Identifying manpower requirement

There is a relative lack of

knowledge about analyzing
manpower requirements and
it is important that this
should change and a
coherent framework be
developed
Manpower requirements are
not concerned with number
but more importantly with
type and quality.

Identifying manpower requirement

For in demand
analysis and
forecasting
the purpose is
not to
estimate
workload but
to estimate
how many
employees are
required to
meet that
workload.

Investigating manpower demand

Before it is possible to forecast

manpower requirement, it is
essential that the manager should
understand the employment
process in the firm.
Involvement in, or at least
knowledge of, business planning is
vital. The manager should know
what problems the firm has and
what major impending changes
there are so that he can express
them in manpower terms.

Does the work need to be

done?
Are the correct numbers
of employees doing it?
Have the employee the
requisite skills?
Could investment (say in
machinery) reduce total
costs or are there other
ways and means of
carrying out the work?

Does the work need to be done ?

The question of whether a particular task

needs to be done or whether it is done in the
most productive way is simple stated but the
difficulty of doing it should not be
underestimated in practice. The manager who
attempts this will find himself challenging
value judgments about particular operations.

It is worth noting that poor productivity may

result not from poor individual effort but from
wasteful tasks. In time , of course, the
employee becomes aware of the wasteful
nature of his task and the debilitating effect
this has on his confidence may well result in
his individual performance.

Are the correct number of

employee doing it ?

Have the employee the requisite

skills?

Comparisons with other plants, factories

or departments are alternative method
which will probably bring out the worst.

One important factor of developing

employee performance is throw
training program.
The success of the training boards
has no doubt been limited by some
employee lack of commitment to
the idea and by the lack of clear
idea of requirements before
training took place.
Rapid change in methods and
technology increase the possibility
of employee skills being outdated.

 Could investment
reduce total costs ?

The manager will be concerned

with identifying areas where
capital equipment will help
employee do this job better or
more efficiently.
manager may also be able to
reduce the number of employees
by using more capital or
alternatively maintain
employment but increase output.

Forecasting manpower requirements

Time-Scale of forecasts
Rate of change and product and product time-cycle
Detail of forecast required
Importance of assumptions