Many businesses do not consider it important to implement or improve a workforce strategy, despite the fact that many experts say such measures will grow in importance as employers compete for talented workers.
Research by the ManpowerGroup indicates that 78 percent of employers are either struggling to implement their workforce strategy or do not have one at all, Human Resource Executive Online (HREO) reports. Workforce strategy is crucial so organizations have the talent they need to accomplish their objectives, analysts said, and the failure to recognize that fact may impede business success. Employers have demanded more from their workers to strengthen productivity, but some say that method has been pushed as far as it can go.
Further improvements will require hiring, for many businesses, and that means that selecting and attracting skilled workers is becoming more important. Training for new employees may be more important than it has been in recent years for some companies, since the recession has not encouraged expansion. In light of that fact, it may be time to plan a workforce strategy to balance new and experienced workers.
Strong strategies may improve flexibility
Workforce strategies may be less common among and more useful for smaller companies, one researcher said. Smaller businesses have fewer resources and employees, so using their talents more efficiently can be critical. Strategies may also help companies adapt in the years ahead, as health reforms and other policy changes are implemented. Significant changes to the tax code, government spending and other factors may impact companies in the near future. Adjusting employee benefits may not be the most major change that organizations are called on to make, despite the importance and expense of health insurance.
"HR professionals need to have a willingness to expand their thinking about what it takes to develop their talent pipeline," said Julian Alssid, executive director of the Workforce Strategy Center. "Doing this well often means working with partners they may not historically work with – like community colleges and other kinds of education and training organizations."
It may be time to change aspects of recruitment and management for many organizations. Experts note that HR specialists may sometimes make their work more difficult by trying to focus too broadly, covering every aspect of their responsibilities equally. Instead, they should consider whether their business is expanding, contracting or making other changes, and align their priorities accordingly.
