Manpower Planning : The Key to utilize optimum Human Resources

Manpower Planning which is commonly used as human resource planning is the process by
which a management determines how an organization should move from its current manpower
position to its desired manpower position. i.e through manpower planning, a management strives
to have the right number and the right kinds of people at the right places at the right time to do
things which results in both the organization and the individual receiving the maximum long range
benefits. If narrowly defined, Manpower Planning means forecasting : the prediction of the number
of people whom the organization will have to hire, train, or promote in a given period. But if we
define it broadly, Manpower Planning represents a systems approach to personnel in which the
emphasis is one the interrelationships among various personnel policies and programs. This
contrasts is concerned with Selection, Training, Promotion, and the rest as a separate
compartmentalized functions. Manpower Planning consists of a series of activities, viz:Forecasting future manpower requirements.
Making an inventory of present manpower resources.
Assessing the extent to which manpower resources are employed optimally.
Anticipating the manpower problems by projecting present resources into the
future.
Forecasting the requirements of manpower to determine their quantitative
and qualitative adequacy.
Planning the necessary programs of requirement, selection, training,
development, utilization, transfer, promotion, motivation and compensation
to ensure that future manpower requirements are properly met.

Thus, Manpower Planning consists in projecting future manpower

requirements and developing manpower plans for the implementation of the projections.
However, Manpower Planning is a doubleedged weapon. If used properly, it leads to the maximum utilization of human resources, reduces
excessive labour turnover and high absenteeism ; improves productivity and aids in achieving the
objectives of an organization. If faultily used, it leads to disruption in the flow of work, lower
production, less job satisfaction, high cost of production and constant headaches for the
management personnel. So, for the success of an enterprise, human resources planning is a very
important function.
Need for Manpower Planning :Manpower Planning is necessary for all the
organizations for one or the other of the following reasons :a) Every organization needs personnel with the necessary qualifications, skill,
knowledge, work, experience and aptitude for work, to carry on its work. These are
provided through active manpower planning.
b) Human resource planning is essential because of frequent labour turnover which is
unavoidable.
c) There is a constant need for replacing the personnel who have grown old, or who
retire, die or become incapacitated because of physical or mental ailments.
d) In order to meet the needs of expansion programmes, human resource planning is
unavoidable.

e) To meet the challenges of a new and changing technology and new techniques of
production, existing employees need to be trained or new blood injected in an
organization.
f) Manpower Planning is also needed in order to identify areas of surplus personnel or
areas in which there is a shortage of personnel. If there is a surplus, it can be
redeployed, and if there is a shortage, it may be made good.
Therefore, the main objective of human resource planning is to maintain and improve the
organizations ability to achieve its goal by developing strategies that will result in optimum
contribution of human resources.
Manpower Planning : The Process :
The purpose of manpower planning is to provide continuity of
efficient manning for the total business and optimum use of manpower resources, although that
optimum utilization of people is heavily influenced by organization and corporate culture. The
process of manpower planning entails considerations of several steps with relevant inputs before
the manpower demand can be arrived at on the one hand, and identification of source of supply to
meet the demand taking into consideration the constraints on the other hand. Various steps of
Manpower Planning can be identified as :

Manpower
Planning
Process

Organizational
Plans

Projecting
Manpower
Requirements

Manpower
Inventory

New
Manpower
Requirement

Action
Plans

1. Organizational Plans :Though organizational plan setting is not a part of manpower

planning, it can be starting point for manpower planning. Organizational plans can be used as the
blueprint for manpower planning. These plans show the future course of actions to be taken by the
organizations like expansion, diversification etc. Manpower requirements can be tied with the
overall plan of the organization.
2. Projecting Manpower Requirements :The first essential step in manpower planning is to forecast
organization structure that will meet the future needs of the organization. The following steps must
be considered while projecting manpower requirements :
a) Job Analysis
While Projecting manpower requirements, Job Analysis gives clue
about the type of personnel required. It is the process by which data in regard to each job is
systematically observed and noted. It provides information about the nature of job and the
characteristics or qualifications that are desirable in the jobholder. Job analysis can be directed
along the following heads : What is the basic objective of the Job ?

 What types of plans and objects are undertaken in the job?

What types of decisions are to be made by the incumbent on the job?
What is the authority of the job. How many subordinates will work under
him.
What type of personnel does the incumbent contact?
What are the requirements of personal attributes of incumbent in terms of
education, training, experience, apprenticeship, physical strength, mental
capabilities, social skills etc.
b) Job Description
Information provided by the Job Analysis process is written into
records in the form of job descriptions. This can be done for various positions. Thus, job
description prescribes the nature of job to be performed, relationship with other jobs, purpose of the
job etc. This can be used not only for selection of personnel but also for their training, performance
appraisal, job evaluation etc.
c) Job Specification
Job Specification, also called as a man specification refers to the
summary of the personnel characteristics required for the job. It describes the types of person
required in terms of educational qualifications, experience, aptitudes etc. The basic difference
between job description and job specification is that the former describes the details of the job
while latter describes the requirements of the person performing the job.
3. Manpower Inventory :Manpower Inventory is related to the identification of key personnel
in theorganisation and cataloguing their characteristics without reference to the present position
held by them. It provides information about present and future personnel being available in the
organization. It is quite possible that it cannot be completely accurate but probability is that it is
more complete and accurate than any unsystematic impression of the general status of the
organization. Through this inventory, the existing and future gap in managerial personnel and their
abilities can identified which can become the basis of further steps of staffing.
4. Identification of gap between available and required Manpower :When all these exercises are undertaken, the organization is in a
position to determine the actual needs of personnel and their availability. These factors will,
however, be affected by the rate of loss of personnel. Therefore, the additional requirement of
personnel will be equal to manpower required and manpower available without considering loss of
personnel. This requires identification of loss of personnel which directly depends on the degree of
quits, discharges, mutually agreed release, death, retirement and transfer. This can be estimated to
some extent by taking past data and individual data.
5. Action Plans :After ascertaining requirement of additional manpower, action plans
are prepared for procuring them. These action plans may relate to recruitment and selection,
training and development, promotion, transfer etc. All these then, become the basis of filling the
gap between total manpower required and the present manpower available.
Conclusion :Manpower Planning is an important managerial function. It assures
adequate supply, proper quantity and quality as well as effective utilization of human resources in a
organization. Edwin Flippo rightly said that
3

 Manpower Planning can be defined as an

organizations ability to perpetuate itself
with respect to the management as determined
as necessary to provide essential executive
talent.

Vishal Kumar,
Lecturer in Commerce,
Dev Samaj College for Women,
Ferozepur City.(PB)
E-mail :kumarvishal2004@yahoo.com
vkfzr@rediff.com
Abstract
The main task of function of staffing is to
procure, develop and utilize proper type of manpower resources in an organization. In other words,
it is concerned with the recruitment and selection of right type of persons for the right type of jobs.
For pursuing proper recruitment and selection of employees management must decide before hands
as to what type of persons they are to be recruited and in what numbers they are required. The first
problem is tackled through job analysis and the second problem is tackled through manpower
planning.