Agile Workforce Planning
Adam Gibson · 2021
An agile, six-stage framework for aligning an organization's workforce with its evolving business strategy to improve performance and build resilience in a volatile world.
In today's fast-paced and unpredictable business environment, traditional, static workforce planning is a recipe for failure. This book provides a practical and definitive guide to Agile Workforce Planning, a dynamic and iterative methodology designed to continuously align your people with your organizational strategy. Author Adam Gibson lays out a clear six-stage framework—Baseline, Supply, Demand, Gap Analysis, Action Plan, and Deliver—that moves beyond outdated headcount budgeting. You will learn to achieve the 'Seven Rights' of workforce planning (right capability, size, shape, location, time, cost, and risk) and master the 'Seven Bs' of action planning, powerful levers that include often-overlooked demand optimization strategies ('Balance' and 'Bot') alongside comprehensive talent management tactics ('Buy', 'Build', 'Borrow', 'Bind', and 'Bounce'). Packed with real-world case studies and actionable insights, this is the essential handbook for any HR professional or business leader aiming to build a future-proof, productive, and strategically aligned workforce.
The model it argues
This model posits that the systematic application of the Agile Workforce Planning process, grounded in a clear understanding of the strategic context, leads to improved Workforce Alignment (achieving the 'Seven Rights'). This enhanced alignment, in turn, drives superior Organizational Performance and Organizational Resilience.
Key ideas
- Strategic Context Clarity
- The degree of shared understanding across the organization regarding its strategic framework, including its purpose (why), mission, goals, objectives, business model, and the external environmental factors that may impact its execution.
- Agile Workforce Planning Application
- The extent to which the organization systematically and iteratively applies the six-stage agile workforce planning framework to align its people with its strategy, moving beyond static plans to a continuous, adaptive process.
- Workforce Alignment
- The degree to which the workforce is optimally configured to meet the organization's evolving strategic requirements, representing the successful achievement of the 'Seven Rights' of workforce planning.
- Organizational Performance
- The organization's effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its primary business objectives, including financial results, operational excellence, and market position.
- Organizational Resilience
- The organization's capacity to anticipate, adapt, and thrive in the face of volatility, uncertainty, shocks, and disruption, including the ability to become 'antifragile' and get stronger from stressors.