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Contents

Templates overview ........................................................................................................................... 1


Document management ...................................................................................................................... 2
Template 1: Workforce planning project plan ................................................................................... 3
Template 2: Stakeholder engagement plan ........................................................................................ 5
Template 3: Workforce planning project risk assessment ................................................................. 6
Template 4: Workforce segmentation document ............................................................................... 7
Template 5: Job role profiling template ............................................................................................. 9
Template 6: Demand analysis (current and future) .......................................................................... 11
Template 7: Alternative future analysis ........................................................................................... 13
Template 8: Workforce database ..................................................................................................... 15
Template 9: Workforce trend summary ........................................................................................... 17
Template 10: Employee survey ........................................................................................................ 18
Template 11: Exit interview ............................................................................................................. 19
Template 12: Internal supply (current and future) ........................................................................... 21
Template 13: External supply (current and future) .......................................................................... 22
Template 14: Workforce gap (current and future) ........................................................................... 23
Template 15: Risk and options analysis ........................................................................................... 24
Template 16: Action plan ................................................................................................................. 25

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates iii


Templates overview
These are the templates referred to throughout the eight modules of the Australian Public Service
Workforce Planning Guide, designed to assist you with workforce planning in your agency or
department.

These are generic templates outlining the basic information required and suggested format for
collecting and structuring this information. Templates are referred to throughout the modules by
their number and title, and the following symbol is also used throughout the modules to draw your
attention to templates that might help you along the way, as you progress workforce planning in
your organisation.

The structure of the eight modules as they relate to the workforce planning process is depicted in
Figure 1.

Figure 1. Modules in the APS Workforce Planning Guide

Introduction and how to use the guide

Workforce planning explained

Initiation and planning for workforce planning

Segmenting your workforce

Demand analysis Supply analysis

Gap analysis and strategy and initiative development

Implementation and monitoring, evaluation, review and adjustment

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 1


Document management

Version history Date Author Description

Version Date Author Description

1.1 January 2013 Australian Public Service Commission Minor updates

1 December 2011 Australian Public Service Commission First version

2 APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates


Template 1: Workforce planning project plan
You can complete this template at the beginning of the initial workforce planning process. It is a
simple project plan providing all relevant people with an overview of the project.

Headings Key points

Name of project A unique name that describes the project accurately and succinctly (e.g. Workforce
Planning for the Environmental Division, Department of Travel, June 2011).

Owner Who owns the project? Who is the key stakeholder for the business area to which the
workforce planning project applies? (e.g. Environmental Division Head)

Responsibility This should be one person (e.g. the project manager), name and position specified.

Project team Specify the names and positions of all members of the project team.

Timeline When will the project begin? When is it scheduled to finish (and be integrated into
business as usual)? What are the timeframes associated with key components of the
project (and their linkages to key timeframes associated with business and financial
planning, etc.)?

Objective What is the outcome you are seeking to achieve from this workforce planning project?

Output What will the output of the project be? (e.g. Environmental Division (Department of
Transport) Workforce Plan 2011–2014)

Target audience Specify who the project output (workforce plan) is intended to be used by? (e.g.
Environmental Division Head, Environmental Division Business Manager,
Environmental Division Directors)

Scope For what organisational level is the workforce plan being developed? (e.g. unit, section,
branch, division, group, agency, department, etc.) Will the workforce plan cover all
workforce segments or critical job roles only? What are the main inclusions and
exclusions of the project? (e.g. due to data constraints a workforce profile will be
excluded)

Milestones What significant milestones can be used to track the progress of workforce planning?
(e.g. completion of a particular component of the workforce planning project by a
specified date)

Review timeframe and When will the project be reviewed and who is responsible for undertaking the review/s
responsibility required to maintain the workforce plan? When is this going to happen?

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 3


Template 2: Stakeholder engagement plan
This template is a table containing the main components of a stakeholder engagement plan. You can use it as a stakeholder engagement plan or attach it as
an annex to a more extensive stakeholder engagement plan.

Stakeholders Involvement Risk Engagement Responsibility Timing Approach

Who is the How are they involved or What are the risks What level of engagement is Who is How often How will the
potential interested in the workforce of not engaging appropriate? (e.g. awareness, responsible for should you stakeholder be
stakeholder? planning activity? them? involvement, commitment) engaging them? engage them? engaged? Through
When? what media?1

1
The communication media to be used for engaging with stakeholders depends on variables such as the purpose of the engagement, the size and nature of the target group, what communication has occurred before,
and time and resource constraints (including budget). Stakeholder engagement can be very resource intensive.

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 5


Template 3: Workforce planning project risk assessment
You can use this template to assess the risks associated with your workforce planning project and develop mitigation strategies.

