What is Human Resource Planning ?

Human Resource Planning (HRP) is the process of forecasting the future human resource
requirements of the organization and determining as to how the existing human resource capacity
of the organization can be utilized to fulfill these requirements. It, thus, focuses on the basic
economic concept of demand and supply in context to the human resource capacity of the organization.

It is the HRP process which helps the management of the organization in meeting the future demand of
human resource in the organization with the supply of the appropriate people in appropriate numbers at
the appropriate time and place. Further, it is only after proper analysis of the HR requirements can the
process of recruitment and selection be initiated by the management. Also, HRP is essential in
successfully achieving the strategies and objectives of organization. In fact, with the element of strategies
and long term objectives of the organization being widely associated with human resource planning these
days, HR Planning has now became Strategic HR Planning.

Though, HR Planning may sound quite simple a process of managing the numbers in terms of human
resource requirement of the organization, yet, the actual activity may involve the HR manager to face
many roadblocks owing to the effect of the current workforce in the organization, pressure to meet the
business objectives and prevailing workforce market condition. HR Planning, thus, help the organization
in many ways as follows:

 HR managers are in a stage of anticipating the workforce requirements rather than getting
surprised by the change of events
 Prevent the business from falling into the trap of shifting workforce market, a common concern
among all industries and sectors
 Work proactively as the expansion in the workforce market is not always in conjunction with the
workforce requirement of the organization in terms of professional experience, talent needs, skills,
etc.
 Organizations in growth phase may face the challenge of meeting the need for critical set of skills,
competencies and talent to meet their strategic objectives so they can stand well-prepared to meet
the HR needs
 Considering the organizational goals, HR Planning allows the identification, selection and
development of required talent or competency within the organization.

It is, therefore, suitable on the part of the organization to opt for HR Planning to prevent any unnecessary
hurdles in its workforce needs. An HR Consulting Firm can provide the organization with a comprehensive
HR assessment and planning to meet its future requirements in the most cost-effective and timely
manner.

An HR Planning process simply involves the following four broad steps:

 Current HR Supply: Assessment of the current human resource availability in the organization is

the foremost step in HR Planning. It includes a comprehensive study of the human resource
strength of the organization in terms of numbers, skills, talents, competencies, qualifications,
experience, age, tenures, performance ratings, designations, grades, compensations, benefits, etc.
At this stage, the consultants may conduct extensive interviews with the managers to understand
the critical HR issues they face and workforce capabilities they consider basic or crucial for various
business processes.
 Future HR Demand: Analysis of the future workforce requirements of the business is the second
step in HR Planning. All the known HR variables like attrition, lay-offs, foreseeable vacancies,
retirements, promotions, pre-set transfers, etc. are taken into consideration while determining future
HR demand. Further, certain unknown workforce variables like competitive factors, resignations,
abrupt transfers or dismissals are also included in the scope of analysis.
  Demand Forecast: Next step is to match the current supply with the future demand of HR, and
create a demand forecast. Here, it is also essential to understand the business strategy and
objectives in the long run so that the workforce demand forecast is such that it is aligned to the
organizational goals.
 HR Sourcing Strategy and Implementation: After reviewing the gaps in the HR supply and
demand, the HR Consulting Firm develops plans to meet these gaps as per the demand forecast
created by them. This may include conducting communication programs with employees, relocation,
talent acquisition, recruitment and outsourcing, talent management, training and coaching, and
revision of policies. The plans are, then, implemented taking into confidence the mangers so as to
make the process of execution smooth and efficient. Here, it is important to note that all the
regulatory and legal compliances are being followed by the consultants to prevent any untoward
situation coming from the employees.

Hence, a properly conducted process of HR Planning by an HR Consulting Firm helps the organization in
meeting its goals and objectives in timely manner with the right HR strength in action.

