What Are the Objectives of HR Planning?

There are a number of different objectives of HR planning that businesses seek to meet. Ideally, human resources (HR) planning involves setting goals for the overall success of the business, as well as the human resources department itself, such as increasing employee retention and satisfaction, improving workplace productivity, and other important goals for HR success. HR planning also allows businesses to analyze their current practices, and see what needs to be changed, then develop specific strategies for making these changes. The goals of HR planning are, broadly, to make businesses as effective and profitable as possible, while ensuring that employees are happy and are being treated in line with all current legal requirements.

Some of the objectives of HR planning are best illustrated with an example. Many businesses want to attract skilled employees to hire, and then increase their employee retention rate and decrease the rate of turnover. In an HR planning session, the human resources management team might brainstorm ways to do this. For instance, increasing the pay rate of a certain position, specifying more stringent job qualifications, or providing increased on-the-job training and advancement opportunities to those who qualify, might all help the business to meet the objectives of HR planning. Changing the methods of interviewing might also help the business to choose the best potential applicants, as could adjusting the length of a training period.

Increasing employee satisfaction and improving employee morale is also among the most common objectives of HR planning. This might be accomplished by improving benefits packages, making sure to recognize employees for their hard work, and offering regular pay raises and promotions. Many businesses make increasing productivity a part of their larger objectives. They eventually, will often find, however, that rather than simply demanding more of their employees, boosting morale and making sure the employees are satisfied with their jobs are some of the best ways to make this happen.

Some objectives of HR planning might be related to very specific goals, such as increasing diversity in the workforce by a certain percentage, or getting other employees involved in management decisions. This will require an analysis and evaluation of the current workforce, as well as dedicated brainstorming and meetings to determine specific strategies for achieving these goals. HR planning in general, however, is a great way for businesses to improve their overall success and ensure that they attract and keep the best employees.