Human Resource Management has expanded and moved beyond mere administration of traditional activities of employment, labor relations, compensation, training programs and benefits.
Today HRM is much more integrated into both the management and the strategic planning process of the organization.
One reason for this expanded role is that the organizational enviroment has become much more diverse and complex.
Diversity in the work force encompasses many different dimensions, including gender, race, national origin, religion, age, and disability.
Diversity in the workplace presents new and different challenges for all managers.
Other challenges are the result of changes in goverment requirements, organization structures, technology, and global management approaches.
(HRM-6th Edition)

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Human Resource Planning

One of the approaches in HR Planning is “needs forecasting”, means properly conducted planning and budgetting yield estimates of future demand,supply, and net human resource needs accepted as valid by managers. In the past, forecasting has been enhanced by:
- Including human resource forecasting in the budgeting cycle, requiring submission of plans along with financial budgets.
- Requiring estimates of needs from each organizational unit (bottom up), so that unit managers are commited to them.
- Analyzing supply through computerized models (forecasting flows of employees in, up, across, and out of the organization).
- Careful reviews of facts and forecast assumptions by senior executives, in authorizing future staffing levels.
The changing factors in an organization can influence the policy in Human Resource Strategic Planning:
- Demographic Changes.
We should recognize that significant shifts are taking place in the composition of our population and, consequently, in our labor force.
Because everyone in the total work force for the next twenty years has already been born, it is instructive to analyze demographic information. - Economic Changes
The economic conditions affect human resource management and its planning, the inflation recentlya fact of life, plays havoc with personnel cost. As costs of interviewing, recruiting, relocating, training, and compensating employees rise, we are impelled to do a better job of planning.
- Technological Change
The development and application of new technologies have been significant forces in shaping organizationsand management practices. The advent of advanced technologies in production and transportation systems, communications, computers, energy, medcine, and the life sciences, and the use of materials and natural resources have brought major changes in the way organizations function. Future technological change will undoubtedly pose challenges for futher adaption, particularly in areas concerning human resource planning.
- Legal and Regulatory Conditions
Human resource management practices are increasingly influenced by laws. Employment discrimination laws pose very apparent and direct constraints and demands on human resource planning.
- Changing Attitudes toward Work and Careers
In fact, much of legislation affecting human resources is attributable to changing social attitudes toward work, management, and governmental intervention. Also, the growth of the work force due to entry of women reflects changing attitudes toward work and sex roles.
Human Resource Planning Activities, includes:
a. Formulating Human Resource Strategies
b. Managing Relationship with Managers
c. Personal Professional Activities
d. Manage The Human Resource Function
e. Collecting and Analyzing Data
f. Designing and Using Forecasting System
g. Managing Career Development
h. Other Activities
Implementation in Organization
Almost all activities mentioned above are implemented in organization, including setting up strategy, management commitment, organizing work and activities, setting up schedules and priorities, collecting and analyzing internal and external data, implementing forecasting system, setting up career planning, human resource development (training, placing and promoting), conducting personal appraisal and unit performance appraisal.
Usually company hire International HR Consultants to assist the management, accompanied by professional assessors and work as special Teamwork supported fully by system and facilities of Assessment Center.
Of course to improve the system, mechanical and clinical aspect in test-material from time to time due to the changing of users demand and the progress of technology and business.
The constraints or restraining forces and driven forces that come from the employee in developing organization should be considered seriously, including how to find out management and employees support and commitment.
At early stage of human resource’s changes due to developing organization should be oriented to short term interest and its relation to the long term goal of company’s objective.
This kind of activitiy is known as ‘socialization process’ should be address primerily to all management of departments outside human resource dept. After getting understand and support of all management, the next step is trying to approach employee level via their superiors and others employees of ‘the driven forces’ group. It is not easy effort, take longer time and more patience and show the benefit not only to the whole organization but to their department respectively as well.
Of course all constraints or restraining forces could not be eliminated all at once, ‘the question and answer’ sessions should be in open and confident atmosphere.
The relationship, function and role of strategic planning, work analysis, job specification and job description in HR Planning Process. Strategic planning could be consider as prominent guidance of HR - Planning and identified to suggest the potential impact of human – resource issues on business achievements.
Linking HR Planning with Strategic Planning involves focusing on major changes planned in the business, includes: The possible external constraints and requirements; the implication for management practices, organization, development and succession; and the preparation in the short term to prepare for long term needs.
Work analysis is important element of HR Planning, to know how a person perfoms a job, what is the achievement, and the composition of a job is valuable for purpose of designing jobs and organization structure, defining job requirements, career paths, identifying training and development needs, defining management succession needs, and planning and reviewing performance.