Strategic Workforce Planning Guide

Our Public Service 2020
Strategic Workforce
Planning Guide
Prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

gov.ie
Our Public Service 2020 | Strategic Workforce Planning Guide
Strategic Workforce Planning Guide
2. Understand
3. Review 4. Identify 5. Develop
1. Getting the organisation 6. Evaluate &
current future & implement
started & its revise the plan
workforce workforce SWFP
environment
Introduction
Section 1 Getting Started

• What is Strategic Workforce Planning?
• So why do it?
• Who is responsible?
Section 2 Understand the organisation and its environment

• Organisation’s business strategy
• Understanding the external environment – PESTLE analysis
• Understanding your overall operating environment – SWAT analysis
Section 3 Review Current Workforce

• Workforce segmentation
• Data-sets for Strategic Workforce Planning
Section 4 Identify the Future Workforce

• Model the future workforce
• Scenario Planning
• Analyse the talent gap
• Prioritisation of gaps and needs
Section 5 Develop and Implement Strategic Workforce Plans

• Risk and options analysis
• The Action Plan
Section 6 Evaluate and Revise the Plan
Section 7 Conclusion
Section 8 References and useful resources
2
Appendices
Appendix 1: Property Registration Authority - Strategic Workforce Planning Objectives
Appendix 2: Property Registration Authority – Divisional Planning Template – WFP extract
Appendix 3: Recommended data collection for SWFP
Appendix 4: Suggested review processes and reporting basis
Appendix 5: Top tips for Workforce Planning (provided from CIPD)
Table of Figures:
Figure 1: How SWFP links to other HR activities
Figure 2: Phases of Project Management
Figure 3: Participation spectrum
Figure 4: PESTLE analysis
Figure 5: SWOT analysis
Figure 6: Workforce segmentation
Figure 7: Five rights principles
Figure 8: Scenario planning
Figure 9: Prioritisation of Gaps and Needs
Figure 10: Risk and Options analysis
Figure 11: The Action plan
3
Introduction
Strategic Workforce Planning (SWFP) is an essential tool for anticipating
possible future developments and maintaining a well-structured workforce of an
appropriate size, which is able to meet the changing needs of the public service in a
cost-efficient manner.
This guide is a practical and hands-on toolkit that can be used to assist HR Managers and people leaders across the public
service in developing a strategic workforce plan for their organisation.
The guide offers a step-by-step approach through the different stages of the SWFP process. It is divided into six sections, each
designed to assist you in developing a SWFP for your organisation.
2. Understand
environment
Acknowledgements
Particular thanks to the Civil Service HR, Strategic Workforce Planning Unit and the Property Registration Authority of Ireland
for their valuable experience, insights and help in designing this toolkit. Thanks also to the CIPD whose publications already in
the public domain have assisted in the shaping of this toolkit.
4
Section 1 – Getting started

What is Strategic Workforce Planning (SWFP)?
2. Understand
environment
There are many definitions of SWFP………to quote a few…….. Regardless of which definition you choose for your
organisation, Strategic Workforce Planning (SWFP) is the
pro-active management of your current and future workforce
composition to support the delivery of your organisation’s
“The right people, with the right skills, in the
business strategy in an evolving environment.
right roles, at the right time and the right
cost’ is what will ultimately deliver the right Strategic Workforce Planning:
results for an organisation”. (CIPD) • is continuous, not a one-off activity
• is a process, not a static action or set of actions
• is about streamlining behaviours towards embedding the
process into the organisational culture
“Workforce planning is a systematic,
• is about shaping the workforce with a clearly identified
proactive process, which aligns strategic
purpose and to bring about particular changes
planning, human capital and budgeting to
• has its purpose linked with the organisation’s mandate, key
meet organisational goals”
goals and objectives,
(State of Georgia, Human Resource Service, 2012)
• applies not just to the current workforce but anticipates
future workforce requirements
In the Irish public service, workforce planning is described as: • is agile and flexible and
• is aligned with the organisation’s business planning
The proactive management of current and future human
process.
resources by each organisation, aligned with their Statement
of Strategy, to ensure the following are reflected: It represents a significant shift from its initial development
back in the 1960’s which focused on basic short-term
• access to the right skills and experience;
‘manpower’ or ‘headcount’ planning.
• the changing needs of each organisation;
SWFP is a dynamic process that supports service delivery
• the evolving environment within which they operate (incl. and the process of service redesign. This includes planning
impacts related to technological developments); and for new ways of working and development of new skill sets,
• available resources competencies and behaviours. SWFP must consider multiple
time horizons: Short – (1 year), medium – (3-5 years), and
This should be balanced with wider resource priorities in
long-term – (10+ years).
order to:
• ensure effective and responsive delivery of public services
• underpin efficiency, accountability and drive reform in
public service delivery, and
• support the sustainable evolution of the public service
pay and pensions bill, in line with the Government’s
overarching approach to public expenditure management”.
(DPER)
5
6.0
Monitor
3.0 Conduct
2.0 Conduct 4.0 Perform a 5.0 Develop Evaluate
1.0 Set Workforce
Workforce Gap Analysis and Execute and Revise
Strategic Supply
Demand and Risk Agency Strategies
Direction Analysis
Analysis Assessment Strategies • Set
• Assess
• Initiate Annual to Prioritise • Formulate performance
• Identify the inventory indicators
Strategic Results strategies
workforce (supply)
Workforce
(core positions) of current • Perform gap • Incorporate • Assess
Planning
needed workforce analysis into budget performance
Process
• Perform • Identify formulation/ • Adjust plans
• Conduct • Perform risk
workforce inventory execution based on
workload assessment
demand (supply) on gaps and • Execute performance
forecast
analysis of future surpluses strategies feedback
workforce • Communicate
progress
Workload Workforce Workforce Gap Analysis Office/Agency Monitor

