Workforce Planning Update

The College’s Workforce Planning Taskforce has been working since the fall of 2015 to identify several objectives to “Build an Engaged Staff Workforce that is aligned with our Strategic Plan.” What that means is identifying processes to reduce costs and reallocate staff resources in support of strategic initiatives, primarily through planned vacancy management and attrition. It also means identifying a more disciplined and consistent approach to workforce management around the need to re-assess, repurpose and refocus staff vacancies.
 
The College’s Workforce Planning Taskforce’s goal is to save $2 million in salary and benefits expenditures in fiscal year 201​7.  What we have learned from other institutions that have implemented workforce planning initiative​s is to begin with a 60-day hold period for all staff vacancies. In some cases, the College will need to waive certain vacancies from the hold period that significantly impact safety, security, financial viability, and or strategic plan priorities, if left vacant for 60 days. All exceptions to the vacancy hold process must be requested by the department’s Cabinet-level administrator for approval by the HR Associate Vice President and Cabinet.
 
Progress to date includes:

• Researching higher-ed workforce planning models and leveraging the Educational Advisory Board (EAB) to assist us in designing a workforce planning model that focuses on affordability and labor cost savings.
• Establishing a taskforce of administrators, staff council members, HR and other campus leaders to help us with our design and overall implementation strategy
• The implementation of a 60-day hold period designed to help us meet our financial target of $2 million in salary and benefit expenditures. 
• The development of a standard workforce planning template for staff departments to follow to help with vacancy management.

Here is some specific information on the College’s Workforce Planning Taskforce:
 
Who’s on the committee?

• The Workforce Planning Committee is made up of members of the Cabinet, staff council, HR and select administrative leaders.

What are the specific guidelines?

• The guidelines are to ensure we design and implement a workforce planning process that solves for an efficient staff workforce that is aligned with the College’s strategic plan. 

What Workforce Planning “IS”:

• One of the College’s six key Strategic Planning Priorities focusing on affordability and cost management.
• An opportunity to repurpose, refocus, and re-assess active and inactive staff vacancies.
• A more disciplined and consistent approach to workforce management.
• An opportunity to reduce costs through attrition and planned vacancy management.
• An opportunity to save the College approximately $2+M in staff salary and benefits expenditures.

Next steps:

• In the fall of this year, we will launch two staff department pilot workforce-planning assessments.  Based on what we learn from these pilots we will begin rolling out a workforce planning process for all staff departments in the spring of 2017.