Hi all, Could somebody tell me about how one would go about HR and Manpower planning? Regards, Leena
From India, Delhi
3From India, Delhi
ORGANIZATIONAL , MANPOWER , AND HR PLANNING.
I have taken the liberty of answering your question, with a broad
approach , in order to give a complete picture .
At this stage, I am not sure whether your organization is
-IT or NON IT co.
-START UP co or CO. with expansion plans or status quo.
================================================
MANPOWER planning is a simple process, and consists of
five essential elements:
* Analysing the current manpower resource
* Reviewing employee utilization
* Forecasting the demand for employees
* Forecasting supply
* Developing a manpower plan
BUT IN REAL LIFE, you need a lot of base information to
work with . If you are doing it for the first time yourself
and the company, you need to collect / collate the database,
before you could a meaning exercise.
==============================================
The manpower planning is interlinked with Organization planning
and the HR planning , and one cannot be planned without the
support of the other two.
Whether it is a
-organization with no expansion plan or
-organization with major expansion plan or
-organization start up,
the conceptual approach is the same. You may not consider
all the elements in all cases.
Other important factors that need to be considered are
-investment dimension
-time frame
-product plan / range
-nature of operation [ mfg. marketing or mfg only or trading only etc]
-geographical coverage
-distribution / channel plan
etc etc.
These factors plus the corporate planning objectives / strategies
plus the consequences of the inbalances from the ANALYSIS &
INVESTIGATIONS would dictate the creation of MANPOWER/
HR planning strategies/ tactics [ policies/ procedures/practices etc]
The inbalances could come from
-organization circumstances
-opportunities and expectations
-requirements and availability
-behavioural consequences
-policy on organization structure
-policy on individuals
================================================
OBJECTIVES AND NATURE OF MANPOWER MANAGEMENT
Manpower and HR plannings involves applying the basic planning
process to the human resource needs of the organization.
To be effective any MP/ HR plan must be derived from the
CORPORATE strategic plan of the organization. The success
of the MR/HR depends largely on how closely the HRdepartment
can integrate effective people planning with the organization's
business planning process.
Corporate business planning seeks to identify various factors
critical to the success of the organization.It also focuses on
how the organization can become better positioned and equipped
to compete in the market. This provides
================================================
-a clear statement of the organization's mission.
-a commitment from senior management to the mission.
-an explicit statement of assumptions.
-a statement of objectives / strategies.
-a plan of action in light of available or acquirable resources ,
including human resources.
==============================================
MP/HR planning contributes significantly to the corporate
business process by providing the means to accomplish
the outcomes desired from the planning process. In essence
the HR demands and needs are derived from the corporate
strategic business plan and then compared with HR availability.
================================================== ===
MANPOWER SYSTEM
Once the corporate objectives , strategies and plans are outlined,
the directions are filtered down to the business units and
departments, involving all levels of management in the organizational
planning process.
The business units management and departments management
work closely with the HR management to determine the
people requirements to achieve their objectives.
Manpower planning has five essential elements:
* Analysing the current manpower resource
* Reviewing employee utilization
* Forecasting the demand for employees
* Forecasting supply
* Developing a manpower plan
While these can be seen as sequential steps, in practice thinking about manpower can begin with almost any of these. This is what makes manpower planning a dynamic process. For instance, a manufacturing function might want to introduce new machinery that will do a job to a better standard and more quickly. To justify the expenditure, the manufacturing manager will be expected to show a saving on labour, which may translate into fewer people. In another case, a downturn in business may provoke an urgent drive to reduce overheads and cuts in office staff. The point is that manpower decisions have been triggered outside the HRM function, and most certainly outside the hands of anyone who carries the title of manpower planner.
The other point that the two examples highlight is that planning can have a short, medium‑, and long‑term aspect. The long term is necessary to provide a framework for managing broad trends. Long‑term planning should be done regularly and systematically, and plans kept under review. The short to medium term, however, is what matters to most managers.
KEY INFLUENCE ON MANPOWER PLANNING--INDICATORS
Analysing the current manpower resource
Analysis and
investigation
============
Internal labour
Market
-------------
Turnover
Cohort analysis
Profiles
Skills audit
Succession
Manpower system
---------------------------
External labour
Market
-----------
Quality
Availability
Sources
Price [rewards ]
---------------------
Organization
Assessment
------------------
Performance
Productivity
Structure
Technology
Skill change
Rewards
-----------------------------------
Corporate
Strategy
----------------
Growth/decay
New markets
opportunities
Objectives
Manpower system
Work methods
--------------------------------------
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING-CURRENT STATUS
The starting point for planning is to have proper records of existing employees. Basic records cover:
* Personal data ‑ including date of birth (age), qualifications, special skills, and training record
* Position data ‑ including current job and work history in the organization
* Financial data ‑ including current pay, how this is made up (for example, overtime and shift premia), incremental scale, and pension rights.
