Sample workforce plan for DR

Enterprises
Your Business – Your People

DR Enterprises Workforce Plan

An Introduction to DR Enterprises

DR Enterprises is a fictitious small business providing technical support and installation services related to
solar hot water and environmental products. The business has adapted from the supply and installation of
plumbing and air-conditioning services and is interested in building its capability in this emerging sector.

DR Enterprises does not have a specific person managing human resources – it is the responsibility of the
business owner and the managers.

Keen to understand where they are now in terms of workforce capability and what they need into the future,
DR Enterprises gets their staff involved in activities to identify the main functions and core business, the job
roles required to support the business and consider different ways that jobs and work can be designed.
They complete the Workforce Skills Checklist to help them understand the changes they are looking at in
their business for their workforce.

Looking at their current workforce profile, DR Enterprises use the Current Workforce Profile Template to
understand the age profile, gender balance, classification/pay level and employment status as well as any
qualifications that people may have.

Together with the profile information, DR Enterprises looks at their current workforce profile – the core skills;
skills for the different functions in the business; and the job specific skills. Using the Current Workforce Skills
Template, DR Enterprises identifies strengths and development needs. Additional information comes from
their current job descriptions, the people doing the jobs and feedback from performance management.

Happy that they have a picture of what they have now, DR Enterprises works on what they need into the
future. The Future Workforce Profile Template focuses on the jobs over the next 1-4 years, identifying job
type, employment status, the number of people needed and the gaps both positive (need to recruit more)
and negative (no longer need job, need to restructure or re skill). DR Enterprises looks at their strategic plan
and considers future products, services, the likely environment, factors that will impact on their business and
probable scenarios.

The Future Workforce Skills Template identifies the core skills; functional skills; and job specific skills needed
to support the business into the future. DR Enterprises considers the differences between their current
workforce profile and their future workforce profile and prioritises workforce development needs. The future
skills that they have identified is included in updated job descriptions and a competency framework with skills
and values, for the business overall.

Looking back at the Workforce Skills Checklist DR Enterprises identifies other workforce development
strategies for areas such as family friendly work practices, client relationship management models, attraction
initiatives and career development pathways within the business and via projects.

With much of the content of workforce plan completed DR Enterprises takes it to the next level and
populates the Workforce Plan Template including information about their context, environment and strategic
business goals; reasons why they are undertaking workforce planning; their current workforce profile; future
workforce profile; gaps and what they can put in place to close the gaps.

DR Enterprises works with their employees on understanding and implementing the workforce plan and sets
regular review dates via staff development days and management team meetings. The individual Staff
Member Learning and Development Plan not only identifies strengths, but also development needs for the
individual that align with the business needs.

DR Enterprises Case Study – 07/11/2012 Page 2 of 10

www.skills.sa.gov.au
 CURRENT WORKFORCE PROFILE TEMPLATE

MY BUSINESS

Employment Status

Classification

Permanent

Temporary
Part Time
First Start
Staff

Casual
Level
Date
ID Date of Highest Level of Qualification
Employee Name Age M/F Job Title Location FTE
Birth Attained

Classification Levels
1 = critical role
3 = required role
5 = optional role

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 Current Workforce Skills Template

CORE SKILLS

What are the core skills in our business? Communication

Team work
Customer service
Information management
Administration

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

What are the main functions of our business? Management – financial management, account
What are the common skills required for each management, risk management, people
function? management
Administration – accounts, client communication
(written), organising and scheduling
Client service – customer service, client
communication (verbal), records management

JOB SKILLS

What are the main job roles in our business? Supervisors – list skills
What are the specific skills required for the job role? Office manager
Receptionist
Accounts officer
Administration assistants

What are our current strengths and development needs?

Strengths – Project management, administration and organisation, customer service
Development needs – Performance management, technical understanding (for non-technical staff), sales

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 FUTURE WORKFORCE PROFILE TEMPLATE

MY BUSINESS

Employment Status Planned FTE GAP

Classification

Permanent

Temporary
Part-time

Casual

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4
Level
Actual Highest Level of Qualification Required
Job Title Location
FTEs

Leader 1 3 3 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 Advanced Diploma

Client Support Officer 2 3 3 2.0 1.0 3.0 3.0 -1.0 -1.0 2.0 Certificate IV
Installation technician 2 2 2 4 2.0 2.0 4.0 4.0 -2.0 2.0 Certificate IV
Maintenance technician 2 1 1 2 4 2.0 2.0 4.0 4.0 -2.0 2.0 Certificate IV
Advanced Technician 3 1 1 2 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 -1.0 1.0 -1.0 Advanced Diploma