Forecast Demand Supply Results Strategies Progress
Deliverables
• Changing Customer needs

So why do it?
• Workforce demographics – retirements etc.
SWFP challenges and empowers the organisation to focus on
• Knowledge and skills gaps for present and future
what will be different in terms of talent needs and integrates
workforce requirements
analysis not just on workforce dynamics for the organisation
but also potential dynamics in general workforce in the wider • Succession planning, talent management and people
economy. development
• Innovation for more effective and efficient service delivery
• Workforce deployment and flexibility
Resourcing
and talent • Recruitment and selection
management • Learning and development
• Organisational agility
• Equality, diversity and inclusion, employee wellness, work-
life balance and retention
Learning Strategic Organisation
and talent Workforce design and Strategic Workforce Planning is a process of analysing your
development Planning development current workforce, determining the organisation’s future
workforce needs, identifying the gap and implementing
solutions to allow the organisation to meet its ultimate
strategic business plan.
Employee While it is convenient to describe Strategic Workforce

engagement Planning as a process, it is important to understand that it is
an iterative process, not rigidly a linear one. It must be agile
and flexible in order to adapt to sudden developments, such
as a global pandemic, that impacts on your organisation’s
Figure 1: How SWFP links to other HR activities ability to continue to operate.
It is a good idea to define the overall aim of SWFP in your
SWFP provides insights for your organisation that goes organisation and the objectives you wish to achieve as a
beyond merely reacting to circumstantial market events. result, to assist our colleagues in the Property Registration
It can offer market and industry intelligence and help Authority have set out their aim and objectives at
organisations to focus on areas including: Appendix 1.
6
It is a good idea to develop your SWFP as a Project and to manage it within your organisation’s existing Project Management
structures.
Pre-project Initiation Planning Execution Closure
• Needs assessment • Goals • Budget • Implementation • Closure Report

• Business case • Objectives • Schedule • Status Reports • Lessons Learned
• Benefits • Deliverables • Resources • Changes • Acceptance
management • Project Initiation • Communication • Forecasts
• Project Charter Document (PID) Plan • Resources
• Risks Calendars
• Issues • Project Execution
• Project Execution Plan Updates
Plan (PEP)
Figure 2: Phases of Project Management
Before moving on to cover the workforce planning process Develop a broad scope definition for the project:
in detail let’s examine the Roles and Responsibilities required
What are you trying to achieve; by when; what is in and
for successful Strategic Workforce planning.
out of scope; what are the deliverables; who are the
stakeholders; and who and what are key to delivery.
Who is responsible? Workforce planning needs strong links across an
As with any significant project, the Initiation and Planning organisation’s functions and into strategic planning
phase focuses on ensuring the appropriate project and finance in particular. Involving some of these other
management principles are in place, including project stakeholders in the design of a workforce planning
definition, business case/justification and establishing the approach will not only be informative but will help with
Workforce Planning team. The former should be approved implementation down the line.
at Senior Management or Board level, thereby establishing
the strategic component of the process. Workforce Planning
is often considered a process owned by the HR Department,
rather than Management as a whole, and benefits from Data analysts
having a Senior Management champion to drive, promote
and support the process.
Project Heads of
HR can build support for Workforce Planning, including Management functions
educating Management Board Members and other senior
managers on the benefits to be derived, as well as the
Senior
difference between Operational and Strategic Workforce
Management
Planning.
Workforce Planning Roles and Responsibilities
Human Business
The table below is just a guideline and we recognise that resources Managers
each organisation’s structures may differ and that the
responsibilities detailed may fall to different roles.
However, whatever the structures, leaders and line Finance
managers are essential in supporting activities for strategic
workforce planning and so, need to understand the relevance
of it to their business strategy.
Figure 3: Participation spectrum
At senior levels, both HR Managers/Business Partners and
Senior Management should support and drive the strategic
end of the process and set the agenda for organisational
development and change.
7
Roles and Responsibilities

