Different Procedures in Manpower Planning

Planning for the status quo

Planning involves steps to replace any employees who are either promoted or who leave the firm.

Thumb Rule

This is on the basis of firm’s beliefs with regard to forecasting Human resource needs. For example one firm believes that a ratio of one production supervisor for every 12 producers (Workmen) in optimal. This firm maintains this 1:12 ratio because it has proved successful in the past.

Another thumb rule is based on past experience that one person can produce 2000 units of output per day and accordingly 5 employees needed for 10,000 units as a matter of forecast

Unit Forecasting

This refers to the estimate of supervisors and managers with regard to forecasting Human resource needs for the next year unit wise – this approach called as “Bottom up approach” to forecasting as the judgment are made by lower level management and added together at a higher level of the organization.

Delphi Method

This involves obtaining independent judgments from a panel of experts usually thru a questionnaire or interview schedule on certain issue affecting the nature and magnitude of demand for an organization’s products and services

Computer Simulation

This is one of the most sophisticated methods of forecasting human resource needs – A computer is a mathematical representation of major organizational processes, policies and human resource movement thru organization – computer simulations are useful in forecasting for human resources by pinpointing any combination of organizational and environmental variables.

In technical field where direct production activities are involved, typically different methods following different method are used.

Time and Motion Study

Here the Industrial Engineer observes records and movement of workman and productivity vis a vis time required to conduct specific activities.

MOST (Maynard Operating Sequence Technique)

This method is well accepted in automobile industries where lots of manual activities are involved. It is based on the walking and moving of the workmen to conduct the specific activity.