Human Resource Planning

Definition

Human Resource Planning (HRP) is the process of anticipating and making provision for the movement of people into, within, and out of an organization.

Purpose

The purpose of Human Resource Planning (HRP) is to deploy human resources as effectively as possible, where and when they are needed in order to achieve organizational goals. (Bohlander, Snell, & Sherman, 2001. p. 122).

Reasons for Human Resource Planning

The major reasons for planning formally for human resources are to achieve:

(a) More effective and efficient use of people at work. Without advance planning, an organization is not likely to do recruitment, selection and training of employees effectively. Similarly, without advance planning, an organization is not likely to use the human resources it has efficiently. Without Human Resource Planning, an organization can find itself having more employees in a particular area than it needs while having fewer than needed in other areas.

(b) More satisfied and better developed employees. Human resources planning gives a better chance to employees to participate in planning their own careers, and also in training and development. Advance planning also gives employees a better chance to utilize their talents. Employees are more likely to have greater satisfaction with their jobs, and there will be lower absenteeism, lower turnover, fewer accidents, and higher quality of work.

(c) More effective equal employment opportunity (EEO) planning. Advance planning enables the organization to take EEO requirements into account in making recruitments, selection, training and development. Without advance planning, an organization can be violating EEO requirements without knowing.