Role Senior Lead Responsibility
Senior Project Owner • Secretary General or Head of Office, as Accounting Officer

Management assumes full accountability for strategic Workforce Planning
Project sponsor
Senior Manager e.g. Director of Corporate Services or equivalent
• Champions workforce planning to the Management Board and
other senior managers
• Provides high level direction and support
• Makes decisions, if required
• Participates in workshops
Workforce Project Manager/Lead • HR Manager

planning team Team Members should • Project Management framework
include at minimum • Complete environment scanning
HR data coordinator • Collate data and reporting
Financial Controller / • Facilitate workshops
Officer • Managing communications
• Data gathering
• Data verification
• Data analysis
• Risk analysis
• Financial projections and budgets
HR Business • Key member of SWFP team

Partner/ • Participates in workshops
Manager • Participates in environment scanning
• Facilitates change
• Implements, monitors and evaluates plan
Business • Translates business strategy into activities that drive workforce

Manager(s) planning needs
• Identifies internal challenges for the workforce plan
• Profiles the current workforce skills and numbers
• Determines the future workforce skills and numbers requirement
• Works closely with HRBP to develop workforce plan to meet
business objectives
8
Section 2 – Understand the

Organisation and its environment
2. Understand
environment
As part of the overall business planning in the Property

Organisation’s Business Strategy Registration Authority, Business Managers complete a
Strategic Workforce Planning begins and ends with the Divisional Planning template which includes a ‘workforce
Organisation’s mandate, key goals and business strategy. planning extract. (Appendix 2). This informs workforce
planning by identifying potential knowledge and skills gaps
It is informed by the business strategy in the first instance, and initiatives planned. It requires Business Managers to
but it then becomes integral to the business strategy delivery. amongst other things: examine performance indicators;
• Business strategy succeeds or fails based upon the develop succession and knowledge transfer plans; account
execution of that strategy by people – but which people? for any work transformation and prioritise the interventions
required.
• What roles are critical for the implementation of the
business strategy?
• All roles are important, but some will be of high value
strategically (at a point in time).
• A successful business strategy can require re-imagining
existing roles or defining completely new roles and/or
retrenching obsolete roles.
Awareness of strategy in your organisation –

ask yourself these questions…
Does your organisation have a clearly
defined strategy and annual plan?
How familiar are you with that?
Who in your organisation is responsible

for making the strategic decisions?
Who has contributed to that strategy?
Is the strategy clear to the whole

organisation?
Are you clear on how the organisation

creates value?
9
Understanding the external environment

A PESTLE analysis provides an effective framework to understand the external ‘big picture’ factors that impact on your
organisation. PESTLE looks at six key factors - political, economic, sociological, technological, legal and environmental.
PESTLE Analysis
Environmental Political Economic
e.g. Global warming and need to e.g. Tax policy; environmental e.g. growth/decline; exchange
switch to sustainable resources; regulations; trade restrictions; markers; agricultural market: wage
ethical sourcing; demand for political stability; programme for rates; working hours; labour force
remote working etc. government etc. etc.
Sociological Technological Legal

e.g. demographics; social issues; e.g. new and emerging e.g. organisational mandate;
diversity; career attitudes; technologies (Al, Robotics, changes in legislation impacting
university data for skills/ Blockchain etc.) impacts of these employment; quotas; access to
qualifications etc. on your organisation materials, resources etc.
Figure 4: PESTLE Analysis also that you understand your organisation’s operating model and environment
The operating model is the combination of roles, skills, structures, processes,
More information available from the assets and technologies that enable an organisation to deliver its services or
CIPD at https://www.cipd.co.uk/ product offerings.
Images/pestle-analysis-template_ A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis on your
tcm18-27107.pdf organisation is a good way to analyse your organisation’s overall operating
environment. It will help you identify the positive aspects of the organisation
Understanding your (what you are doing well); where there are aspects that are within your control
and detract from the value of your organisation in delivering in its mission for the
overall operating citizen; opportunities or external positive factors that exist that your organisation
environment can benefit from and threats or external negative factors that could place your
organisational strategy at risk.
As outlined earlier, strategic workforce
planning is informed by the business
strategy in the first instance and then
becomes integral to the business Strength (s) Weaknesses (w)
strategy delivery. e.g. What do you do well;
e.g. What do you lack or where
Therefore, it is vital not only that you internal resources (knowledge,
are there areas to improve
know your organisational strategy but skills, reputation, staff retention),
internally? (Skills, resources,
tangible assets such as use of
technology etc.)
technology etc.
Opportunities (O) Threats (T)

