Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• **Explain** the core components of Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) and its role in business strategy execution.
• **Apply** a seven-step SWP methodology to link talent requirements to future business scenarios.
• **Forecast** future workforce demand based on strategic objectives, growth models, and technological change.
• **Analyze** internal and external workforce supply and identify critical skill gaps and surpluses.
• **Develop** targeted talent strategies (e.g., build, buy, borrow, bot) to close identified gaps.
• **Model** the financial impact and ROI of different workforce planning scenarios and interventions.
• **Collaborate** effectively with finance, operations, and business leaders on SWP initiatives.
• **Design** and implement a process for continuous monitoring and refinement of the workforce plan.

Target Audience

• HR Leaders and CHROs responsible for long-term talent strategy.
• HR Business Partners (HRBPs) consulting on business unit workforce needs.
• Talent Acquisition and Talent Management Specialists.
• Finance and Planning professionals involved in headcount and resource allocation.
• Strategy and Organizational Development practitioners.

SWP seven-step process simulation, Group exercise on forecasting demand using business scenarios, Case study on developing a '4 B' solution mix, Financial modeling workshop (calculating ROI for talent solutions), Role-playing a presentation of the plan to the executive team, Interactive data analysis exercises.

Outline

Unit 1: Foundations and Strategy Alignment

Introduction to Strategic Workforce Planning

• Defining SWP and its difference from operational planning and budgeting.
• The linkage between business strategy, operating model, and workforce needs.
• Identifying the critical roles and capabilities for future competitive advantage.
• The seven-step SWP methodology overview.

Scenario Planning and Forecasting Demand

• Using scenario planning to model different future business realities (e.g., high-growth, stability).
• Quantitative and qualitative techniques for forecasting future headcount and skill demand.
• Modeling the impact of technology, automation, and AI on future job roles.
• Collaborating with finance on long-term resource and budgeting projections.

Unit 2: Analyzing Workforce Supply

Internal Workforce Analysis

• Techniques for assessing current employee skills, competencies, and potential.
• Modeling internal supply through attrition, retirement, and succession planning data.
• Analyzing demographic trends and internal mobility rates.
• Creating a comprehensive internal skills inventory and database.

External Market Analysis

• Gathering and analyzing external labor market data and economic trends.
• Benchmarking critical skill availability, cost, and competitive talent landscape.
• Identifying external risks and opportunities in the talent market.
• The use of labor market analytics and external data sources.

Unit 3: Gap Analysis and Solution Development

The Gap Analysis Process

• Comparing forecasted demand with projected supply to identify skill/role gaps.
• Prioritizing the most critical and impactful workforce gaps for intervention.
• Analyzing both quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (skills) gaps.
• Developing a clear problem statement for each identified gap.

The 4 'B' Solution Framework

• Deep dive into the 'Build' strategy: L&D, upskilling, and internal mobility.
• Developing the 'Buy' strategy: Targeted recruitment and talent acquisition campaigns.
• Strategies for 'Borrowing' talent (contingent workers, gig economy, alliances).
• The 'Bot' strategy: Automation, technology replacement, and process re-engineering.

Unit 4: Implementation and Financial Modeling

Implementing the Workforce Plan

• Translating strategic workforce solutions into actionable HR programs and projects.
• Aligning the SWP with the annual budgeting and operational planning cycles.
• Strategies for sequencing and prioritizing implementation over time.
• The role of the HR Business Partner in local execution of the plan.

Financial and Risk Modeling

• Modeling the cost and ROI of the different '4 B' solutions (e.g., cost of hiring vs. cost of training).
• Conducting risk analysis on workforce plans (e.g., high attrition, skill market changes).
• Presenting the workforce plan and its financial justification to the CFO and CEO.
• Developing key performance indicators (KPIs) for plan success.

Unit 5: Continuous Monitoring and SWP Maturity

Monitoring and Adaptation

• Designing a dashboard for continuously tracking key workforce metrics.
• Establishing a regular review cycle for the workforce plan with leadership.
• Strategies for adapting the plan in response to sudden market or business changes.
• Integrating SWP into the ongoing organizational development process.

Building SWP Capability

• Assessing the organization's current SWP maturity level.
• Developing the internal team, tools, and data infrastructure for advanced SWP.
• Fostering a culture of proactive, long-term talent planning across the organization.
• Personal action plan for launching or advancing an SWP initiative.