Workforce planning checklist

Use this Workforce Planning checklist to consider things you may need to add or
change in your workforce plan:
1. Is the workforce plan covering a sufficient timeframe (between 2-5 years)?
2. Are the reasons why a workforce plan is needed clear and are they
understood across the organisation?
3. Is the workforce plan based on your organisations strategic objectives?
4. Has an analysis of the external environment and its impact on your workforce
been undertaken?
5. Is the timing of the development and implementation of the workforce plan
appropriate?
6. Does the management team and head of the organisation support the
workforce plan and its implementation?
7. Has sufficient and relevant demographic information been extracted and
analysed from the HR system?
8. Has sufficient and relevant skills and competencies information been
analysed identifying strengths and development needs?
9. Have skills and competencies been identified for all staff (core), for leadership
and for job role specific?
10.Has consultation across the organisation been undertaken with sufficient and
relevant information gathered on workforce issues?
11.Has enough time and thinking been given to defining the future environment
and workforce needs?
12.Has workforce demand in terms of numbers, job roles, skills and
competencies, values and behaviour and performance measures been
defined?
13.Have forecasts been developed to match future scenarios?
14.Has workforce supply (existing and future) been analysed including external
labour supply data and information?
15.Has consultation across the organisation engaged employees in defining the
future and workforce requirements?
16.Have the gaps key areas of need/action been identified and prioritised?

17.Have the gaps been mapped back to the organisations strategy?

18.Have strategies been identified to address the gaps between the current
workforce and the future workforce including demand and supply?
19.Do action plans detail resources, responsibilities and timelines?
20.Have success factors and potential barriers to implementation of the
workforce plan been addressed?
21.Has the workforce plan been consulted on and communicated to all
stakeholders?
22.Is workforce planning and development integrated into strategic and business
planning activities?
23.Are the workforce plan and the strategies to address issues/needs monitored,
reported on and evaluated on a regular basis taking into account any
changes?