Workforce Planning - Essay Example

Workforce planning Name Professor Institution Course Date Workforce planning How workforce planning may contribute to improving organizational outcomes in the context of a winning Olympic Gold Without a workforce planning, it is unworkable to recognize how practical it is to implement chosen business operations (Baron et al, 2010). Therefore, by very nature, workforce planning must then be strategic. However, risks of failure emerge when the strategies debated at higher level are not implemented. Workforce planners must beware of involving structured process and must at all time be responsive to and be capable of influencing what is taking place in practice. Workforce planning is complex and challenging process for any organization in the present world (Ward & Peppard 2002). This process needs competent management and leadership, clearly defined mission, vision and strategic goals, and joint supportive efforts of workforce in numerous functional areas (Martin 2007). Planning not only takes place in business, but also in activities like athletics. In that regard, this essay critically analyzes how workforce planning may contribute to improving organizational outcomes in the context of a winning Olympic Gold. This essay focuses on Jamaican athletics. Workforce planning is defined as a process of getting the suitable number of people having the proper skills, competencies and experiences in the proper jobs at the required time (Baron et al 2010). This definition encompasses a broad process that offers managers with a platform for making recruitment decisions in relation to an organization’s strategic plan, mission, a number of needed workforce competencies and budgetary resources. This procedure is simple in summary but relies on thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the work, workforce, and strategic goals of the organization (Martin 2007). In the context of athletics workforce actually means the athletes, coaches, nutritionists and camp directors. Recruitment is considered the crucial factor in the human resource management planning (CIPD 2010). In athletics, recruitment is done in terms of trials and the best 3 or 4 depending on speed and time are considered to compete for Olympic Gold. Towells (2003, p.21) argues that people are recruited to compete at an international level where only the best are given a chance. Therefore, they must be people who are competent in international front in terms of skill and knowledge. They are then taught on what to expect and how to face global challenges. According to CIPD (2010), global recruitment is normally very tricky to carry out and differ from country to country. Language has often been one of the hurdles when it comes to recruitment for international duties (Dean 2010). This also happens when recruiting for Olympics. People from all over the world who speak different normally meet after every four years for this event and at such event languages barriers are known to arise. The challenge in recruitment is that the athlete may have the talent but do not know how to speak universal languages such as English (Media 2013). Therefore, it is the duty of the Athletic body in their country to ensure the official accompanying these athletes or participants understands English in which they can use to communicate with events’ officials during Olympics. Best performance, knowledge in cultural diversity, being proactive are some reasons for global workforce planning (Heracleous 2003). Most of culture and language which consist of peoples' beliefs and religions are normally regarded as a key issue. Athletes must be advised to behave and celebrate responsibly without provoking competitors’ religion and cultural beliefs. This is because a behavior may be accepted in one community and not the other (Whittington, Molloy, Mayer & Smith 2006, p.616). An example is when Lithuania fans had to be warned of racial behavior towards Nigeria players at the basket pitch during London Olympics (The Guardian, 2013). HR planned at international level increases workforce skill, knowledge, experience and confidence in their working environments. Hertz, Lahrichi & Widmer (2010) contends that coping with global challenges organization requires a workforce who has an experience at international level. Therefore, National Olympics Committee has to ensure that the officials who accompany the Olympic team have the experience of the Olympics (Bertram 2012). This happens by employing more professional people so as to satisfy organization’s goal and that of participants as well country’s goal in wining the Olympic goal. Jamaica is quite a small country but has been sending its athletes to compete in Olympics for a period of 75 years (Bertram 2012). The country mainly focuses on the track and field events and has continued to do well, the latest being the Beijing and London Olympics. For instance, Usain Bolt who takes part in three different disciplines, 100m, 200m and 4X100m needs an elaborate plan on how to participate in all without loosing focus (Shelton 2012). Strategic plans have helped Bolt in the past to win three gold medals in all these disciplines in one Olympic event. The Jamaican took the Beijing Olympic Games by storm winning gold in all three races that he participated (Bertram 2012). Natural capability was certainly a factor, however, the strength of Usain Bolt lay by the calm, focused and determined management of his coach Glen Mills and his team of experts including his manager Norman Peart, who worked industriously to make Bolt who is he today (Shelton 2012). Bolt’s success is an outstanding case of good talent planning and management in athletics – a crucial feature in the area of sports planning and management. In 2012 during the London Olympics, the first Gold came in from Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 100m final in the women’s category becoming the third woman and the first Jamaican in history to retain the 100m title (Shelton 2012). On men’s category, Usain Bolt, the reigning Olympic Champion won 100m ahead of his training partner Yohan Blake. This is after Blake had defeated Bolt during team selection back in Jamaica and people had doubted Bolt’s fitness and form before getting to the Olympics. This demonstrates a lot of preparation and plan that was made before Bolt emerged the winner and beating his fellow team to number two. In a nutshell, the athletic organization had selected the right individual, having the ability at the right time. Planning and good management ensure that athletes develop confidence by going through a simple to a more complex skills training sequence. This enables the athlete to go through effective athletic accomplishment (Media 2013). This is done by taking athletes to train in an altitude with the competitive settings. Bertram (2012) asserts that currently, sports have become a big business, and it is an intensely competitive career. Whilst an athlete could be top-quality in their