Risks Likelihood Consequence Criticality Mitigation strategies

What is the potential risk? What is the What is the What is the What are some potential strategies for mitigating the risk?
likelihood? (e.g. consequence? (e.g. criticality? (e.g.
extreme, high, extreme, high, extreme, high,
moderate, low, moderate, low, moderate, low)
negligible) negligible)

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Template 4: Workforce segmentation document
You can use this template to help you define the workforce segments within your organisation and outline the job capability requirements for each
segment. Workforce segments should draw upon the job families, job functions and job roles in the APS Job Families Model. This template will provide
the link between your workforce demand and workforce supply (defined in terms of skills and capabilities). You can use this template to communicate
your workforce breakdown to employees and other stakeholders. Depending on your organisation, you may choose to add other columns to the table.

Job family Job function Job capability requirements

Outputs to be delivered Essential skills, capabilities and Desirable skills, capabilities and
characteristics characteristics

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 7


Template 5: Job role profiling template
You can use this template to systematically collect and manage information about particular
positions or types of roles. A job profile is basically a comprehensive list of the responsibilities and
tasks undertaken in a position or role plus a list of critical skills and capabilities needed to perform
these responsibilities and tasks.

Job family information

Job family

Job function

Job role

Australian and New


Zealand Standard
Classification of
Occupations (ANZSCO)
code (if applicable)

Profile information

Role purpose

Core responsibilities

Demonstrated behaviours

Preferred qualifications,
certifications, licenses
Is the qualification mandatory, or can it be acquired over a period of time in the role?

Mandatory 2–6 months 12+ months


1–2 months 6–12 months

Preferred knowledge

Role specific technical


knowledge

Source

Australian Public Service


classification range

Security clearance Baseline Negative vetting 2


Negative vetting 1 Positive vetting

Vacancy criticality High Medium Low

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 9


Template 6: Demand analysis (current and future)
You can use this template to determine your workforce demand, current and future.
Your full demand analysis should contain:
 Information on your critical job roles.

 An outline of your demand forecasting method.

 Your demand forecast findings (the known path, as well as the most plausible other scenarios and their impact on demand). In particular, it is important
that you list the key internal and external drivers of workforce demand and explain how these are expected to impact on demand. This will inform
workforce planning in the future as well as help you evaluate the accuracy of forecasted future demand.
The table below allows you to summarise your current and future workforce demand and as such will also show the gap between these two. The future
demand in this table should be based on your known path. Bear in mind that workforce demand is the workforce you desire, however, it will need to be
reconciled to the supply and budget.

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 11


Job family Job function Job role Current demand Future demand Future demand Future demand Future demand
(+ 1 year) (+ 2 years) (+ 3 years) (+ 4 years)

Location

Location

Location

Location

Location
Level

Level

Level

Level

Level
FTE

FTE

FTE

FTE

FTE
FTE = full-time equivalent APS = Australian Public Service

12 APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates


Template 7: Alternative future analysis
As part of your demand forecasting process you will identify the ‘known path’ (the most likely path
for your organisation) and alternative futures, scenarios and events that could impact your demand.
You can use this template to record alternative futures and how they will affect demand as well as
supply.

Scenario (name)

Description

Timeframe

Likelihood

Workforce demand Capacity


implications (size, structure)

Capability
(skills, capabilities)

Affordability
(full-time equivalent)

Capacity
(size, structure)
Workforce supply
implications
Capability
(skills, capabilities)

Key risks

Mitigation strategies

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 13


Template 8: Workforce database
You can use this template to collate a comprehensive list of employee information. You should use your demographic payroll data and skills and
capabilities audit to populate the table. You can use this table as a basis for your internal supply analysis. Note: if your organisation is large, an information
database will be much easier to manage than a spreadsheet.

Other attributes and


Employment Skills and Qualifications

Full-time equivalent
Classification Level

Aboriginal / Torres
Status capabilities

characteristics
Male or female

First start date

Strait Islander
(Permanent,
identification

Job function
Date of birth

full time, part


Job family

Education
Capability
Employee

Disability
Location

Training
Job role
time, casual)
Name

Skill
Age

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 15


Template 9: Workforce trend summary
You can use this template you to summarise your organisation’s workforce inflow and outflow
trends from past years. This will enable you to get an overview of how inflow and outflow have
changed over time and can give you an idea of what they will be over the coming years.

