Strategic Human Resource Planning and Staffing

Abstract

Chapter Overview Job analysis identifies the duties and human requirements for each of the company's jobs. The next logical step is to decide which of these jobs need to be filled and how to fill them. This entails carrying out human resource planning (HRP). It involves linking business strategies to future manpower needs, forecasting labour demand and supply, and laying down the human resource (HR) plan to meet the labour needs. Thereafter, staffing is carried out, which typically involves recruitment, selection, and placement. This chapter deals with all these issues. Learning Objectives To understand the concept of strategic human resource planning To identify the steps involved in strategic human resource planning To understand the process of staffing involving recruitment, selection, and placement To develop an understanding of strategic staffing issues OPENING STORY Strategic Manpower Planning in Indian Armed Forces Human Resource Development is an essential command function and, in this context, it needs to be understood that the soldier of tomorrow has to be an innovator who can combine imagination and knowledge with action . —Indian Army Doctrine (2004) Some time back, the Ministry of Defence, India, indicated that the Indian Armed Forces were short of 9,845 officers at the level of majors/lieutenant colonels and equivalent ranks. These figures indicate that the army was short of 7,899 officers, followed by the navy with 1,499 officers and air force with 357 officers. Several questions arise: Why is there a shortage of officers? Why are there impediments to lateral induction of service personnel into the armed forces? How can the services provide better promotion avenues or reduce its alarming suicide rates? All these issues directly or indirectly concern the realm of ‘strategic manpower planning’. Manpower needs of the armed forces are more complex than that of the corporate world. The requirement of the armed forces to commit soldiers to extreme conditions necessitates a deep understanding and knowledge of human capital management. Human capital development in the armed forces is an extremely vital issue because the strength of the organization has always been its manpower. It has been aptly said that platforms and organizations do not defend the country, people do; units and formations do not sacrifice and take risks for the nation, people do!