Lesson 1.Concept of Human Resources Planning

UNIT 1	CONCEPT OF HUMAN RESOURCES PLANNING

CONTENTS

1.0	Introduction 2.0	Objectives 3.0	Main Content 3.1	Human Resource Planning 32	Definition 3.3	Focus of Human Resource Planning 3.4	Process of Human Resource Planning 4.0	Conclusion 5.0	Summary 6.0	Tutor Marked Assignment 7.0	References/Further Readings

1.0	INTRODUCTION

Dear students, you are welcome to this particular unit Human Resource Planning. In this unit we are going to learn about the concept of planning as it applies to Human Resources, we will look at the definition from various authors, and also the focus of Human Resource Planning.

This course will be much more interesting to you if you will get to understand this unit. Give this unit all the attention it deserves.

2.0	OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, you will be able to do the following:

•	Explain the concept of Human Resource Planning •	Define Human Resource Planning •	Identify the focus of Human Resource Planning •	Analyse the process of Human Resource planning.

3.0	MAIN CONTENT

3.1	Human Resource Planning

Effective and efficient managing of staff require a broad process called known as Human Resource Planning. It constitute one of the major strategies to enhance and improve work performances, this it does by removing deficiencies and prevent deficiencies from occurring.

Human Resource Planning helps the organization to tap efficiently talents which will help to integrate both the individual and organizational goal. This will consequently minimize some of the problem associated with low productivity absenteeism and labour turn over.

These reasons have made Human Resource Planning to become a major objective in organizations.

The process of Human Resource Planning include analysis of level of skill in the organization (skill inventory) analysis of current and expected vacancies due to retirement, discharges, transfers, promotions; sick leaves, leaves of absence or other reasons and analysis of current and expected expansions as pointed out by

This also indicates that plan has to be made internally by the Human Resources for training and development of present employee, for advertising job opening recruiting and hiring new people.

A good Human Resource Planning must respond appropriately to the rapid changing in the society and must go beyond forecasting to all aspect of Personnel Management.

3.2	Definition

Human Resources Planning is defined as the process of assessing an organization’s human resources needs in the light of organizational goals and changing condition and making plans to ensure that a competent, stable workforce is employed. The actual planning process will vary a great deal from organization to organization.

However, James Walker pointed out that for some companies, human resources planning is essentially management succession and development planning.

For others it is the staffing process which include forecasting and planning for recruitment, deployment, development and attrition of talent in relation to changing needs.

Increasingly, however, it is a broader process addressing multiple levels for increasing organization effectiveness on the management of Human Resources.

According to Walker, effective human resources planning is a process of analyzing an organization human resources needs under changing condition and development of the activities necessary to satisfy those needs.

Walker sees human resources planning as two step processes, planning as they pertain to all aspects of personnel management. This will include for example planning with respect to desired organizational climate and development of staff reward and appraisal system appropriate to short range and long range organizational goals. This implies that help must be proactive and as well as reactive.

Pattern states that Human Resource Planning is the process by which a firm ensures that it has the right number of people and the right kind of people in the right place at the right time doing things for which they economically most useful.

Fayana (2002) emphasized that human resource planning deals with the systematic and continuing process of analyzing a firm’s human resources needs under mutating conditions and developing workforce policies suitable to the long-term effectiveness of the organization. It is a vital part of corporate planning and budgeting procedure since human resources costs and forecasting both effect and are affected by long-term corporate plans.

SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 1

i.	Explain the concept of Human Resources Planning. ii. Give two definitions of Human Resources Planning.

3.3	Focus of Human Resource Planning

According to Bramham, Torrington and Hall, the process of matching future organizational requirement with the supply of properly qualified, committed and experience staff in the right place at the right time. These staff can be drawn from both the internal and external labour market.

This requires a focus on the following:

1.	An assessment of future product market trends and requirement. 2.	A specification of the type and numbers of staff required to satisfy these product market trends and requirement. 3.	An estimate of the type and number of staff likely to be employed by the organization in five years. 4.	A specification of the number/type of staff to be recruited or made redundant. 5.	A development plan for restraining and re-focusing existing staff and, if appropriate, for recruiting additional staff from the external analysis. 6.	A re-examination of broader business strategies in the light of this analysis.

3.4	The Process of Human Resource Planning

The process of Human Resource Planning by Michael Armstrong.

4.0	CONCLUSION

In this unit, we discovered the Human Resources Planning is one of the strategies to enhance and improve work performance this it does by removing deficiencies and prevent it from occurring.

Human resources planning include analysis of level of skill, current and expected vacancies and also provide plans to take care of the vacancies through training, development and recruiting and hiring new people.

The challenging function of Human resources demands matching future organizational requirement with the supply of right kind of staff. This imperatively necessitate that Human Resource to be focused in meeting the requirement of the organization.

5.0	SUMMARY

In the unit, we have learnt that Human Resources Planning helps the organization to tap efficiently talents, which will help to integrate both the individual and organizational goal. We have also looked at some definitions which include Human resources as the process of assessing an organization’s human resources needs in the light of organizational goals and changing condition and making plans to ensure that a competent, stable workforce is employed.

The need for focus in Human Resources Planning was ex-rayed and finally we considered the diagram of the process of Human Resource Planning.

6.0	TUTOR MARKED ASSIGNMENT

1.	Critically analyse James Walker definition of Human Resource Planning. 2.	Draw the diagram depicting the flow of human resources planning.

7.0	REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS

Emeka Iheanacho Corporate Human Resources 	Managmenet, Manid David Shomolu Lagos.

Obisi Chris (1996) Personnel Management Kis Printing Press, 	Orita, Ibadan.

Wendell L. French (1974) The Personnel Management Houghton 	Mifflin Company Boston. UNIT 2	OBJECTIVE OF HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING