First place winner of the Cornell HR Review 2012 Essay Competition Focuses on Move away from Just-in-Time Staffing

Workforce planning has always existed in some form, but has seen a recent reemergence in the human resources arena as companies try to move away from just-in-time staffing. This renewed focus has forced HR professionals to question how to create a pipeline that considers both the number of required employees and the types of skills needed. The following paragraphs argue that, through estimating, collaborating, and adapting, organizations can maximize their opportunities for a strong pipeline. First, staffing models will be paired with HR metrics to formulate the staffing needs of the organization. Second, collaboration with other functions will be emphasized to maximize the accuracy of the estimations. Finally, emerging concepts, such as eLancing, will be discussed as a way to adjust for unexpected changes in human capital needs.

Read Ashley Myers' complete essay: "Taking Business to a "Hire" Level: Strategies for Workforce Planning."