3-3-3

Workforce management refers to activities engaging in:

  • Workforce planning
  • Recruitment and retention practices
  • Ensuring seamless transition of processes, roles and responsibilities
  • Supporting staff engagement
  • Developing talent

The table below includes examples of the subcategories within workforce management, along with the associated activities and capabilities that are built through this workforce management.

Table 3.2 Workforce Management Strategies

Strategy subcategorySample ActivitiesCapabilities Addressed
Strategic workforce planningSummarize likely future retirement trajectory for key position typesAligning Skills to Needs
Technology Adoption
Operations Focus
Recruitment and retentionModify position descriptions and job postingsAligning Skills to Needs
Attracting & Retaining Workforce
Technology Adoption
Operations Focus
Succession planningIdentify critical positions and potential successorsAligning Skills to Needs
Agility & Resilience
Technology Adoption
Operations Focus
Employee engagementEmployee satisfaction surveysAttracting & Retaining Workforce
Agility & Resilience
Transparency
Professional developmentLeadership trainingAligning Skills to Needs
Attracting & Retaining Workforce
Agility & Resilience
Technology Adoption
Transparency
Operations Focus
OutsourcingIdentify functions to outsourceAligning Skills to Needs
Agility & Resilience
Technology Adoption
Operations Focus

California Statewide Workforce Planning

California’s 2016 Statewide Workforce Planning Report California Department of Human Resources, Statewide Workforce Planning Report: An Analysis of Agency and Department Interview Findings, 2016. Available: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/workforce-planning/Documents/wfp-statewide-workforce-planning-report-2016.pdf details a number of challenges and trends related to its workforce, including:

  • Inability to recruit qualified candidates
  • Complex civil service hiring process
  • Lack of essential competencies
  • Lack of diversity
  • Retention issues
  • Lack of advancement opportunities

In response to the report, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) developed a Statewide Strategic Plan and required agency plans. Since then, CalHR has developed a comprehensive set of workforce planning tools to help the state’s agencies, including the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans), manage workforce and succession planning. California Department of Human Resources, “Workforce Planning Toolkit,” Statewide Workforce Planning, 2019. Available: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/state-hr-professionals/Pages/Workforce-Planning-Toolkit.aspx.

Their Workforce Planning Toolkit for State Supervisors and Manager includes:

  • Strategic Workforce Plan
  • Strategic Succession Plan
  • Guides and templates
  • Statewide Onboarding Program
  • Articles
  • Leadership competency model
  • Mentoring Handbook

They also provide a set of tools by category to assist practitioners in:

  • Analyzing workforce data
  • Reviewing noteworthy practices in other states
  • Implementing a workforce plan
  • Evaluating a workforce plan
  • Networking with other HR professionals
  • Understanding current workforce trends

By incorporating statewide workforce planning, California has increased their agency capability to recruit and retain staff with skills needed for the future, developed capability to manage [workforce] change and incorporated a workforce management system to facilitate the capability to create [and support] a learning culture.

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