Why do we need organizational continuity? Isn’t it enough to be profitable? One might wonder. Organizational continuity is a much broader concept than a business being profitable.
There are businesses that are profitable but are mostly having internal bottlenecks and cultural issues. For example, there could be high employee turnover, with constant product or service quality issues, and high customer complaints. Hence the profitability will not last long.
Organizational continuity refers to businesses having a strategic approach and a workable contingency blueprint to deal with difficult situations the businesses face.
This supports the organization to continue its smooth functioning with limited disruptions. The organizational system itself is designed to deal with what’s been thrown its way toward success.
Many perceive Workforce planning as a mere “HR process” but as an essential pillar in ensuring organizational continuity.
But workforce and workforce planning play a vital role in the process of organizational continuity.
“Workforce planning is a core process of human resource management that is shaped by the organizational strategy and ensures the right number of people with the right skills, in the right place at the right time to deliver short- and long-term organizational objectives.” (CIPD, 2010).
It is important to ensure that businesses are staffed properly to avoid being overstaffed or understaffed. Both these scenarios can be an additional cost for the organization.
The employees of an organization are its highest-valued asset. And better they’re being placed accurately better the results.
Let’s see how workforce planning is ensuring organizational continuity.
Develops a strategic roadmap to achieve business goals.
Workforce planning brings the strategic plan to life by aligning workforce supply and demand with the organization’s goals. It transforms the strategic plan from mere words on paper into a tangible path toward success. Many small firms
It helps in forecasting future needs.
Instead of focusing solely on immediate staffing requirements, workforce planning takes a forward-looking approach. It considers labour market trends, technological advancements, and sustainable methods to streamline job responsibilities, enabling the organization to prepare for future needs proactively.
Identifying staffing gaps and enhancing efficiency.
Through an evaluation process, workforce planning identifies any gaps in staffing and areas of inefficiency. This allows the organization to address these issues and make necessary corrections, optimizing the efficiency and effectiveness of its workforce.
Utilizing data-driven HR decisions.
Workforce planning relies on data and statistics, enabling informed decision-making within the HR department. By using data to support their decisions, HR leaders and company management can gain confidence and provide evidence to stakeholders regarding the rationale behind their actions.
Facilitating succession planning.
With its focus on future needs, workforce planning plays a crucial role in succession planning. By identifying potential gaps in leadership and development, organizations can implement training and development programs to groom future leaders, ensuring a smooth transition when current leaders retire.
Enhancing employee retention.
Effective workforce planning, with its clear roadmap, transparent standards, and appropriate staffing levels, often leads to improved employee retention rates.
Employees are neither overwhelmed nor underutilized; instead, they are provided with development opportunities and a sense of unity in working towards a common goal aligned with the organization’s strategic plan.
And all these efforts are directing at the business continuity of an organization.
