"In agile environments, leadership is not about command and control but about context and collaboration, guiding the workforce through change with vision and flexibility."

In an environment where skills and preferences become obsolete in months rather than years, the only way for companies to compete is to build agile workforces.

An agile workforce is a flexible and adaptable group of employees who can quickly respond to changing business needs and market demands. 

Although it’s tempting to think that hiring the right people can create this outcome, the entire employee experience is at play.

feat. Adam Gibson

What is agile workforce planning?

Agile workforce planning is an ongoing approach to creating the right capability within your workforce to align with and meet the business objectives.

If we assume that around 60-70 plus percent of your total operating cost is going to be related to people, then why wouldn’t you align it?

Agile workforce planning approach

  1️⃣  We start by baselining the organization. We need to understand the strategy, what the organization is trying to do and why.

  2️⃣  Then we are looking at the supply of the workforce. What do we expect the workforce to look like over time, how is it going to change, what’s the turnover?

  3️⃣  Then we do the same in terms of demand for people. We look at what the organization is trying to do and how that translates into a different need for people.

  4️⃣  With all that, we do the gap analysis. What’s the gap between what we need and what we have now.

  5️⃣  Up next is the action plan to achieve the goal.

  6️⃣  The last stage is when we deliver. The workforce plan is executed, delivery is monitored, and assumptions are revisited.

🔽 Read Transcription from YouTube video

View the workforce as a fluid resource that can be adapted, reshaped, and developed in real-time to meet evolving business needs. Flexible Talent Management encourages internal career movements, cross-functional projects, and role rotations to build a more adaptable and skilled workforce

How to Do It:

1. Assess Current Workforce Capabilities

# Conduct skills audits to understand which new roles and challenges interest current employees and what they can take on in the future.

# Create an internal talent pool by identifying potential candidates who can fill new roles quickly.

2. Implement Continuous Learning and Development

# Establish a culture of continuous learning by offering regular training, workshops, and online courses.

# Encourage employees to pursue certifications and skills relevant to future organizational needs.

3. Foster Agile Team Structures

# Design teams with cross-functional capabilities that can quickly adapt to new projects or shifts in strategy.

# Promote agile methodologies within teams to enhance flexibility, such as Scrum or Kanban.

4. Use Technology to Enhance Flexibility

# Implement workforce planning software that allows for real-time tracking of skills, performance, and development needs.

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