ISO 30409 : HR WORKFORCE PLANNING
HR Workforce Planning
ISO 30409 is an international standard that provides guidelines and a framework for workforce planning, which is the process of aligning an organization’s human resources with its strategic goals and objectives. Workforce planning helps organizations to anticipate and respond to the current and future needs of the labor market, the dynamic international business environment and its increasing complexity.
According to ISO, workforce planning is “the systematic identification, analysis and planning of current and future workforce needs to achieve organizational objectives”. It involves four main phases: getting started, analyzing the data, developing and implementing an action plan, and monitoring and evaluating the results.
ISO 30409 was published in 2016 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is a global network of national standards bodies that develops voluntary, consensus-based standards for various fields and sectors. ISO 30409 was developed by Technical Committee ISO/TC 260, Human resource management, which consists of experts from different countries and organizations.
ISO 30409 is intended for use by any organization regardless of size, industry or sector. It is scalable to the needs and context of each organization. It also provides value to different stakeholders, such as employers, employees, customers, suppliers, regulators, investors, unions, professional associations and communities.
ISO 30409 is part of a series of standards on human resource management that cover various aspects of managing people in organizations, such as recruitment, performance evaluation, learning and development, diversity and inclusion, health and safety, ethics and social responsibility.
Why is ISO 30409 important?
ISO 30409 is important because it can help organizations to develop and implement effective workforce planning strategies that are tailored to their specific context and needs. It can also help organizations to benchmark their workforce planning practices against international best practices and standards, and to communicate their workforce planning outcomes and value to internal and external stakeholders.
Workforce planning can help organizations to:
- Improve their performance and productivity
- Enhance their competitiveness and innovation
- Manage their risks and opportunities
- Optimize their human capital and talent management
- Increase their employee engagement and retention
- Support their social responsibility and sustainability
- Maintaining Good Working Conditions
- Improved Employee Relations
- Improved Employee Training and Development
- Identification of critical resources (human and other)
- A clear understanding of organizational goals by the entire workforce
- Improved contribution from the employees resulting in better productivity
- Reduced Project delays and halts resulting in better brand value
- Improved morale in the workplace
- Development of employee skills
What are the main features of ISO 30409?
ISO 30409 was published in 2016 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is a global network of national standards bodies. It was developed by Technical Committee ISO/TC 260, Human resource management, with input from experts and practitioners from various countries and sectors. It is part of a series of standards on human resource management that aim to improve organizational performance and sustainability by putting people at the heart of operations.
Some of the main features of ISO 30409 are:
- It is applicable to any organization regardless of size, industry or sector.
- It covers the value, structure, process and key components of workforce planning.
- It provides a checklist of activities and considerations for each phase of workforce planning: getting started, analysing the data, risk management, implementation and evaluation.
- It emphasizes the importance of stakeholder engagement, communication, collaboration and alignment throughout the workforce planning process.
- It supports continuous improvement and innovation in workforce planning practices.
How can organizations implement ISO 30409?
ISO 30409 does not prescribe a specific method or tool for workforce planning. Instead, it provides a general framework that can be adapted to different contexts and situations. The framework consists of six steps:
- Define the scope and objectives of workforce planning. This involves identifying the purpose, scope, time horizon, and expected outcomes of workforce planning, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the people involved.
- Analyze the current workforce. This involves collecting and analyzing data on the current size, composition, skills, performance, and potential of the workforce, as well as identifying any gaps or issues that need to be addressed.
- Forecast future workforce needs. This involves projecting the future demand for workers based on the organizational strategy, goals, and plans, as well as considering external factors such as market trends, customer expectations, technological developments, and regulatory changes.
- Develop workforce strategies. This involves developing and evaluating various options for meeting the future workforce needs, such as hiring new employees, developing existing employees, redeploying or reassigning employees, outsourcing or contracting out work, or reducing or restructuring the workforce.
- Implement workforce strategies. This involves executing the chosen strategies according to a detailed action plan that specifies the tasks, resources, timelines, and responsibilities for each strategy.
- Monitor and evaluate workforce planning. This involves measuring and assessing the results and impacts of workforce planning against the predefined objectives and indicators, as well as identifying any lessons learned or areas for improvement.
ISO 30409 is a useful standard that can help organizations to plan their workforce effectively and efficiently. By following the guidelines and framework provided by ISO 30409, organizations can ensure that they have the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time to achieve their strategic objectives.
If you are interested in implementing ISO 30409 in your organization, you can contact us for more information. We are a certified ISO 30409 consultant that can help you design, develop, implement, audit, and improve your HR. We have the expertise, experience, and tools to help you achieve your goals.