Human resource Planning

Human resources planning (HRP) is not having a single definition with which everyone agrees. Many definitions and models of HRP exist. Many HRP practitioners focus on its technical side which is the mathematical and behavioural method of forecasting HR needs and others prefer the managerial side which is the way of decision-makers to tackle human resource issues affecting an organization. Still some distinguish between strategic HRP, undertaken to formulate and/or implement an organization's long-range plans, and operational HRP, undertaken to guide daily HR decisions. Some HR practitioners distinguish between HRP for an organization, which focuses on planning solely to meet organizational demands, and HRP for individuals, which focuses on the implications of such plans for individual career planning.
In spite of these HR practitioners agreed that Human Resources Planning focuses on analyzing an organization's HR needs as the organization's conditions change and then supplying strategies to help respond proactively to those changes over time. HRP helps ensure that the right numbers of the right kinds of people are available at the right times and in the right places to translate organizational plans into reality. This process becomes strategic when some attempt is made to anticipate long-term HR "supplies and demands" relative to changing conditions facing the organization, and then to use HR department programs in an effort to meet these identified HR needs.

The human resources (HR) planning manager is responsible for leading the human resources planning (HRP) department, unit, or function. The nature of this role varies widely, depending on how HRP is handled and where it is placed in the organization. It can also vary by corporate culture and by national culture.

The larger organizations often having specialized units that bear chief responsibility for HRP whether comprehensive or limited. A comprehensive HRP program encompasses all activities a limited program encompasses only some activities. The HR Planning Manager is the supervisor in charge of the HRP unit.
There is a third alternative as the person or position responsible for HRP is also responsible for some other activity, such as training, organization development, or recruitment. In these cases, there is usually less emphasis placed on formal HRP and more emphasis placed on the HR practice area with which it is paired.
Think of the manager as one who:

• Establishes goals and objectives of the HRP department or a specialized unit within the HR department.
• Creates structure for the department.
• Staffs the department.
• Issues orders.
• Resolves destructive conflicts.
• Communicates with those inside and outside the department.
• Plans for needed resources, particularly through budgeting.
• Deals with power and political issues.

The HRP manager interacts with those outside the unit and gears its activities to their needs, the role overlaps with the HR organizational coordinator. To the extent that the manager coordinates activities across HR practice areas and allocates work, the role overlaps with that of the integrator. Finally, the integrator, manager, and evaluator share interest in controlling and monitoring results against pre-established objectives and criteria.

The manager mobilizes departmental and unit resources and those of the organization in order to help implement HR Grand Strategy. To succeed in this process, he or she needs general management ability, technical knowledge of HRP, and expertise and must be future agile be able to react quickly when the need arises
Establishing HRP Department Goals and Objectives:

A major responsibility of the HRP manager is to establish department goals and objectives based on departmental purpose and HR Grand Strategy. Management by objectives (MBO) is at once a way of planning for implementation, evaluating employee performance and controlling operations. Our focus at present is on MBO in planning and, more particularly in managing.

MBO for a department involves eight steps:

• The top executive meets in a group setting with supervisors in charge of each HR practice area. The meeting focuses on two questions: What is the present status of the department? What should be the status of the department in the future?
• The top HR executive meets with each supervisor, one-on-one, to negotiate individual objectives. This process helps integrate such practice areas as career planning and management, training, recruitment, organization development (OD), job redesign, employee assistance, labor relations, and compensation/benefits.
• Each supervisor prepares goals to maintain the unit or practice area, deal with special problems, and improve operations of the unit.
• Supervisors in each unit meet with their subordinates to continue the process.
• The results of the meetings are formalized in writing and are expressed in measurable terms.
• Periodically, the top executive meets with each subordinate to review results and discuss problems encountered in trying to achieve objectives and take advantage of new opportunities.
• The process continues down the chain of command, with each supervisor meeting with each of the subordinates to review results and discuss problems/opportunities.

The results are evaluated at least once a year and then used as the basis for pay raises, bonuses, and determinations about individual promo ability. The original process is then repeated in order to establish new objectives for the next year.