Many of these details will traditionally be kept for payroll purposes.
*Headcount analysis, by age, service, skills, grades, and department. The overall profile of the workforce generated in this way is basic to any manpower planning system, and a vital aid to management decision making on things like redundancy. It can highlight impending problems, such as the retirement of a whole cohort of employees, and the need for fresh recruitment and training.
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING--WASTAGES
*Employee turnover, using data on joiners and leavers over a year. Along with headcount analysis, this is basic to forecasting supply. It may also identify problems ‑ for example, particular jobs where there is high turnover ‑ and stimulate corrective action
*Absenteeism and sickness. This will be especially geared to alerting management to problems and the need for corrective action. It will interact with other indices concerned with productivity (such as the amounts of overtime that are incurred simply to provide cover for absenteeism and sickness). Like turnover data, this information clearly needs to be generated on an on‑going basis, as distinct from basic records (the 'inventory'). It is likely to be a natural product of payroll data and the subject of regular reports from line functional management.
*Overall structure of the paybill, including how salary costs will rise with increments and reduce with new entrants at lower points in a scale
*Actual paybill against budget, with areas of variance.
Analysis in these various ways can identify significant issues of performance and productivity, and imbalances that may need to be corrected. It underpins the shift in manpower planning from macro‑forecasting towards the more problerncentred approach.
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING - labour utilization
The audit activity described above may be supplemented from time to time by data from other sources concerned with how efficiently people are being used. Whether this is part of a normal auditing process will depend from company to company. Data on analysis of manning ratios ('directs' to 'indirects') is a case in point. This may come under review only when cost pressures or the example of a competitor cutting indirect staff focuses attention on labour costs. Many large organizations have permanent staffs using work study and O&M (organization and methods) techniques to undertake periodic reviews of working methods and the efficiency of staff levels.
Forecasting the demand for labour
At first, forecasting the demand for labour might seem straightforward. Unfortunately, it is not. The problem is how to convert volumes of work into numbers of people. Two of the favoured means for doing this are ratio‑trend analysis and the use of work study standards.
Ratio‑trend analysis
The basic principle here is to say if it takes six people, for example, to perform an existing amount of work, it will take twelve people to do twice as much. Organizations measure activity levels in a variety of different ways. The ratio between 'directs' and 'indirects' in manufacturing is a classic one.
Individual departments in an organization also will have their own rule-of‑thumb measures. A sales department, for instance, may have an idea of the number of customer calls a salesperson should make in a week, and, indeed, use this as one criterion for monitoring sales efficiency. If the business plan projects an increase in the number of new customers, this can be translated into a proportionate increase in the sales force.
The problem with measures like these is that they are crude. They take no account of economies (or diseconomies) of scale which affect efficiencies; nor of local conditions; nor of the potential of new methods and technology to increase efficiencies.
What ratio‑trend analysis can do is to provide ballpark figures, which then focus attention on ways of improving efficiencies and a closer look at the underlying implications.
Work study
Work study is a more systematic method, but limited to manufacturing, certain other areas of manual work, and large clerical functions. For it to be worth while and do‑able in the first place, an activity has to be repeated sufficiently often to generate a reliable standard and justify the cost of measuring it.
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING - Forecasting supply
Forecasting supply has two components, internal and external. Forecasting external supply means understanding the impact on recruitment and retention of such factors as:
•Demographic patterns
•Levels of unemployment
•Developments in the local economy like transport, education, and housing
•The pay policies of other employers, locally and nationally, and their plans for growth and contraction.
While the HR function should be keeping a general eye on these as a matter of course, they are likely to receive closer attention when there are specific plans to grow a business and there is a perceived gap between requirements and existing skills and numbers of employees ('the manpower gap').
There are a number of simple ways of reflecting people leaving and joining:
• Crude labour turnover rate (or wastage index):
Number of leavers per period
------------------------------------------------------------------ x 100
Average number employed during that period
This shows the percentage of employees leaving over a period of time (say, in the course of a year). This rate can be then compared over time and with that of other organizations
* Stability index.,
Number of employees with one or more year' s service X 100
Number employed one year ago
This will show whether the workforce is generally stable or volatile. in conjunction with the crude turnover rate, it can help to focus problems. These may include whether the organization is failing to bring in new blood because of low turnover.