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Human Resource Management

 H R Management - Introduction
 Importance of HRM
 Scope of HRM
 Various Processes in HRM
 What is Human Resource Planning ?
 The HRM Function
 Functions of a Human Resource Manager
 Staffing Role of the HR Manager
 Role of HRM in Leadership Development
 Role of HR in People Empowerment
 Talent Management and HRM
 Management of Contractors
 Performance Management as a HR Management Concept
 Successful Performance Management
 Hiring Strategies
 Social Media Profiles for Hiring Decisions
 Importance of Background Checks
 Retention Strategies
 Strategic HRM
 Global HRM
 Personnel Management vs HRM
 Managing Employee Performance
 Performance Appraisal Process
 Performance Appraisal Interview
 Managing Employee Relations
 Employee Rewards and Recognition
 Variable Pay
 Diversity in Organizations
 Managing Workforce Diversity
 Workplace Health and Safety
 Workplace Safety Programs
 OSHA Safety Manual
 HR Challenges
 Human Resource Audit
 Hiring in Shadow of Stagnating Growth
 The Challenges of Managing Attrition
 Employee Separation Process
 Tips for Pursuing a Career in HRM
 Role of HRM in Recessionary Times
 People Manager vs. Project Manager
 Use of Contract Staff & Temp Workers
 The Necessity of Drafting Proper and Foolproof Employment Contracts
 Importance of Vacation Planning
 Hiring & Firing of Workers: Perspectives
 What to do if You are Laid Off from Job
 Termination and Outplacement
 Emotional Intelligence for Professionals
 Assigning Key Responsibility Areas (KRAs) to Employees
 Role of HR in Performance Appraisals
 HR Policies and Procedures Manual and Employee Handbook
 Managing Downsizing in Organizations
 Managing Attrition in Organizations
 Rise of the Temp Jobs and the Freelance/Sharing Economy
 What is Blind Hiring and Its Implications for the HR Profession
 How Human Resource Managers should Manage Ethical Issues and Ensure Compliance ?
 Issues Related to Human Resource Management in the Hospitality Sector
 Human Resource Management in the Times of Emerging Digital Economy
 Human Resource Management in the Age of Acceleration
 How to Manage Star Performers and High Achievers
 Actualizing a High Trust Organization
 HRM Strategies for an Increasingly Complex, Uncertain, and Volatile World
 How Human Resource Managers can deal with Difficult Employees
 Why Human Resource Management Must Change for the Coming Robotics Revolution
 How Silicon Valley Firms are Implementing Innovative Human Resources Policies
 Effective HRM Strategies to Smoothen and Sweeten the Downsizing and the Layoff Process
 How HR (Human Resources) Function Can Save Time by Automating Routine Tasks
 How HR Managers Can Help Employees Avoid Burnout and Manage Stress
 Human Resource Management Strategies to Diversify the Workforce
 What is an HR Scorecard and How it Helps Contemporary Organizations?
 How Using the HR Scorecard Creates Long Term Value for Organizations
 How Technology Can Help in Collection of Metrics for the HR Scorecard
 HR Scorecard: Aligning People, Strategy, and Performance
 How Using the HR Scorecard Can Address Organizational Dysfunction
 Human Resource Management Best Practices in Contemporary Organizations
 Using HR Scorecard with Analytics to Actualize Next Generation Performance
 How the HR Scorecard Helps Actualize Cross Functional Excellence in Organizations
 How the HR Scorecard can Help Gig Economy Firms to Manage Freelancers Better
 How the HR Scorecard Helps Organizations to Actualize Change Management Initiatives
 How Innovative HR Policies boost Employee Productivity and Organizational Effectiveness
 Changing Recruitment Strategies of Corporates and Tips to Get Hired
 What is Social Mirror and How it Determines Individual Success in Career and Life
  What Do Hiring Managers Look for in Applicants when Making Hiring Decisions
 Why the Future of Work is Virtual, Gig Based, and Cognitive and its implications for HR
 Why HR Managers Must Enforce Data Security and Information Protection Policies
 Why Corporates Must Have Wellness Managers as well as HR Managers
 What is Employee Ghosting and How HR Managers and Organizations Can Deal with it
 The Increasing Popularity of Corporate Wellness Programs and What HR Can Do
 What Experienced HR Managers Watch Out For When Recruiting Candidates
 The Importance of Data Driven Analytics and HR Scorecard Dashboards for Corporates
 What Hiring Managers Look Out For During the Recruitment and Selection Process?
 The Growing Popularity of Flex Work and HR Strategies to Deal with It
 What the Case of Amazon’s AI Powered Recruitment Tool Means for Other Corporates
 Pay Cuts vs. Lay-Offs
 Game Changers or Slave Drivers? Human Resource Managers in the Gig Economy Firms
 Preparing for the Workplace of Tomorrow: Some HRM Strategies for the Digital Age
 The Managerial Challenge: Using Early Warning Systems to Spot Signs of Trouble
 Top HR Trends for 2019: Technological Convergence and Smarter HR Management
 How Should HR Managers Deal With Occupational Hazards at the Workplace?
 How HR Managers Must Deal with Legal and Regulatory Challenges in Organizations
 How HR Managers Must Address the Pay Disparities and Pay Gaps in Organizations
 How HR Managers can Make the On-boarding Process more Pleasant and Effective
 Why HR Managers Must Treat the Exit Interviews as Feedback and Learning Experiences
 The Importance of Due Diligence in Human Resource Management Processes
 The HRM Challenge: Managing the Millennials Entering the Workforce
 The Future of Human Resource Management in an Agile Driven and Automated World
 The What, Why, and How of the Difficult Decision to Fire Employees in Organizations
 How Using Blockchain Can Transform the HR Function and Change the Way it Works
 Corporate Corruption and the HRM Function: Legal, Ethical, and Moral Perspectives
 How Predictive Analytics Helps HR Managers Make Better Hiring Decisions
 Skills that the HR Professionals Need to have to be Successful in the Present Times
 The HRM Challenge: Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity in Illiberal and Charged Times
 Role and the Importance of Human Resource Managers in Recessionary Times
 How Blockchain can Help Human Resource Managers in Efficient Management
 HR Professionals and the Law: The What, Why, and How of Awareness of Laws
 Is the European Model of HRM Better than the American Model? Some Perspectives
 The Staffing Challenge in MNCs: Expatriates or Locals in Overseas Locations
 The HRM Challenge: Managing Opinionated Employees in Polarized and Divisive Times
 Why Auditing of the HR Function is Necessary and Important in the Present Times
 The Role of the HR in How Corporates Can Win (and Lose) the Global Race for Talent
 The Changing Nature of Employment and Impact on Professionals and Societies
 Fixing Fraud and Biases in the Recruitment Process and Making it Fair and Transparent
 HRM Strategies in Non Profits and How Similar and Different are They from Corporates
 Organizational and HRM Strategies for Virtual Workplaces and Remote Workforces
 The Role of Feedback in Enhancing Employee Performance and Productivity
 The Role of Monetary and Non Monetary Incentives in Enhancing Employee Performance
 Will Hire and Fire at Will Labour Laws Work in the Indian Socio-Economic Context?