Total 7 4 4 1 16 10.0 9.0 16.0 15.0 -6.0 -1.0 7.0 -1.0

Classification Levels
1 = critical role
3 = required role
5 = optional role

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www.skills.sa.gov.au
 Future Workforce Skills Template

CORE SKILLS

What will be the core skills required for everyone in Team work
our business in the future? Sustainability
Project management and/or support
Client focus
Innovation and change management

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

What will be the main functions of our business in Leadership – Leadership skills, project management,
the future? financial management, performance management,
What will be the common skills required for each sustainable practices
function? Client support – Client liaison, proactive approach,
technology skills for communication via email and
the web, sustainable practices
Service delivery – Advanced technical skills, team
skills, project management, sustainable practices
Technical support – Project management, ability to
translate highly technical information for clients,
sustainable practices
JOB SKILLS

What will be the main job roles in our business in the Leader for each function – list skills
future? Client support officers
What will be the specific skills required for the job Installers
role?
Maintenance
Advanced technicians

What are the gaps between our current workforce profile and future needs?
Sustainable practices
Innovation and change management
Proactive approach to clients
Technology – Web 2.0

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Staff Member Learning and Development Plan Template
Instructions: Generally its best to ask the staff member to identify their own strengths and development
needs (self-assessment) with examples (evidence) and to discuss their views with their supervisor
(validation). This discussion should relate to the requirements of the job role and the business and form part
of performance management.

Use the action plan to identify areas for further development and activities to build skills and competencies.
Set target dates as well as a date for review with the staff member and the supervisor.

Name: Employee Name

Date: Date
Job role: Account Manager
Function/team: Client Service
Supervisor: Supervisor Name
Strengths
Customer service
Internal policies and procedures
Communication
Team work

Development needs
Sales
Follow up
Long term client relationships
Project management

Development required (priority)

Sales

Continuous improvement areas

Follow up
Long term client relationships
Project management

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Action Plan
Skills/competencies to develop Developmental activities Target date Date completed Supervisors comments

Sales Buddying with peer (high sales performer)

Client follow up Work with office manager on action plan

Develop client event and marketing
Client relationships
strategy
Project management Short course

Staff member signature:

Supervisor signature:

Start date:

Review date:

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www.skills.sa.gov.au
Workforce Skills Checklist
This checklist has been developed to help business’s to identify their main functions and core business, the job roles they require to support their
business and to consider different ways that jobs and work can be designed.

Key Questions: Function 1 Function 2 Function 3 Function 4 Function 5 Function 6

Current situation

What are the main functions of our business? Management Administration Client Service

What job roles are required for each function? Supervisors (4) Office Manager (1) Account
 how many people do we need for each job role? full time full time Managers (3) full
Receptionist (1) full time
 full time, part time, casual or independent contractor?
time Service
Accounts Officer Technicians (6)
(1) full time contractors

Administration
Assistants (2) part
time
How are the job roles designed? + Career + Part time option; +Job
development family friendly satisfaction;
 Positives, ie flexible work practices, family friendly
-Workload -Limited career skills
 Negatives, ie limited career pathways, low skill levels development
progression
-Workload
How do we currently attract and recruit our workforce? Recruitment Promote family Per job payment
agency, highlight friendly practices arrangements for
development contractors
opportunities and
level of
independence
What are the current skills in our workforce related to each +Project +Administration +Customer
function? management and organisation service
skills
 strengths -Technical -Sales targets
-Performance understanding
 development and performance needs
management

Future situation

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What will be the main functions of our business? Leadership Client Support Service Delivery Technical
Support
What future job roles are required for each function? How Leader for each Client Support Installation team Advanced
many people? Employment status? function (3) Officers (3) (4) Technicians (2)
Maintenance
team (4)
How could we design the job roles? Flexible hours; Job share; match Team based Flexible – core
project based staff member to approach to hours with the
cohort of clients skills ability to
increase hours to
cover peak
times/projects
How could we attract and recruit our workforce into the Promote major Support family Provide Focus on
future? projects we have friendly practices, opportunity to technical abilities
managed; flexible (school) multi-skill and consider a
support hours per job/project
leadership package
development
What are the future skills required for each function? Leadership Client liaison – Technical skills Project
Project proactive approach Team skills management
Management Technology skills Project Ability to
Financial for communication management translate highly
Management via email and the technical
Sustainable
web information for
Performance practices
Sustainable clients
Management
practices Sustainable
Sustainable
practices
practices

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