Workforce planning helps Birmingham to ride storms of change: City council seeks to avoid knee‐jerk reactions

Abstract

Purpose

Describes how workforce planning, talent management and the improved use of human‐resource information and workforce market intelligence have supported Birmingham City Council to respond to current financial pressures.

Design/methodology/approach

Draws on the work undertaken by the workforce intelligence and planning team, which is a center of excellence in the new HR structure built through the award‐winning project, Excellence in People Management, to redesign the HR service in Birmingham City Council.

Findings

Argues that a structured and strategic approach to workforce planning provides an effective framework to manage the financial situation the city council faces.

Practical implications

Shows that workforce planning needs to be driven by service‐delivery requirements and therefore integrating service, financial and workforce planning is the key to delivering workforce efficiencies.

Social implications

Reveals one way in which public authorities can squeeze more out of ever‐tighter budgets.

Originality/value

Demonstrates that implementing workforce intelligence and planning has resulted in direct, positive influences on directorates and improved performance against financial constraints.

Citation

Rudge, A. (2011), "Workforce planning helps Birmingham to ride storms of change: City council seeks to avoid knee‐jerk reactions", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 12-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/09670731111101534