How can AI enhance Strategic Workforce Planning and Development?

For organisations, industry sectors, and regions, AI tools can help workforce planners like Workforce BluePrint to build a full picture of a future workforce out to 2030.

This happens through a process of workforce analytics, talent sourcing, and enhanced skill development.  AI tools can also assist in visualising the future workforce by predicting trends and forecasting the needs and skills of the workforce.  Here are some key ways:

  1. Workforce Analytics: AI can analyse large amounts of data to provide insights into workforce trends and patterns.  This includes things like employee performance, turnover rates, and skill gaps.  Machine learning algorithms can analyse current workforce data and make predictions about future workforce needs underpinned by a scenario planning process.
  2. Talent Sourcing: AI can enhance the recruitment process by automating the search for candidates and assessing their fit for specific roles based on their skills, experience, and qualifications.  This can help organisations to recruit the right talent and build a diverse and inclusive workforces.
  3. Skill Development: AI can be used to create personalised learning and development programs, analysing an individual's skills, identify gaps, and recommend training or courses/solutions to fill these gaps.  This can help employees to continually upskill and adapt to the changing needs of the workplace.
  4. Employee Engagement and Retention: AI can be used to predict which employees are at risk of leaving, allowing organisations to intervene before it's too late, and based on factors such as job satisfaction, engagement levels, workload, communication and personal circumstances.
  5. Labour Market Analysis: AI can analyse labour market trends, helping organisations, regions, cities and countries to understand the skills and qualifications that are in demand in the future, informing strategic planning and development of the workforce.

As for the AI tools that workforce planners could use to build a full picture of a future workforce out to 2030, there are several options including Predictive Analytics Tools; HR Management Systems (HRMS); Talent Management Systems; Learning Management Systems (LMS); and Employee Engagement Platforms.

An AI toolbox that Ben Flink put me onto is the AI Toolbox for Innovators which can be a valuable resource for practitioners undertaking strategic workforce planning and development.  It offers a range of AI tools, resources, and frameworks that can help to analyse the strategic picture, build multiple future scenarios, and select the preferred scenario for the future workforce.

Here is how it can be used in a strategic workforce planning process:

  • Analysing the strategic picture (The full picture)
  • At this time current workforce analysis
  • Knowing what you want
  • Evaluating the gaps
  • Building multiple future scenarios
  • Selecting the preferred scenario and designing a workforce action plan to work towards this ideal scenario
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