Yearly workforce statistics

Workforce inflow Current -1 yr -2 yrs -3 yrs -4 yrs -5 yrs -6 yrs

Recruitment

Secondments

Transfers

Total

Workforce outflow Current -1 yr -2 yrs -3 yrs -4 yrs -5 yrs -6 yrs

Terminations

Secondments

Transfers

Resignations

Retirements

Redundancies

Deaths

Total

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 17


Template 10: Employee survey
You can use this template to survey employee opinion, experience and intentions to complement
your quantitative information.

Employee survey

Where did you work before this agency?

What attracted you to the job?

What would make you leave?

What are your career/retirement intentions over the


next year, next two years, next five years?

Where do you see yourself in two years’ time?

Would you recommend the organisation to others?


Why? Why not?

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Template 11: Exit interview
It is important that your organisation conducts and analyses exit interviews for the purpose of your
workforce planning. You can use this template for suggested questions if your organisation doesn’t
undertake exit interviews.

Exit interview

Why are you leaving the organisation?

Would you recommend the organisation to others?


Why? Why not?

Would you return to the organisation? Why? Why


not?

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 19


Template 12: Internal supply (current and future)
Based on Template 6 you should now be able to populate the first three columns of this template, which you can use to gain an overview of the skills and
capabilities of your current workforce. Then, using workforce trend data and the information from your employee surveys, you should attempt to predict
what your workforce will look like at the end of your specified timeframe, if no attempt is made to reconcile it with future demand.

Current internal supply Future internal supply* Future internal supply* Future internal supply* Future internal supply*
(+1 yr) (+2 yrs) (+3 yrs) (+4 yrs)
Job function
Job family

Job role

FTE Level Location FTE Level Location FTE Level Location FTE Level Location FTE Level Location

For example, APS5 Sydney


2

FTE = full-time equivalent


*Assuming no change to trends

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 21


Template 13: External supply (current and future)
You can use this template to examine your workforce’s current and future external supply. Knowing the market availability of skills and capabilities that
you require will be useful when you’re assessing the options for closing your workforce gaps. You do not need to distinguish between employees and
contractors if you do not have this information available.

Skills and Availability of supply Competitors Supply


capabilities impediments
in demand Employees Contractors Note on location
(in order of
criticality) Current Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Current Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4

E.g. project E.g. main E.g. high cost


E.g. shortage worst in
management competitor is
Western Australia
industry

= skill is in high supply = skill is in moderate supply = skill is low supply

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Template 14: Workforce gap (current and future)
Using the information you have entered into Templates 5 and 10, you can use this table to show your workforce’s current skills and capability gaps as well
as the predicted future gap if no specific measures are taken to address this gap.

Job Job Job role FTE


family function
Current Future (Yr 1) Future (Yr 2) Future (Yr 3) Future (Yr 4)

Demand

Demand

Demand

Demand

Demand
Supply

Supply

Supply

Supply

Supply
Gap

Gap

Gap

Gap

Gap
5 3 -2 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1

FTE = full-time equivalent

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 23


Template 15: Risk and options analysis
When you’re developing strategies and initiatives to address your workforce gaps you will have several options. Some may address only one of your gaps,
while others may address several. You can populate this template to assess the various strategies by comparing the gaps they will address, noting the
potential limitations of implementing the strategies and initiatives.

Mitigation Other gaps the Potential Alignment with

Responsibility
Consequence

strategy/initiative strategies will limitations organisation


Gaps to be

Risk rating
addressed

Likelihood

Estimated
likelihood

Expected
Residual
options address objectives

Success

benefit
cost
risk
E.g. E.g. E.g. E.g. E.g. introduce E.g. likely retirement of E.g. budgetary e.g.
shortage likely high high graduate policy 20 personnel with policy constraints, high,
of policy program skills in 3 years. policy graduates medium,
Analysts are becoming low
harder to find.

= extreme = high = moderate = low

24 APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates


Template 16: Action plan
You can use this template to outline your chosen strategies and initiatives (in order of priority) and the responsibilities, key performance indicators,
timeline, milestones and resources requirements. You should involve line managers and HR managers in this process to ensure you develop a tangible and
realistic action plan. If there are links between existing strategies and initiatives and the strategies and initiatives you identify in your action plan, you
should make those responsible for implementing them aware of this, and ensure they have the tools needed to coordinate them.

Strategies and Priority Responsibility Key performance Timeline Milestones and Budget and resource
initiatives indicator and target deliverables requirements

E.g. introduce graduate E.g. E.g. Human Resources E.g. Dec 2011 to E.g. Dec 2011—advertise E.g. 2 x Human Resources
policy program high, Manager (implementation) Mar 2012 positions Directorate staff required for
medium, Chief Executive Officer Feb 2011—candidate interviews duration of timeline
low (owner) Mar 2011—announce positions
Mar 2011—candidates start

= high = medium = low

APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates 25

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