• Wastage / survival curves:
Having a picture of wastage patterns over time is a major help to an organization in:
*Planning recruitment and training to renew skills and experience
*Developing policies and practices to minimize the loss of valuable trained people
*Managing career progression
*Managing outflows through pension arrangements, and, if necessary, encouraging people to leave to make it possible to bring in new blood.
Wastage can be plotted in a number of different ways: for instance, to show when people tend to leave and at what rate according to length of service. This can be expressed either in actual numbers or as a percentage of joiners. Alternatively, by showing the cumulative impact of turnover.
*WORK PATTERN
-Full time tenured employee
-Full time self employed
-Full time employee , either temporary or without tenure.
-Part time
-job sharing
-annualised contract
etc
Forms of flexibility
Flexibility at work can be defined as:
The ability of the organisation to adapt the size, composition, responsiveness and cost of the people inputs required to achieve organisational objectives.
Various forms of flexibility exist and common categories include functional, numerical and financial . Managers need to be able to distinguish between these forms of flexibility in order to be able to seize opportunities for increasing organisational flexibility, but they should also be aware of the problems.
Functional flexibility ‑ relates to the employer's ability to deploy people in response to work priorities and demands. It can be either horizontal or vertical. Horizontal implies a reduction in demarcation between activities and tasks at the same level as the job holder. Vertical functional flexibility involves the acceptance and performance of tasks and activities by employees at either a lower or a higher job level. Functional flexibility is closely associated with skills flexibility.
Numerical flexibility ‑ is the scope to expand or contract labour supply through altering the number of people employed in proportion to product or service demand. It relies on the quick and easy engagement and release of people through rapid recruitment responses and the use of fixed, short‑term or temporary contracts. Numerical flexibility also involves the increased use of agency staff and the sub‑contracting of work. It requires a managerial predisposition for using employee redundancy as a human resource practice.
Temporal flexibility ‑ is concerned with restructuring working hours to increase organisational responsiveness to work demands. It has the aim of maximising productive time and minimising unproductive time and may be formal or informal. Formal temporal flexibility can be achieved through the use of annualised hours arrangements and through zero or core hours contracts.
Financial flexibility ‑ increases the ability of the organisation to control employment expenditure. It is pursued in a number of ways. First, through the use of local market rates to determine the commercial worth and the reward package of employees to ensure that no more than necessary is paid. Second, through the use of individual pay arrangements instead of collectively regulated and uniform pay levels; for example, performance‑related pay and profit‑related pay. Third, through shifting from national or central bargaining to local bargaining arrangements to intensify the linkage between employment costs and local affordability. Fourth, through the use of non‑consolidated bonus pay and non‑pensionable payments to avoid consolidated payments which relentlessly and permanently increase the pay bill.
Skills flexibility ‑ incorporates not only skills development and acquisition, but also employee receptiveness to the updating and extension of the skills necessary to reduce Job demarcation and promote employee versatility. Skills flexibility may be vertical or horizontal through a deepening or a widening of the employee's skill base.
Atitudinal flexibility ‑ infers a specific focus on the encouragement of flexible employee attitudes characterised by a receptiveness to learning new skills, a willingness to engage in functional flexibility and a responsiveness to changes in working practices or management approaches. Flexible attitudes and behaviour can be recognised, rewarded and reinforced through integrated human resource practices and the management of corporate values.
Learning flexibility ‑ links to the concept of the learning organisation, broadly defined as an organisation which continuously transforms itself through the ability of its members to learn. The development of learning flexibility by employees includes a willingness to unlearn familiar and comfortable ways of working. Learning flexibility is associated with contemporary HRD philosophies, quality management and Investor in People standards.
Structural flexibility ‑ as an objective is a response to concern that organisational hierarchy may reinforce job specialisation and restrictive working practices and consequently inhibit flexible working and organisational responsiveness. Team‑working, matrix organisation, project working, lateral job moves, delayering, empowerment and process re‑engineering offer opportunities for increasing flexibility through fluidity of organisation structure.
Distance flexibility ‑ is achieved through utilising technology. Work may be undertaken in locations remote to the work organisation through teleworking and the exploitation of electronic mail, facsimile transmissions, telephone links and video conferencing effectively making distance extinct.
