Weekly Workforce Reporting: PeopleFluent, the PeopleFluent logo, Mirror and Colossus are among the trademarks of PeopleFluent. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. 2015 PeopleFluent. All rights reserved.
Why is headcount planning important? CEOs and HR leaders need to know if their talent, costs, and business goals are aligned. Not only do organizations determine profitability using equations based on operating costs that include metrics gleaned from headcount, they use this information to find waste and areas where productivity can be boosted. To that end, headcount management is integral to other workforce initiatives like talent development, hiring, and retention. In terms of strategic growth, headcount planning can help a company see if it has the right number or type of employees to pursue new business opportunities. While necessary, headcount management and planning be difficult to approach. It requires layers of analysis, an accurate view of multiple departments and the weigh-in of multiple stakeholders. There are also a number of factors to consider when evaluating headcount, from compensation and business initiatives to the state of the economy, attrition rates, movement in the internal talent pool and other trends. How can an organization get a true view of its workforce to make this traditionally numbers-centric planning process more strategic? With prebuilt daily workforce reporting that shows the full breadth and depth of a company s headcount, OrgPublisher is the next generation of automated org charting software that makes it easier for executives to position talent and resources of success and identify staffing needs the support the strategic plan of the organization. OrgPublisher s headcount metrics go beyond the numbers to help organizations use meaningful data to drive business results. In terms of strategic growth, headcount planning can help a company see if it has the right number or type of employees to pursue new business opportunities. How can I keep track of full-time employees vs. contractors? An improving economy means an increase in open positions in the job market and likely, an improvement in the types of positions available. A recent Job Openings and Labor turnover Survey (JOLTS) by the US Department of Labor s Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that job openings are steadily increasing since the end of the recession, while hires and quits are only increasing slightly. What companies may need to do in order to the close the gap between hires and open positions is to take a closer look at the metrics that inform their hiring needs. 22
More effective headcount planning that meets workforce demands will help organizations determine what types of new positions need to be created and what hiring methods best suit those needs. For many executives, an at-a-glance view of the make-up of a particular department is the simplest way for them to get the information they need to make headcount planning decisions. The Position Type by Department view in OrgPublisher Executive, the OrgPublisher companion product for the ipad, shows pie chart views of an array of metrics, including contractors vs. full-time employees, location, and more. You can immediately see the balance between fulltime employees and contractors and determine whether bringing on additional contractors or making full-time hires is more cost-effective. For many executives, an ata-glance view of the make-up of a particular department is the simplest way to make headcount planning decisions. The Position Type by Department charts can be targeted to specific departments for a view of both organization-wide ratios and departmental balances. On a departmental level, leaders can more quickly close open positions when, for example, they see a large number of contractors that could be converted to full-time employees in new roles. Plus, executives can get a better idea of where any operational inefficiencies are coming from when they can see where employees are literally and in terms of employment status at a glance. 33
How can I see open positions? To hire the appropriate number of people required to support revenue or innovation, companies need to be able to see where the gaps are in the departments. The Headcount with Open Positions report with OrgPublisher shows sales leaders if they have the right workforce size to pursue new business or if a large hiring campaign would be necessary. To hire the right number of people to support revenue and innovation, you need to be able to SEE your gaps. The report shows an org chart view with each individual s total reports by headcount, direct reports, open positions, and planned hires. This data is available for all department members, providing both a macro and micro view of where workforce needs exist. The data that CEOs and other executives get from this report enables them to visualize where they might need to infuse capital to attract talent, or if existing talent should be reorganized to boost productivity or create balance in sub department headcount. The metrics available here empower businesses with headcount planning tools that can ultimately improve sales success. 44
What is our total spend for headcount in our department? Cost is significant metric in headcount management and planning. CEOs, CFOs, and HR leaders all want to know what they are spending on their workforce and if that spend is optimized. OrgPublisher s headcount Spend Report helps executives envision how performance might be tied to salary. From there, planning for talent development and/or retention initiatives can take place to optimize the headcount spend in a particular department. The data available within the Headcount spend Report includes not only headcount, but also salary and performance rating with high performer icons to indicate top talent. Seeing how salaries vary among similar positions and performers can help organizations make adjustments to achieve strategic goals or add valuable insight to the overall workforce planning process. If cost is a core driver of an organization s workforce planning, this report is key for making strategic decisions about where changes can be made to reduce, increase, or realign talent investment so that the departments that need the most resources are utilizing their budgets effectively. Determining where headcount spend is going and if it is impacting performance can be the differentiator in planning a more balanced, more talented workforce. To plan a more balanced workforce, make sure you are able to see where you spending is going, and what the impact is. 55
In general, how can I plan for success? Making headcount management an effective part of workforce planning positions an organization for success in hiring, retention, talent development, and more. Seeing the numbers without visualizing what this data means for the business can hinder an organization from being ready to take on new business or from effectively controlling costs. OrgPublisher makes it simple to see headcount needs at every level, and OrgPublisher Executive enables the mobile CEO or HR executive to accurately track headcount reporting from any location, at any time. The power of both means the power of informed and efficient planning. Effective headcount management positions an organization for success in hiring, retention, talent development, and more! 66
For more information on OrgPublisher, please visit our website. Download your FREE 30-day trial today! To reach us directly, please call 800-782-1818 or send an email to WPA-SaleQ@peoplefluent.com. PeopleFluent, the PeopleFluent logo, Mirror and Colossus are among the trademarks of PeopleFluent. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. 2015 PeopleFluent. All rights reserved. 7