e.g. External factors beyond
e.g. External factors that
your control (Govt regulation,
can assist you to prosper
economy, health crisis, reduced
(technology, economic factors,
funding, increased competition
customer perception etc.)
etc.)
Figure 5: SWOT analysis
10
Section 3: Review current workforce
2. Understand
environment
Having analysed the internal and external environment of • Business process improvements
your organisation, you can now use workforce segmentation • Business activities and workflows
techniques and workforce analytics to identify the
knowledge, skills, abilities and other factors required for • New and/or specialist skill sets requirements
current and future workforce roles. Broadly speaking, the workforce for most organisations
can be segmented into four categories, in terms of relative
Workforce segmentation scarcity and business value or impact
While all roles are important, workforce segmentation helps

you to identify the roles that are most critical to meeting
Questions to ask business
your organisation’s strategy. leaders to help facilitate that
As a good place to start, is to group different job functions decision making would include:
into job families where people in these roles share a
• Are these roles on projects that will drive the achievement
similar level of competence such as skills, knowledge and
of the business objectives?
capabilities.
• Are these roles performing activities others cannot do or
It is important to involve senior management and
are not equipped to do?
business leaders to develop a shared understanding of
what constitutes ‘strategic or critical’ roles within your • If we lost this role, will it result in business disruption and/
organisation. or delivery of services to the citizen?
Business managers can provide insights on: • Are these roles engaged in work achieving results
that have a direct impact on the reputation of the
• Divisional and functional priorities organisation?
• New technologies (IT unit) • Are these roles contributing to building capability without
• Pay Bill (Finance unit) which achievement of organisational goals is at risk
Demand and Supply in the labour market
H
Value added specialist Business / Critical jobs
Jobs that require specialist training and scarce Jobs that have high impact and drive the future
skillsets to find in some labour markets strategy of the organisation
Administrators Core jobs

Jobs that are administrative in nature and do Jobs that are repetitive in nature and are at the
not require specialist skills heart of the organisation's core business
L L
Business Impact
Figure 6: Workforce segmentation
11
Data-sets for SWFP

Having broadly segmented the roles required, you need to assess your current workforce. The following list of data (though
not exhaustive) will assist you in developing your strategic workforce plan and inform business decision making;
Current employees
• Staff numbers (FTE and Headcount), grade, gender, years’ service, retirement eligibility
• Types of contracts, full/part-time, permanent, fixed term contract, secondment, contract
• Geographic location
• Specialist skills or qualifications
• Salary costs including overheads
Staff turnover
• Leavers – voluntary, retirements, dismissals, long term illness, death in service
• Destinations and reasons for leaving
• New hires by grade and gender and cultural background
• Patterns of internal movement – promotions, transfers, mobility
• Secondments
• Temporary Assignments
Skills, capabilities and attitudes
• Data on educational qualifications on entry
• Data on educational qualifications achieved post entry through refund of fees
• Data on work related training courses/modules completed
• Data on developmental training courses received
• Data on experience in different areas of work and duration
• Performance management data
• Learning and Development requirements
• Staff engagement survey results
Talent profile
• As per workforce segmentation exercise – identify critical roles by function, skill and knowledge
• Identification of key specialisms required to achieve strategic objectives
• Identification of high and low performers
• Identify development required by individuals and groups for career progression
External labour market
• Competitors for labour – terms and conditions offered
• Availability of skills required and locational imperatives
• Current unemployment and emigration rates
• Demand for remote working, work life balance and family friendly policies
• Employer of Choice issues
Appendix 2: Additional Data-sets for Strategic Workforce Planning
12
Section 4: Identify future workforce
2. Understand
environment
Model the future workforce

At the outset one of the definitions we cited for Strategic Workforce Planning was having - “The right people, with the right
skills, in the right roles, at the right time and the right cost’ is what will ultimately deliver the right results for an organisation”.
(CIPD)
The CIPD provide a very useful five ‘rights’ principle that can be applied when translating your organisational strategy to
workforce planning:
Right shape: the right

workforce composition
Right skills:
in terms of structure,
capabilities necessary to
purpose, ratio of managers
meet future goals and
to professional and
bridge current gaps
administrative staff, the
right demographic mix
Right location: Right size: the number

availability of people with of people for the jobs and
the right capabilities at skills needed to achieve
the right locations to meet your goals efficiently and
changing requirements effectively
Right cost:
an effective employee/
cost ratio, benchmarking
pay and reward, training
budgets, the cost of
recruitment, development
and mobility costs
Figure 7: Five rights principles
https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/workforce-planning-guide_tcm18-42735.pdf
13
How do you estimate your workforce requirements?