3 Planning and
resourcing
*working patterns
*organisation structure and development
*recruitment and selection
*equality of opportunity
*pay and reward
*performance management
*retention
*health and safety
*release
*training and development
*employment relations
The following are some areas a manpower plan may seek to address:
*Recruitment:
How many and what types of people are required?
Should recruitment or internal development and transfer be preferred, and why? For instance, are there imbalances where transferring people would avoid a redundancy problem and solve a recruitment one?
What problems exist with recruiting, and how might these be overcome? Might less conventional contracts (such as job‑share) tap new sources of recruit?
What is a realistic/ necessary timetable for recruitment, and how should it be done?
*Training and development:
Given the number and types of people required, how desirable is it that they should be trained from within, and what is the capacity of the training and development system to deliver them?
Where will trainees come from ‑ from among existing employees, through those already in the pipeline, or new recruits who will first have to be recruited?
How will trainees be selected, either from within or without?
What kind of training programme is required, what are the implications of taking people off‑the‑job, who will run it, how will it be resourced, what will it cost?
What are the requirements for developing people, such as managers, over the longer term?
Is the organization making full use of the potential of all employees, such as its women, in training and development?
Retention
Is the problem retaining people too long or losing them too soon? Are skills and experience being lost or getting stale?
Is pay too low, compared with the competition?
Are there inequities in the pay for different groups?
Is the career system holding people back and frustrating them? Is promotion unnecessarily slow?
Are people being passed over in favour of outsiders because they are not being prepared for promotion through training?
Is the organization recruiting too many high flyers, all of whom it cannot hope to satisfy?
Are new recruits being given realistic information about the organization and their prospects?
Are selection processes recruiting the right people?
Are new recruits being given adequate initial training?
Are working conditions satisfactory?
* Redundancy
How far can people be lost through natural wastage or redeployed?
What do the organization's agreements say about the procedures for handling redundancies? For example, does LIFO ('last in, first out') limit the organization's choice about who goes?
How and when should it be announced, with how much consultation?
How is redundancy pay determined?
Who should be selected, how, and when?
How far can redundancy be managed voluntarily, and does the organization want to place any restrictions on this to avoid losing key people?
What can and should the organization do to help people to find new jobs?
What do the redundancies mean in terms of reorganization to secure cover for work, and are there training implications for employees who remain?
How long before the redundancies pay for themselves in salary and wage costs saved?
Presented like this, the 'manpower plan' is less a detailed written document, than a process set in train to deliver (or discard) specific numbers and skills. The 'plan' may set targets and an outline timetable, but the detail will be filled in as people work through the implications asking questions such as those above. At this stage, it is vital then that proposed actions in one area are continually tested against those in others to ensure a coherent, integrated response. This is a social process of people talking to one another, not a backroom analytical process.
Organizational skills inventory [ all elements mentioned above ] plus the anticipated
changes [ deaths/discharges/resignations/promotions/transfers/retirements]
would lead you to net HR rquirements through
[ recruitment/selection/orientation/development etc etc. ].
================================================== ==============
DEVELOPING HR TACTICS UNDER VARIOUS BUSINESS SITUATIONS
Taking cues from the various analysis as mentioned above,
ORGANIZATION WITHOUT EXPANSION PLANS
-freeze recruitment [ except for special cases ]
-reduce manpower by natural wastage.
-partial ban on new recruits
-increase training programs
-increase development programs
-reduce overtime
-reduce turnover
-increase productivity improvements
-restructure organization [ if needed]
-make performance managemant effective.
-restructure rewards system
-intriduce skill changes
-monitor the employee age distribution
-need based reward system
-career planning on merits .
-create opportunities by moving staff.
-reduce expectation by counselling
-using various combinations of flexibility
etc etc
----------- ----------------------- ------------------ -----------------
ORGANIZATION WITH MAJOR EXPANSION PLANS
-smart recruitments
-high overtime leaning
-monitor wastage / reverse it
-increase/ faster training
-accelerated development program.
-increase labor contract
-hoarding of manpower
-increase outsourcing
-pay for performance
-market oriented reward system
-smart career planning
-faster / effective induction
-smart orientation program
-monitor labor market demand / supply
-detect people with potential at an early stage
-explore unusual career paths
-use external recruitment for unusual positions
-using various combinations of flexibility
etc etc
----------------------- ----------------------- --------------------
ORGANIZATION - START UP
-smart recruitment
-use HEAD HUNTERS.
-use market oriented rewards
-faster / effective induction
-smart orientation program
-monitor wastages
-manage expectations by counselling
-plan ahead on career management
-using various combinations of flexibility
etc etc
You can add or delete more elements as your situation demands.