                                          

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5. The HRM Function and its Role in Organizational Processes

The HRM Function and its Role in

Organizational Processes
The Changing Role of the HR Function
Of all the support functions, the HRM (Human Resource Management) function is a critical
component of any organization. Apart from finance, which serves as the lifeblood of the organizational
support functions, the HRM function more than any other support function, has the task of ensuring that
the organizational policies and procedures are implemented and any grievances of the employees are
taken care of. For instance, it is common for the HRM function in many organizations to combine hiring,
training, providing assistance during appraisals, mentoring employees, and deciding on pay structures
and grades. This means that the HRM function has its task cut out wherein it has to take care of the
“people” side of the organizational processes. Considering the fact that the ascent of the services sector
(IT, Financial Services, BPO) has meant that people are the key assets for organizations, the importance
of the HRM function has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to the preponderance of the services sector.
This has given impetus to many aspiring HR professionals to try and make a career for themselves in the
HR field thanks to the burgeoning demand for HR professionals.

Change in Conception from Reactive to Proactive

Many people think of the HR manager as someone who attends to complaints from employees, appears
at the time of appraisals, and generally is useful only when there is a genuine need for him or her. This is
the classic old world thinking wherein HR managers were confined to these activities alone. The reason
for such conceptions is that most of us are used to our parents and other older generation people
referring to HR managers as labor officers whose sole function is to take care of payroll and disputes.
However, times have changed and in the recent decades, the HR function has emerged as a key
function in itself wherein the HR professionals are proactive and preemptive in nature. What this
means is that HR managers anticipate the crises and preempt them from happening instead of waiting for
the crisis to appear and then resolve it.

Further, unlike in earlier generations where there were chances of strikes and lockouts of the
organizations in the manufacturing sector, the services sector does not have any place for these and
hence, the role of the HR professionals have evolved to a point where they have moved from reactive
mode to proactive mode. This means that in many multinationals, the HR professionals regularly have
what are known as one-on-ones or individual meetings with the staff to try and understand their
grievances, seek feedback, and overall focus on how to prevent any kind of crisis from happening.

The HR Professionals and Demand for HR courses

Indeed, apart from hiring, training, and payroll, which still have lot of importance to the HRM, function, the
addition of the activities mentioned above has lent a touch of glamour to the otherwise staid and dull
profession. It is no wonder that in institutes like XLRI have seen a surge in demand for their courses in
HR. Moreover, even in other management institutes, there is an increase in the number of graduates who
are choosing HR as their specialization. All these trends point to the conclusion that the HR profession is
now well sought after and something that is not relegated to the sidelines.

HR Professionals Have Fun as Well

The changing role of the HRM function is especially visible in the IT and BPO sector where they are also
engaged in organizing offsite events, which are held in a resort or in a hotel and which provide the
employees with a chance to brainstorm about issues in a relaxed and slow manner outside of the
confines of the office. This trend has made the HRM function very busy because a lot of planning goes
into organizing these events and indeed, in multinationals like Fidelity, this is now handled by dedicated
HR staff apart from the regular staff.