given sport, it does not imply that they have the expertise or all the time to discuss the management and business side of the field. This implies that to attain their ambitions and goals like winning Olympics gold, professional athletes normally require sports agents or managers to assist them on the career path (Bertram 2012). This certainly can be good news for people interested in serving as managers or sports agents, particularly if they posses good excellent negotiation and planning skills, business savvy and flexibility. Media (2013) claims that sports managers could be ex-athletes who are familiar with the sector and who posses the skills needed to steer it effectively. They might or might not have a formal qualification like a degree or even a diploma in sports business or in sports management. Nonetheless, it is possible for individuals who are not ex-professional athletes to serve in the capacity of sports agents (Media 2013). A sports management qualification together with a passion for sports, excellent people skills and sports management experience can facilitate a non-athlete to serve in the position as an athlete manager. What he or she requires is the planning skills in order to deliver the athlete goal which is not only to compete at a bigger event but also to win Gold at any Olympic event. Media (2013) asserts that an athlete manager participate in preparing the athlete for any coming event, helping them manage and plan their finances, helping them plan and manage their training and schedule, advising on the diet to take in preparation for Olympics. Taking care of athletes in readiness to Olympics involve a large team that can just be referred to organization. This organization consists of country sports management team that are elected. Olympic committee includes both elected and appointed officials, World Olympics committee, team doctors, diet specialists, athletic trainer, Sports agent, coach, athletic director camp director and sport promoter among others (Media 2013). All these offices liaise with each other to ensure there is proper planning with regard to training, finances and diet in readiness to Olympics. They must also keep updated on dates of various events prior to Olympics so as to plan enough earlier in ensuring that the athlete schedule is not interfered with. They also keep checks on injuries and progress of the athletes. This is in reference to employees who take part in different disciplines within the athletic arena. According to Shelton (2012), coaching goes much more than teaching fundamental skills. Once an athlete has mastered the basic skills of his discipline, they have to learn how to employ their knowledge, skills of the regulations and manners involved in the game in preparation for the Olympics. Prior to preparation for the Olympics, the athlete has to enjoy the game and show the intention of desiring to win a Gold during trials (Shelton 2012). Setting that from the beginning, the athlete will provide the coach a direct stage for learning. Planning and preparation has its challenges when the things get tougher, the coach must tell the athletes that it is destined to be testing because it would involve the best in the world of athletics (Media 2013). Without creating that foundation, the idea of giving up or quitting turns out to be the option which is the worst likely situation in sport. This was the case of Usain Bolt who was defeated in trials by Blake but proper planning, passion for winning and encouragement from coach made him win Gold. Bolt’s coach spotted someone unique and understood that only appropriate management and training was required to make him accomplish the objectives (Shelton 2012). They moved to Kingston Jamaica where Peart organized for Glen Mills to be his coach. Mills has served as Bolt’s coach from that time and has also mentored Yohan Blake under his guidance destined to be the next champion (Shelton 2012). The young talented Bolt is currently in very able hands. National Olympic committee of Jamaica also has a role to play in the planning process (Media 2013). NOC plays the role of promoting the training of coaches and officials and growth of athletes at a national stage within Jamaica. Only this committee has the authority to choose competitors and send teams to take part in any Olympic Games. They plan for competition in terms of finance and training, demonstrating their dedication to the growth of athletes, all programs and performance of athletics in their respective countries (Media 2013). They also contribute in the sports administration training by coming up with an educational program. In conclusion, HR managers, in this case the athlete’s coach and manager must offer a strong, positive influence on athlete objectives and perceive workforce planning as a major tool in this process. As such, knowing the workforce ability, creating a plan and better execution of the workforce plan enables the human resource team and the organization to realize the strategic objectives of the organization. Efficient workforce planning creates the variation between average performance and exemplary performance. References Baron, A., Clake, R., Pass, S & Turner, P 2010, Workforce planning: right people, right time, right skills, London, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Bertram, A 2012, Jamaica's road to the Olympic Games (Pt I), Jamaica Gleaner. CIPD 2010, Resourcing and talent planning, Survey report, London, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Dean, E 2010, Skill mix and workforce planning to dominate debates at nursing summit, Nursing Standard. Vol. 24, No. 22, p. 34-67. Heracleous, L 2003, Strategy and Organization: Realizing Strategic Management, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Hertz, A., Lahrichi, N & Widmer, M 2010, A flexible MILP model for multiple-shift workforce planning under annualized hours, European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 200, No 3, p. 34-78. Martin, R 2007, The opposable mind: how successful leaders win through integrative thinking, Boston, Harvard Business School Press. Media 2013, Special Olympics Coaching Guide: Preparing Athletes for Competition, accessed in 9th October 2013 from http://media.specialolympics.org/soi/files/sports/Essentials/English/Preparing_the_Athlet e_for_Competition.pdf Towells, S 2003, From planning to strategic intent, Strategy, Issue 1. p. 20–24. Whittington, R., Molloy, E., Mayer, M & Smith, A 2006, Practices of strategizing/organizing: broadening strategy work and skills, LRP, Vol. 39, No. 6. p. 615–630. Shelton, G 2012, Usain Bolt leaves no doubt he is the fastest person ever, St. Petersburg Times. The Guardian, 2013, London 2012: we've all got to stand up to racism when we see it, accessed in 9th October 2013 from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/aug/08/london-2012-olympic-racism- basketball Ward, J & Peppard, J 2002, Strategic Planning for Information Systems, New York, John Wiley & Sons. Ltd. Read More