Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist

A five-step approach to determining and building for current and future needs

The following steps are widely recognized as key to integrating HR and business planning. They reflect national and international research into the practices of leading public and private sector employers.

Moreover, they have been validated in the PS by way of extensive consultation across the country with stakeholders. Line managers, HR professionals, bargaining agent representatives, as well as functional community representatives and other stakeholders all contributed to this model.

STEP ONE: Determine your business goals

A solid understanding of your business goals is critical for integrated planning. Ask the following questions:

• What are your key goals and deliverables for the next fiscal year?
• Do you foresee any changes in direction that might have an impact on your business goals or HR requirements?
• Who are the strategic partners you need to work with to achieve your goals?

For additional information on step one, have a look at the document entitled “Supplement to the Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist”.

STEP TWO: Scan the environment

A) Workforce Analysis

A key component of HR planning is understanding your workforce and planning for projected shortages and surpluses in specific occupations and skill sets. By way of example, has the following workforce information been analyzed for various occupational categories in your team?

• Demographics and employment characteristics (eligibility for retirement, vacancy rates, turnover rates, internal staff mobility such as deployments, promotions, secondments)
• Skills/competencies (e.g. training/learning data, performance management data, language competencies?)

B) Internal Scan

It is important for line managers to identify factors internal to the organization that may affect the HR capacity of their teams with regard to meeting projected goals.

• Have you considered, for example…
• Potential changes in program and/or service delivery
• Management-union relations that might affect your team
• Anticipated changes to funding levels
• Changes in leadership & priorities
• Client satisfaction

C) External Scan

Are external environmental factors expected to affect workforce capacity, given known operational and HR priorities and emerging issues.

Have you considered, for example

• Demand and supply of employees with the skills you need
• Sources of recruitment

For additional information on step one, have a look at the document entitled “Supplement to the Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist”.

STEP THREE: Conduct a gap analysis

Based on an analysis of your business goals, as well as your understanding of environmental issues and your workforce, what do you see as your key current and future HR needs?

Examples of Considerations:

• Do you have any immediate hiring needs?
• Based on projections, do you foresee a skills shortage in specific occupational groups on your team?
• Will changes in program delivery require the acquisition of new skills on your team?
• Do you have enough qualified people on your team ready to fill key vacancies in the event of unexpected departures? If not, are you aware of where you can go to attract the right people?
• Have official language and employment equity obligations been met?
• Have you conducted a risk assessment on HR issues critical to your team's success?

For additional information on step one, have a look at the document entitled “Supplement to the Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist”.

STEP FOUR: Set HR priorities to help achieve goals

Based on the organization's goals, environmental scan and gap analysis: 1) What are the major HR priorities; and 2) What strategies will achieve the desired outcomes? Work plans may include strategies on:

Recruitment/ Staffing, Mobility/Redeployment, Employment Equity, Official Languages training, Training and Development, Corporate knowledge Retention and sharing and Workplace well-being

For additional information on step one, have a look at the document entitled “Supplement to the Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist”.

STEP FIVE: Measure, Monitor and Report on Progress

Measuring, monitoring and reporting is key to assessing progress.

• Does your team have clear and measurable HR-related goals?
• Are the HR performance measures aligned with indicators in the TBS Management Accountability Framework?
• Do you have a mechanism to track performance outcomes?

For additional information on step one, have a look at the document entitled “Supplement to the Integrated Human Resources and Business Planning Checklist”.