There are many methods for this, probably the best way to start is to meet with your business managers to discuss the roles
in their areas. A useful guide is provided by the SWFP Unit in Civil Service Human Resources Division.
Role of interest:
Anticipate changes Resulting scenario plans
Types of potential changes that will impact on the role
impacting on this role for simulation
Business growth/contraction
Competency/Skill changes
Flexible working / remote working
Geographic considerations
Technology changes
Business process changes
Environment changes
Social changes
Budget plays a very important part of forecasting future A typical process for scenario planning looks like this:
workforce requirements. If a budget (cost or headcount) has
already been set, then you can work out how many people
you can afford to employ. However, resources should be Identify
allocated or linked to levels of business activity. Driving Forces
Scenario planning
Scenario planning can tackle uncertainty directly by looking
further ahead at alternative views of the future. It is useful in Identify
Discuss the Scenario
assessing the risks of different organisation futures. While uncertainties
implications analysis and priorities
it cannot predict what will happen it allows us to look at
‘what if’ situations. We have seen key parameters change
in the past (e.g. Brexit, economic downturn etc.). Managing
unknowns and assumptions can be one of the harder parts
of workforce planning, however it creates a space to help us
Develop
consider what might occur in the future. plausible
Scenario planning allows us to identify specific uncertainties scenarios
or different realities and how they might affect our future
business operations.
Figure 8: Scenario Planning
Most recently the COVID-19 Health emergency has required
us to identify critical roles from our Business Continuity
Plans to enable us to continue to provide essential services Identify the workforce gaps
to our citizens. It has also necessitated the move to remote
working for a large number of roles, we need to prioritise this against future needs
into the future to meet the objectives for remote working
Remember identifying gaps while planning the workforce
outlined in the recent Programme for Government.
requirements of the future is not just about RECRUITMENT,
We should review our ‘lessons learned’ from this period, the information you have gathered to-date will help you
examine any operations and/or processes that have migrated identify the gaps you need to address, some of these include:
to alternative platforms and the impact that may have for
• Gaps where the likely availability of people is lower than
your future workforce requirements (numbers, skills etc.).
the needs, will need to develop existing staff or recruit
• Negative gaps, where you have more people in certain
groups than are needed, you may need to consider skills
development or redeployment
14
• Newly required specialist skills to meet the organisational What gaps do you have (or are likely to have) that are critical
mandate to achievement of the business strategy and are in high
• Gaps in skills, but not in numbers, you may need to look demand in the labour market? Is there capacity to build these
at training or re-skilling. Ensure you capture the required competencies from within your current workforce?
skills in future role profiles when recruiting Do you have gaps for specialist roles, which may be scarce to
find in the labour market and may be difficult or lengthy to
To back-fill or not to back-fill? build within your workforce?
Do you have gaps that are core to the delivery of your
Too often when an employee leaves, there is a reaction to
service, while these may not be scarce in the market, you will
either replace like for like or to re-distribute work amongst
need to consider how you can grow these skills from within
existing staff. The workforce is changing and therefore we
and also protect the skills currently within your workforce.
need to challenge ourselves in terms of the role and the type
of skills required into the future. Where gaps are identified that are administrative in nature
and freely available in the market, it will give you the
As referred to earlier and included at Appendix 2, our
opportunity to review the job roles and determine they
colleagues in the Property Registration Authority use this
could be streamlined or delivered by an alternative staffing
format with their Business Managers when discussing skills/
strategy.
knowledge gaps and possible solutions.
Once gaps have been identified, assigning an appropriate
Having established what the future may look like together
risk category is considered best practice. As with any
with the skills and competencies that may be required it is
risk management exercise, determining the level of risk
necessary to compare that information with the information
associated with each gap and the overall risk appetite of the
gathered from the analysis of your current workforce. Once
organisation is paramount. Identifying critical gaps in terms
the imbalances have been identified it will then be necessary
of risk (i.e. those which have both high likelihood and high
to prioritise based on their impact.
impact) is essential as it allows effective prioritisation and
the development of initiatives and risk mitigation strategies
Prioritisation of Gaps and Needs to address, or narrow, the gap. Risks identified should be
included in the organisation’s risk register.
Having segmented the roles earlier you can now prioritise
the workforce gaps and needs.
Demand and Supply in the labour market
Value added specialist Business / Critical jobs
Administrators Core jobs
L L
Business Impact
Figure 9: Prioritisation of Gaps and Needs
15
It is useful to summarise the action areas by workforce group and will assist you in drawing up your Action Plan. A template
such as the one below (with examples) may help you in doing this.
Workforce Future staffing Current Resourcing issues, Priority actions/options to mitigate

Group/roles need workforce risks, gaps risk
IT specialists • High attrition • 1 leaving within • Will need at least 5 • Support relevant professional
3 months over next 3 years training for existing staff
• 1 retirement by • Risk of inability to • Examine recruitment drive to college
year end recruit students
• Need to grow our
own expertise
Project Managers • Requirement • Insufficient • Short term • Look to buy skills for short term
to manage two resources requirement for 6 • Examine secondment opportunities
large projects to manage months from other areas
projects
• Look to develop skills within current
workforce
16
Section 5: Develop and

