planning has got an important place in the arena of
industrialization. Human Resource Planning has to be a systems approach and is
carried out in a set procedure. The procedure is as follows:
1. Analysing the current manpower inventory
2. Making future manpower forecasts
3. Developing employment programmes
4. Design training programmes
Steps in Manpower Planning
1. Analysing the current manpower inventory-Before a manager makes
forecast of future manpower, the current manpower status has to be analysed.
For this the following things have to be noted-
Type of organization
Number of departments
Number and quantity of such departments
Employees in these work units
Once these factors are registered by a manager, he goes for the future
forecasting.
2. Making future manpower forecasts- Once the factors affecting the future
manpower forecasts are known, planning can be done for the future manpower
requirements in several work units.
The Manpower forecasting techniques commonly employed by the organizations
are as follows:
i. Expert Forecasts: This includes informal decisions, formal expert surveys
and Delphi technique.
ii. Trend Analysis: Manpower needs can be projected through extrapolation
(projecting past trends), indexation (using base year as basis), and
statistical analysis (central tendency measure).
iii. Work Load Analysis: It is dependent upon the nature of work load in a
department, in a branch or in a division.
iv. Work Force Analysis: Whenever production and time period has to be
analysed, due allowances have to be made for getting net manpower
requirements.
v. Other methods: Several Mathematical models, with the aid of computers
are used to forecast manpower needs, like budget and planning analysis,
regression, new venture analysis.
3. Developing employment programmes- Once the current inventory is
compared with future forecasts, the employment programmes can be framed and
developed accordingly, which will include recruitment, selection procedures and
placement plans.
4. Design training programmes- These will be based upon extent of
diversification, expansion plans, development programmes,etc. Training
programmes depend upon the extent of improvement in technology and advancement to
take place. It is also done to improve upon the skills, capabilities, knowledge of the workers.
Importance of Manpower Planning
1. Key to managerial functions- The four managerial functions, i.e., planning,
organizing, directing and controlling are based upon the manpower. Human
resources help in the implementation of all these managerial activities. Therefore,
staffing becomes a key to all managerial functions.
2. Efficient utilization- Efficient management of personnels becomes an important
function in the industrialization world of today. Seting of large scale enterprises
require management of large scale manpower. It can be effectively done through
staffing function.
3. Motivation- Staffing function not only includes putting right men on right job, but
it also comprises of motivational programmes, i.e., incentive plans to be framed
for further participation and employment of employees in a concern. Therefore,
all types of incentive plans becomes an integral part of staffing function.
4. Better human relations- A concern can stabilize itself if human relations
develop and are strong. Human relations become strong trough effective control,
clear communication, effective supervision and leadership in a concern. Staffing
function also looks after training and development of the work force which leads
to co-operation and better human relations.
5. Higher productivity- Productivity level increases when resources are utilized in
best possible manner. higher productivity is a result of minimum wastage of time,
money, efforts and energies. This is possible through the staffing and it's related
activities ( Performance appraisal, training and development, remuneration)
