Workforce Planning

Analyzes the workforce to ensure the organization has suitable access to talent to ensure future business success.

Level 1 Introductory: Demonstrates introductory understanding and ability and, with guidance, applies the competency in a few, simple situations. Can direct people to the appropriate source for further information.

BEHAVIORS

Identifies the basic principles of human resource planning.

Analyzes the impact of human resource planning on recruitment in the organization.

Contributes to the development of human resource plans.

QUESTIONS

Describe a time where you gathered the information for use in preparing the HR Plan.

Probing Questions

* What data did you identify as necessary?

* What sources did you go to?

* What specific information did you amass?

* What analysis of the data sources and the data itself did you do?

* Was the data sufficient and appropriate?

Describe a situation where you were tasked with working with the recruitment team to develop recruitment plans.

Probing Questions

* What were your role and deliverables?

* How did you determine the information that was most valuable to recruiters?

* What information and analysis did you provide as input for the plan?

* What impact did your activities have on the content of the recruitment plan?

* Was the recruitment team satisfied with your level of input?

Level 2 Basic: Demonstrates basic knowledge and ability and, with guidance, can apply the competency in common situations that present limited difficulties.

BEHAVIORS

Analyzes data and reports from human resources databases.

Defines objectives and goals for human capital planning and workforce management.

Identifies skills gaps and diversity needs of the workforce.

Applies various methods to identify and quantify staffing requirements.

QUESTIONS

Tell us about a time when you were charged with analyzing the workforce capacity of the organization.

Probing Questions

* What data sources and analysis approach did you select?

* What factors were relevant in your work on this?

* What did you use to measure the existing knowledge, skills and abilities of the existing workforce?

* How did you identify the required knowledge, skills and abilities?

* What did you report as gaps and needs of the workforce?

When have you had the opportunity to develop goals and targets for recruitment and development?

Probing Questions

* What background information did you require?

* What actions did you take to get the specific data?

* Who did you consult and why?

* Were the goals and targets you identified accepted in the organization?

Level 3 Intermediate: Demonstrates solid knowledge and ability, and can apply the competency, with minimal or no guidance, in the full range of typical situations. Would require guidance to handle novel or more complex situations.

BEHAVIORS

Collaborates with management to develop strategies that address actions to deal with the gaps and meet future requirements.

Develops criteria to evaluate workforce plans.

Establishes organization-wide human resource plans and projections to support organizational strategies.

Develops models to project the impact of solutions to planning requirements and gaps.

QUESTIONS

Describe a time you provided advice and guidance to managers who were identifying talent management options.

Probing Questions

* How did you assist with gap identification?

* How did you help them determine what development the current staff needed?

* How did you assist them in preparing plans to recruit for new or missing talents?

* What actions did you take to ensure that this exercise would fit with and support the broader HR plan for the organization?

* What was the result?

Tell us when you compiled and consolidated organizational units' HR plans into an organization-wide HR plan.

Probing Questions

* Who else was involved and what were their roles?

* What information standards and criteria did you identify for individual units to use?

* What were the most important areas for consolidation and why?

* What value did you add beyond putting the plans together?

* Did the resultant organization-wide plan receive approval?

Level 4 Advanced: Demonstrates advanced knowledge and ability and can apply the competency in new or complex situations. Guides other professionals.

BEHAVIORS

Identifies emerging criteria and trends in planning future human resources processes in the organization.

Aligns workforce planning activities with organizational mission/objectives/goal.

Identifies labor, political, industrial and social environment issues in recommending revisions to human resources policies, practices and plans.

QUESTIONS

Discuss a time you reviewed the organization's strategic business plans to identify effects on the workforce.

Probing Questions

* What trends and changes did you see that could impact the workforce?

* How did you analyze these trends and determine the necessary workforce changes?

* Who did you discuss potential changes with and what was their input?

* How did you prepare the information, analysis and conclusions for presentation?

* What effect did your review have on existing and future HR plans?

Describe a time you examined the external environment to determine its impact on the existing HR plan.

Probing Questions

* What areas did you consider relevant for examination?

* How did you go about determining the potential impact of external forces on the labor market?

* What process did you use to combine this information with known internal HR issues and challenges?

* What did you determine was the necessary action after considering this dynamic?

* Did the senior management team accept and take action as you recommended?

Level 5 Expert: Demonstrates expert knowledge and ability, and can apply the competency in the most complex situations. Develops new approaches, methods or policies in the area. Is recognized as an expert, internally and/or externally.

BEHAVIORS

Establishes accountability measures to implement human resources planning.

Establishes monitoring, evaluation and accountability mechanisms to facilitate comprehensive integrated reporting.

Implements an appropriate governance structure to foster dialogue between stakeholders.

QUESTIONS

Describe a situation where you resolved a difference of opinion on HR priorities amongst key executives.

Probing Questions

* What role did you assume in this situation?

* How did you move forward on establishing a constructive dialogue between these individuals?

* What was your biggest challenge in dealing with this situation?

* How did you determine the best course of action?

* Were you successful in resolving the situation?

Tell us about a time you had the opportunity to strengthen the overall governance structure for Workforce Planning in the organization.

Probing Questions

* Why did you feel that it was so important to do so?

* What specific elements did you identify as requiring change?

* How did you determine what changes would be productive?

* What actions did you undertake to ensure the changes would be accepted?

* Did your tactics work and was the structure improved?