implement SWFP
2. Understand
environment
Once the gaps have been identified, analysed and prioritised • Increase learning and development opportunities
it will be possible to develop your Workforce development • Process redesign and improvement
plan which will set down how you intend to deal with them.
• Productivity improvement
The workforce development plan is an action plan detailing
• Re-skilling and up-skilling
the actions you will take to take to meet future needs. When
determining your plan, you should take the following options • Remote or Homeworking
into consideration:
• Redesign and remodelling of jobs Risk and options analysis
• Opportunities for joint delivery or shared services with When you are developing strategies and initiatives to address
partners your workforce gaps you will have several options. Some
• Sources of recruitment may address only one of your gaps, while other may address
several. The template below when populated can help
• Review of qualification and entry requirements for posts
assess the various strategies by comparing the gaps they will
that are difficult to recruit
address, noting the potential limitations of implementing the
• Greater job flexibility e.g. more flexible working strategies and initiatives.
Gaps to be Likelihood Consequence Risk Mitigation Other gaps Limitations Alignment Success Residual Est Responsibility
addressed / initiative that will be with Org likelihood risk Cost
options addressed objectives
E.g. Likely High High Introduce Pending Budgetary Key Org High
shortage graduate retirements constraints objective
Medium
of Policy policy with policy / graduate
Analysts programme skills over 3 supply Low
years
Figure 10: Risk and options analysis
As mentioned at the outset, SWFP is a continuous and not just a once off exercise. The plan should also include key
performance indicators to measure progress and clearly indicate resource implications. It should also take account of other
initiatives that may impact upon the plan.
The Action Plan

You can use the following style template to outline your chosen strategies and initiatives (in order of priority) and the
responsibilities, key performance indicators, timeline, milestones and resource requirements. As recommended at the outset, Line
Management and HR Managers should be involved in this process to ensure you develop a tangible and realistic Action Plan.
Strategies & Priority Responsibility KPI & target Timeline Milestones & deliverables Budget & resource
Initiatives requirements
E.g. introduce High HRM Jan 2021 Jan 2021 – advertise 1 x HR Staff
graduate (implementation) to June required for
Feb 2021 – interviews
policy 2021 duration of the
CEO (owner)
programme Mar 2021 – announce timeline
positions
June2021 – start date
Figure 11: The Action Plan
17
Section 6: Evaluate and revise the plan
2. Understand
environment
For SWFP to be effective it should be subject to regular • Are your organisation’s workforce planning assumptions
review and evaluation. The review process should be still valid?
integrated into the annual business planning process and • Do the workforce gaps still exist?
should be updated when major initiatives/changes are
planned. It should be included as a formal standing Agenda • Are there new emerging specialisms which should be
item at Senior Management/Board meetings. considered?
• Are the knowledge and skills of employees being
Ongoing monitoring and oversight also involves meeting
developed quickly enough to become effective?
reporting requirements to DPER, Internal Audit, C&AG
audits, Compliance reports, oversight by a parent • Do new recruits have the needed knowledge, skills and
Department or non-executive board etc. level of expertise?
The following may assist when monitoring and evaluating: • Have all risks identified been mitigated?
• Business Plan targets, outcomes and performance Workforce plans should be reviewed by management teams
indicators on a regular basis, not only to see if planned actions are taking
place, but also to check that the plans remain relevant.
• Business Activity levels
Some critical issues to monitor and report on include:
• Productivity levels
• Staff in post and costs (salary plus overheads) including
• Backlogs and progress made in eliminating these
temporary and agency staff, as well as any contractors
• Planned actions and strategies and progress with the
• If staffing is on track against requirements
implementation of these
• Changes in employee composition (remember diversity of
• Individual staff objectives and proposed outcomes
staff is proved to add value to an organisation)
• Proposed system and organisational changes and progress
• Workforce flows – starters/leavers compared to previous
with these
years, exit interviews, employee surveys, and retirement
• Monitoring of actual costs and benefits against business trends
plan estimates
• Review of workforce risks, including talent availability,
• Qualitative information and performance indicators labour market, succession planning etc.
in such areas as organisational culture, values,
See Appendix 4 for a table including a number of review
communication and change and staff views regarding
processes and reporting basis which should be considered as
these
part of your strategic workforce planning process.
• Did your workforce projects achieve their objectives?
• Reflect on learning that has occurred. What worked well?
What could be improved?
• Were there any unexpected outcomes?
• Were the actions and strategies completed and do they
fulfil the goals?
• Did the action plan accomplish what your organisation
needed?
• Have the conditions changed so that the strategies and
actions need to be modified?
18
Section 7: Conclusion
Remember, SWFP is an ongoing process, the most important thing is to ‘start’, everything will not fall into place perfectly in
year 1 or indeed in year 2, however the learnings, data collection and analysis undertaken will help anticipate and address your
future workforce requirements to help achieve your organisational objectives.
(Some top tips on workforce planning from CIPD are included at Appendix 5)
19
Section 8: References and

