Workforce Planning For 2024: Solutions

With 2024 just around the corner, now is the perfect time to evaluate your workforce planning solutions. In our previous blog, we emphasized the importance of workforce planning for a successful 2024 and we outlined the steps to analyze and identify gaps in your labour plan. For those who haven't read the previous blog, we suggest starting there! In Part Two, we dive into practical solutions for minimizing or eliminating these gaps. From upskilling and cross-training to flexible work arrangements to digital on-demand temp labor, we explore several workforce planning solutions. Continue reading for an overview, including pros and cons for each solution.

 

 

Workforce Planning Solutions: Upskilling & Cross-Training Existing Employees

Labour gaps generally fall into one of two categories. Either you don’t have enough employees with a specific set of skills or certifications, or you don’t have enough able bodies, in general, to fulfill large orders at specific times throughout the year. If the labour gaps you identified in your workforce planning are in the first category, then one of the best solutions to embrace will be the process of upskilling and/or cross-training. Although these solutions are being presented together, they’re slightly different.

 

Upskilling

Upskilling involves enhancing existing skills through on-the-job or external training (such as specialized certificates or licenses for promising employees). Employers typically cover these costs. Informal internal training via mentorship or peer-to-peer programs is also an option, but it requires implementing standardized tests or other methods to confirm the skill(s) have been acquired.

 

Cross-Training 

Cross-training can also be accomplished through internal or external training, but the outcome is different than upskilling. Rather than just adding to an employee’s skills in one area or position, cross-training is meant to allow the employee to function in various roles or departments within the organization, depending on the needs at the time. 

 

Pros & Cons of Upskilling & Cross-Training 

Pros:

• Skill growth is important to many employees, and leads to higher job satisfaction and retention rates 

• Versatile, well-trained teams are more agile and flexible and are better able to handle rapidly changing market conditions

• Cross-training means the workload can be better shared if only one department is impacted by a sudden change 

Cons:

• Both internal and external training costs additional time and resources

• Employees with more skills will, rightfully, expect a higher salary 

• If you move employees into higher/different positions, you may need to find new employees to cover the positions they left

 

 

Workforce Planning Solutions: Flexible Work Arrangements

In recent years, there's been a major shift in how we work globally, marked by the widespread adoption of flexible work arrangements. More individuals, both employees and employers, are advocating for increased flexibility, moving away from the traditional 9-5 structure. This shift is evident in emerging trends like gig work, the 4-day work week, and the growing popularity of remote work. The demand for flexibility stems from our complex modern lives, such as navigating post-secondary schedules, childcare responsibilities, and second jobs. While some employers, particularly in the industrial sector, view this as a challenge, those embracing it are experiencing significant boosts in productivity and profitability. 

 

Pros & Cons of Flexible Work Arrangements

Pros:

• Distributing hours minimizes the impact of turnover, vacations, and illnesses

• Having a larger number of part-time employees gives you the option to increase their hours during peak times, without hiring additional staff 

• Attracting a younger workforce is more likely, given their preference for flexibility

• Flexible work arrangements broaden the candidate pool to include part-time students as well as parents facing scheduling constraints

Cons:

• It is more costly to hire and train more people

• Upskilling or cross-training requires more involvement, leading to added costs and resources for extensive skill distribution

• Managing the schedules of a larger number of employees is more complex and potentially costly

 

 

Workforce Planning Solutions: Digital On-Demand Temp Labour

Temp labor became popular in the 1940s, initially employing housewives after World War II, and has since become a significant part of the global staffing industry. Digital on-demand platforms, like Grizzly Force, represent a recent tech-driven innovation that is transforming temporary staffing. In traditional temp staffing, a company places an order with a temp staffing agency, which sends whomever they have waiting in the office that day. It's a lose-lose-lose situation. Agencies struggle with large-demand orders, employers juggle multiple temp agencies for sufficient staff, and laborers wait in offices, uncertain of a call. In digital on-demand staffing, companies use an app to post a job online, which instantly shows to all local workers, who can then choose the jobs that best fit their schedules. When it comes to workforce planning solutions, digital temp labour is the most flexible option with the shortest timeframe to roll out.

 

Pros & Cons of Digital On-Demand Temp Labour

Pros: 

• Rapid response and fill times, which allows you to scale quickly if unexpected gaps occur

• Less paperwork & admin/HR time with a flat billable rate

• Only pay for hours worked, no need to keep employees on-call or on-retainer 

• 80,000+ workers (with Grizzly Force) and growing every month 

• Temp to perm model allows you to trial employees before hiring the best ones 

Cons:

• Long-term costs may be higher (which is why we suggest bringing top employees into your workforce with our affordable $950 conversion fee)

 

Takeaway

There is a wide range of workforce planning solutions available to help you cover any gaps in your labour in 2024. The right solution depends on market volatility, HR team size, budget, and available resources for upskilling or cross-training. All of these workforce planning solutions have their place and can be combined to create the most useful solution for your business. If you’re just at the beginning of your workforce planning journey, don’t forget to check out Part One of this series to get started.

Feeling overwhelmed or unsure about the right workforce planning solutions for your company? Reach out to our experienced team for guidance. We've assisted hundreds of companies in addressing their unique labour challenges.