3.1

Question 1

What are the factors involved in workforce planning?

Answer 1

Size of the workforce
Skills of the workforce
Availability of the workforce
Training requirements of the workforce
Inductions
On-the-job training
Off-the-job training
Internal training
External training

Question 2

What are the factors of the size of the workforce?

Answer 2

Need enough employees to perform all tasks to a good standard
Would new staff need to be recruited to take on a new project§

Question 3

What are the factors of the skills of the workforce?

Answer 3

Employees should communicate effectively
Info needs to be communicated accurately and appropriately according to who they are communicating with
Need to communicate with external stakeholders
Planning, organisational, analytical, problem solving, good time management skills enable deadlines to be met.
Ability to plan, organise and prioritise tasks

Question 4

What are the factors of the availability of the workforce?

Answer 4

Right people with the right skills at the right time
Skills audit will allow a review of the existing skills of employees to be compared to skills expected in the future
Can fill the skills gap either through training or recruitment

Question 5

What are the factors of the training requirements of the workforce?

Answer 5

Skills audit will provide info on the training needs of employees

Question 6

What are the factors of an induction?

Answer 6

Introduces the business to new employees (aims and objectives, culture and values)
Helps new employees to be productive asap
Recognises to the employee and employer if they are the correct fit for the role

Question 7

What are the factors of on-the-job training?

Answer 7

No working time is lost
No extra cost
Coaching - using an experienced member of staff to provide instructions or demos
Mentoring - assigning a knowledgable member of staff to guide a trainee through a task, offering support when needed
Job rotation - employees work on different jobs to learn new skills and knowledge
Shadowing - working alongside an experienced member of staff to learn how a job is done

Question 8

What are the factors of off-the-job training?

Answer 8

Provided away from the usual job
May be necessary for employees to learn new information
More expensive as employees are sent to another organisation

Question 9

What are the factors of internal training?

Answer 9

Employees are trained within the organisation
On the job or off the job

Question 10

What are the factors of external training?

Answer 10

Takes place outside the organisation
Employees could be attending conferences, training sessions or taking classes
More expensive than internal
Can be necessary