useful resources
CIPD—Workforce Planning Practice
https://www.cipd.co.uk/Images/workforce-planning-guide_tcm18-42735.pdf
Workforce planning in the Irish Public Service
https://www.ipa.ie/_fileUpload/Documents/WORKFORCEPLANNING.pdf
Public-Service-Project-Management-Handbook.pdf
https://www.ops2020.gov.ie/app/uploads/2020/01/20191210_OPS-2020-Action-10-
Boyle R (2018), Public Sector Trends, The Institute of Public Administration [Accessed via https://www.ipa.ie/_fileUpload/
Documents/PUBLICSECTORTRENDS2018.pdf
DPER (2014) The Civil Service Renewal Plan – A Vision and Three Year action Plan for the Civil Service [Accessed via https://
www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/4171/101218152156-e1206bb2c0964a53888531e0c96c356e.pdf#page=1]
DPER. (2020) Our Public Service 2020 [online] [Accessed via https://www.ops2020.gov.ie/]
Health workforce planning models, tools and processes in five countries
https://www.hrb.ie/fileadmin/publications_files/Health_Workforce_Planning_Models_2016.pdf
20
Appendix 1
Property Registration Authority - Strategic Workforce Planning
Objectives
Overall Aim
To enhance the alignment in the PRA of HR Management
with its operational requirements and strategic goals and
thereby increase organisational agility when responding to
Government priorities and a changing environment.
Objectives
1. To maintain systematic data about the PRA workforce,
including any risks related to the achievement of strategic
goals.
2. To clearly articulate HR strategies aimed at rightsizing
the PRA workforce based on strategic priorities and
associated risks.
3. To facilitate collaboration with managers and the Finance
Unit in the proactive management of pay bill to enhance
workforce capacity and capability.
4. To facilitate opportunities for PRA staff to develop
themselves in line with the PRA’s strategic goals
5. To align annual business planning with the implementation
of workforce plans
6. To enhance strategic HR management in the PRA through
evidence based, transparent and accountable decision
making in the allocation of available resources
21
Appendix 2
Property Registration Authority – Divisional Planning Template –
WFP extract
6 Year X Workforce Planning (identifying and filling skills / knowledge gaps)

Existing Resources: X AP, X HEO, X EO, X CO, X RMD, X EIC, X EOM
Statistics on skills / knowledge gaps arising (inc. retirements, special leave arrangements etc.):
Under each heading list examples of initiatives planned and key performance indicators and any
innovations planned
Identifying and prioritising knowledge and skills gaps: Proactive absence management:
Prioritising casework: Proactive performance management:
Re-structuring/re-allocation/re-assignment of Optimising uptake of learning and Development

functions and work undertaken: interventions:
Business process interventions undertaken: Facilitating employee wellbeing and diversity:
Succession planning methods used: Knowledge management:
Future Innovations Planned:
22
Appendix 3
Recommended data collection for SWFP
Data Set Description Comments

Total Staff numbers Number of staff in each role, grade, To gather current position
section
Staff Numbers by FTE Number of Staff full time equivalents To gather current position
Staff Turnover Employee age & years’ service To understand trends for turnover in terms of age and
service
Retirement eligibility To understand predictions for possible future
retirements
Exits excluding retirements Who exited the organisation and destinations
(mobility, promotion, private sector etc.)
Geographic location If staff spread across a number of To help inform current position and future planning
offices
Remote /in office /hybrid To help inform current position and future planning
Gender balance Gender breakdown by grade To provide guidance for actions to build greater
gender balance
Mobility New hires by Grade and if new to To understand resource pool
civil/public service
Flexible working FTE vs Headcount, by grade and To inform the People Strategy and benchmark current
arrangements gender position
Career progression Number of internal promotions by To assist succession planning and inform the L&D
grade and gender strategy
Absence rate Number of long and short-term To understand trends and link to policies and people
absences strategies
Lost time rate
Gender/grade based?
Learning & Development Skills Register To assess current talent pool skills and competencies
Educational qualifications on entry To assess current talent pool skills and competencies
and achieved post entry through
refund of fees
Job specific training
Developmental training
Performance Management Participation rate To assist with succession planning and L&D planning
Performance Improvement Plans
Staff Costs Average cost by grade To support budget requirements
Staff Survey Survey reports To measure staff engagement, opportunities etc.
23
Appendix 4
Suggested review processes and reporting basis
Implementation and review forum Action Reporting basis

