The Definition of Strategic Staffing - Essay Example

Questions October 30 What is the definition of strategic staffing? What is the objective of strategic staffing and what are the primaryissues or challenges in developing a strategic staffing approach? Strategic staffing is a process used by organizations to identify and address the specific staffing implications of their business. The objective is to not only to identify staffing implications, such as staffing gaps, but also addresses these issues such as deciding what the organization needs to do to correct these staffing gaps. There are many common reasons why strategic staffing does not work. Many times a company has tried it once with failure thus they do not try it again. Attempting to determine why it didn’t work and implementing a new plan or successful approach can yield positive results. Often Managers see it as taking too much time to develop; this usually means the value they received from the effort put forth did not justify the resources they put forth. Also organizations complain they do not have enough data about the people in their organizations, in these cases implement the strategy where you do have enough data. Other initiatives are also seen as more important but without adequate staffing it is difficult to meet these successfully. 2. Explain the difference between a staffing strategy and a staffing plan? A staffing plan describes the staffing actions an organization is going to take to implement a staffing strategy; the plan may address recruiting, promotions and internal movements, retention, the use of part time staff and overtime and possible outsourcing of work. 3. How would you go about defining the right staffing levels for your company? To define required staffing levels it is important to understand what is behind changes in staffing levels in your company, identify what is driving staffing needs. Is this a change in the company’s activity, a shift in the product or service mix, geographic expansion or improvements in service levels? The organization also needs to identify limiting factors and define changes in roles and positions. Use a combination of quantitative techniques such as ratios or time based ratio’s where they are applicable. Supplement these with qualitative techniques such as conducting structured interviews with managers when quantitative approaches do not work for your company. 4. Provide three uncontrollable and three controllable staffing actions that could occur when creating a staffing model? Uncontrollable staffing actions include voluntary turnover, normal retirements, returns or losses that result from planned leaves of absence. Controllable staffing actions include hiring, promotions and planned staff reductions. 5. Staffing ratios is one of the simplest forms of defining required staffing levels; provide an example of what a staffing ratio is, and how you would use it in determining staffing levels. An example of a staffing ratio would be state mandated laws concerning healthcare which requires so many staffing hours in nursing per patient during a certain time period. To determine staffing levels your company will estimate the level of business and then convert that into the number of staff needed for the company to attain the level of high productivity in a given time period. 6. In getting line managers engaged in the workforce planning process, what are the four solutions within the context of the 30,000-foot approach? At the 30,000 foot level four staffing solutions include allowing managers flexibility in how they develop, implement, and apply workforce planning below that level. Managers are allowed to create plans addressing what they perceive to be their most important and crucial needs. 7. How do companies develop management candidates in advance of their needs? Management development needs to include a variety of expected skills and backgrounds; leadership and supervisory, team building abilities, strong communication and organization skills, general business knowledge, technology awareness and training, and an understanding of the many aspects of the industry in which they operate. 8. How could you apply staffing strategies in workforce planning if top management is resistant to accepting staffing plans to address a given problem? If top management is resistant to new staffing plans it is likely they do not fully understand them and many managers will be short term orientated which will seem inconsistent with the long term orientation of staffing plans. Benefits and awards should be measured in specific terms and defined for this management staff. 9. What does a “zero” based approach mean? Explain how this concept applies in workforce planning. This approach is used commonly when project plans define the number of staff of each time that are needed at given times and is independent of how many staff are currently working on the job. This approach can be used when projects are initially starting and project managers have some idea of the staffing that will be needed. 10. Identify the four steps of the strategic staffing process and the most important elements in each step. Defining critical staffing issues is one step with important elements being changes in the business’ focus or objectives, business expansion, changes in the project mix, the market or the customer base. Other important elements are major projects, changes in production methods or technology, a shift in the completive position of the company, quality improvements and mergers and acquisitions. The second step is to define staffing gaps and surpluses; important elements of this step are the current supply and future demands. Others are uncontrollable elements such as voluntary retirements, voluntary turnover, and tenure based promotions, completion of hiring plans already in place and the return of employee’s on leave. These elements affect the supply and demand of staffing. Further elements are the planning horizon; how far in advance will you plan and which jobs and staff should be included in your plan. Step three is to develop staffing strategies; important elements at this step will be meeting the actual needs of the company. Step four is to define staffing plans. Document your plans and define actions which support your plans. Determine a time frame and accountability and make sure the infrastructure and support activities of the plan are well understood. 11. Do you believe the horizontal or the vertical approach for implementing your workforce planning process is better? What is your basis for you position? The vertical approach is better in that you will have a high impact immediately for one part of the organization at which time the process can be implemented in a second area. The benefit is the proven result in the first area offers incentive to those resistant to the staffing plan. 12. Describe the two types of implementation frameworks. Which one is generally more effective, and why? The two types of implementation frameworks are long term and short term. They are effective when integrated successfully together and only then is the company able to utilize strategic staffing and a successful staffing plan. References Bechet, Thomas. Strategic Staffing: A Comprehensive System for Effective Workforce Planning. 2nd ed. New York: AMACOM, 2008. Safari Books Online. Web. 31 Oct. 2012. http://proquestcombo.safaribooksonline.com.proxy.cecybrary.com/book/hr-organizational-management/9780814409381 Read More