As organisations continue to face rapid change, strategic workforce planning has emerged as a crucial HR priority. However, according to global information technology analysts Gartner, only 15% of organisations currently engage in truly strategic workforce planning, with many still relying on short-term headcount staffing decisions rather than a structured, long-term approach.

The Workforce Planning Challenge

HR leaders are grappling with several barriers to effective workforce planning, including:

• Short-term focus – 61% of HR leaders say their workforce planning is restricted to a one-year timeframe, limiting long-term resilience
• Lack of skills foresight – 66% of HR leaders admit their workforce planning is limited to headcount rather than focusing on future skills needs
• Data access and usage – HR teams often struggle to harness workforce data effectively.
• Limited business engagement – Workforce planning is not always aligned with broader organisational strategy, leading to gaps in execution.
• Difficulty demonstrating ROI – Many HR teams find it challenging to quantify the business impact of workforce planning initiatives.

Moving Beyond Headcount Planning

True strategic workforce planning isn’t just about filling roles, it’s about ensuring the right people, with the right skills, are in place at the right time to meet organisational goals. This requires a shift from reactive planning to a proactive, data-driven approach.

How Crown Workforce Management Can Help

At Crown Workforce Management, we help organisations move beyond basic headcount basic workforce planning by providing solutions that:

• Use real-time data insights – Our workforce management platform enables HR teams to analyse trends and address staffing requirements before issues arise.
• Support long-term workforce planning – By aligning workforce scheduling and skills management with business objectives, organisations can ensure they are prepared for future demands.
• Automate compliance and efficiency – Our tools help businesses manage workforce planning while ensuring compliance with regulations such as working time directives.
• Improve workforce agility – With adaptable shift scheduling and data-driven decision-making, organisations can respond to workforce market shifts with confidence.

The Workforce Management (WFM) technology landscape is widely regarded as highly competitive, with industry analysts like Gartner recognising the market as fast-evolving. Innovations in employee scheduling, time tracking and workforce optimisation are key to helping organisations achieve operational efficiency. We are proud to have been acknowledged by Gartner, a testament to the strength and relevance of our platform in addressing these critical needs. Being named by Gartner highlights our platform’s ability to excel in this demanding market, reinforcing our commitment to delivering robust, cutting-edge solutions for modern workforce management.

Real-World Impact: Workforce Planning in Action

We have seen first-hand how effective workforce planning can drive results. For example, our work with NHS facilities and estates teams has helped streamline scheduling and reduce absenteeism by 30%, ensuring that critical soft facilities management services (such as cleaning, portering and maintenance) are always adequately staffed. Similarly, Gregory Distribution has saved approximately 37.5 hours of HR admin time per week by automating workforce planning with Crown.

The Path Forward

HR leaders must prioritise workforce planning that is strategic, data-led and aligned with business goals. With the right technology and approach, organisations can actively shape their workforce to drive success.

Ready to future-proof your workforce? Get in touch with Crown Workforce Management today to learn how our solutions can support your strategic workforce planning efforts.