Management Board Quarterly update by HR Manager Standing item on Agenda
Compliance Unit Completion of annual Compliance Annual compliance report and provision of
template for Compliance Unit assurances to Accounting Officer
Budgetary Committee Participation in meetings by HR Oversight of budgetary expenditure including
Manager and Head of Operations paybill
Ongoing liaison between HR and Monthly monitoring of data on Ensuring adherence to projected workforce
Finance Unit paybill and staff numbers and planning figures
projected exits
Liaison with Financial Controller a requirement
of DPER guidelines
Performance oversight meetings Usually, twice yearly on progress Annual oversight and performance agreement
with Parent Department if (Accounting Officer, Head with Parent Department
applicable of Operations and Financial
Controller)
WFP returns to DPER (or Parent Workforce Planning iterations to Oversight by DPER
Department if applicable) DPER or Parent Department
Completion of updates as
requested
Annual Audit procedures Internal Audit external - service Audit and Risk Committee oversight
providers
Provision of assurances to Accounting Officer
Quality and Compliance Audits –
Quality Management framework
process and projects
Compliance obligations
C&AG Audits, annual
appropriation accounts review, Constitutional and parliamentary oversight
VFM review
24
Appendix 5
Top tips for Workforce Planning (provided from CIPD)
Start with the organisation strategy and the external factors that might affect the organisation; use scenario
planning to explore possible futures and identify risks.
Organise workforce planning to suit your organisation, for example; what is best done internally and what
needs to be done locally, what by HR and what by managers and leaders at different levels?
Clearly communicate responsibilities for workforce planning.
Ensure that whoever is tasked with workforce planning has the know-how they need. Asking the right kinds
of questions is a very good start. Access is also needed to relevant data, people in the organisation who
understand the issues, and decision-makers who are the customers for workforce planning.
Develop simple but reliable and relevant data about organisation activity and the workforce, with data fields
classified and reported in a consistent manner.
Focus workforce planning activities on the real resourcing risks. These tend to arise in workforce groups that
are key to organisational performance – such as critical roles and roles that are hard to recruit for or take a
long time to train for.
Plan for workforce requirement and availability in terms of skills as well as numbers, so you can identify and
address current and upcoming skills gaps.
Plan for a stronger emphasis on growing skills internally and increasing the flexibility and resilience of
existing employees; this mitigates the risk of not being able to find skills externally.
Remember to look at how you will replace leavers from a job group (including those who move to other jobs
internally), not only to fill new roles. Planning for necessary workforce reductions is as important as planning
for growth.
Consider planning on varied timeframes for different purposes – not just the normal annual cycle but short-
term workforce deployment and longer-term strategic workforce planning. Workforce plans can also run
alongside specific organisation change programmes.
Use analysis to turn data into useful management information and insights, addressing real business
problems and informing decisions.
Use it to help managers surface and share their assumptions and understanding, to identify options and agree
on actions that better align the workforce with organisation needs. A workforce planning mind-set creates
habit of challenging assumptions and looking for relevant information to inform employment decisions.
Ensure workforce plans link to practical action in the recruitment, development and deployment of people,
and where appropriate in work design, reward and so on.
25
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Our Public Service 2020

Prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Strategic Workforce Planning Guide

Section 1 Getting Started

Section 2 Understand the organisation and its environment

Section 3 Review Current Workforce

Section 4 Identify the Future Workforce

Section 5 Develop and Implement Strategic Workforce Plans

Section 6 Evaluate and Revise the Plan

Section 8 References and useful resources

Appendix 2: Property Registration Authority – Divisional Planning Template – WFP extract

Appendix 3: Recommended data collection for SWFP

Appendix 4: Suggested review processes and reporting basis

Appendix 5: Top tips for Workforce Planning (provided from CIPD)

Figure 2: Phases of Project Management

Figure 3: Participation spectrum

Figure 4: PESTLE analysis

Figure 5: SWOT analysis

Figure 6: Workforce segmentation

Figure 7: Five rights principles

Figure 8: Scenario planning

Figure 9: Prioritisation of Gaps and Needs

Figure 10: Risk and Options analysis

Figure 11: The Action plan

Section 1 – Getting started

Workload Workforce Workforce Gap Analysis Office/Agency Monitor

• Changing Customer needs

Employee While it is convenient to describe Strategic Workforce

Pre-project Initiation Planning Execution Closure

• Needs assessment • Goals • Budget • Implementation • Closure Report

Figure 2: Phases of Project Management

Roles and Responsibilities

Senior Project Owner • Secretary General or Head of Office, as Accounting Officer

Workforce Project Manager/Lead • HR Manager

HR Business • Key member of SWFP team

Business • Translates business strategy into activities that drive workforce

Section 2 – Understand the

As part of the overall business planning in the Property

Awareness of strategy in your organisation –

Who in your organisation is responsible

Who has contributed to that strategy?

Is the strategy clear to the whole

Are you clear on how the organisation

Understanding the external environment

Sociological Technological Legal

Opportunities (O) Threats (T)

Figure 5: SWOT analysis

Section 3: Review current workforce

While all roles are important, workforce segmentation helps

Administrators Core jobs

Data-sets for SWFP

Appendix 2: Additional Data-sets for Strategic Workforce Planning

Section 4: Identify future workforce

Model the future workforce

Right shape: the right

Right location: Right size: the number

Figure 7: Five rights principles

How do you estimate your workforce requirements?

Value added specialist Business / Critical jobs

Appendix 2: Property Registration Authority – Divisional Planning Template – WFP extract