================================================
ALSO, I like to inform you
-work with the information available or easily collected.
and don't wait for the TOTAL information.
-set up the required HR database for the future.
WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
I have taken the liberty of answering your question, with a broad
approach , in order to give a complete picture .
At this stage, I am not sure whether your organization is
-IT or NON IT co.
-START UP co or CO. with expansion plans or status quo.
================================================
MANPOWER planning is a simple process, and consists of
five essential elements:
* Analysing the current manpower resource
* Reviewing employee utilization
* Forecasting the demand for employees
* Forecasting supply
* Developing a manpower plan
BUT IN REAL LIFE, you need a lot of base information to
work with . If you are doing it for the first time yourself
and the company, you need to collect / collate the database,
before you could a meaning exercise.
==============================================
The manpower planning is interlinked with Organization planning
and the HR planning , and one cannot be planned without the
support of the other two.
Whether it is a
-organization with no expansion plan or
-organization with major expansion plan or
-organization start up,
the conceptual approach is the same. You may not consider
all the elements in all cases.
Other important factors that need to be considered are
-investment dimension
-time frame
-product plan / range
-nature of operation [ mfg. marketing or mfg only or trading only etc]
-geographical coverage
-distribution / channel plan
etc etc.
These factors plus the corporate planning objectives / strategies
plus the consequences of the inbalances from the ANALYSIS &
INVESTIGATIONS would dictate the creation of MANPOWER/
HR planning strategies/ tactics [ policies/ procedures/practices etc]
The inbalances could come from
-organization circumstances
-opportunities and expectations
-requirements and availability
-behavioural consequences
-policy on organization structure
-policy on individuals
================================================
OBJECTIVES AND NATURE OF MANPOWER MANAGEMENT
Manpower and HR plannings involves applying the basic planning
process to the human resource needs of the organization.
To be effective any MP/ HR plan must be derived from the
CORPORATE strategic plan of the organization. The success
of the MR/HR depends largely on how closely the HRdepartment
can integrate effective people planning with the organization's
business planning process.
Corporate business planning seeks to identify various factors
critical to the success of the organization.It also focuses on
how the organization can become better positioned and equipped
to compete in the market. This provides
================================================
-a clear statement of the organization's mission.
-a commitment from senior management to the mission.
-an explicit statement of assumptions.
-a statement of objectives / strategies.
-a plan of action in light of available or acquirable resources ,
including human resources.
==============================================
MP/HR planning contributes significantly to the corporate
business process by providing the means to accomplish
the outcomes desired from the planning process. In essence
the HR demands and needs are derived from the corporate
strategic business plan and then compared with HR availability.
================================================== ===
MANPOWER SYSTEM
Once the corporate objectives , strategies and plans are outlined,
the directions are filtered down to the business units and
departments, involving all levels of management in the organizational
planning process.
The business units management and departments management
work closely with the HR management to determine the
people requirements to achieve their objectives.
Manpower planning has five essential elements:
* Analysing the current manpower resource
* Reviewing employee utilization
* Forecasting the demand for employees
* Forecasting supply
* Developing a manpower plan
While these can be seen as sequential steps, in practice thinking about manpower can begin with almost any of these. This is what makes manpower planning a dynamic process. For instance, a manufacturing function might want to introduce new machinery that will do a job to a better standard and more quickly. To justify the expenditure, the manufacturing manager will be expected to show a saving on labour, which may translate into fewer people. In another case, a downturn in business may provoke an urgent drive to reduce overheads and cuts in office staff. The point is that manpower decisions have been triggered outside the HRM function, and most certainly outside the hands of anyone who carries the title of manpower planner.
The other point that the two examples highlight is that planning can have a short, medium‑, and long‑term aspect. The long term is necessary to provide a framework for managing broad trends. Long‑term planning should be done regularly and systematically, and plans kept under review. The short to medium term, however, is what matters to most managers.
KEY INFLUENCE ON MANPOWER PLANNING--INDICATORS
Analysing the current manpower resource
Analysis and
investigation
============
Internal labour
Market
-------------
Turnover
Cohort analysis
Profiles
Skills audit
Succession
Manpower system
---------------------------
External labour
Market
-----------
Quality
Availability
Sources
Price [rewards ]
---------------------
Organization
Assessment
------------------
Performance
Productivity
Structure
Technology
Skill change
Rewards
-----------------------------------
Corporate
Strategy
----------------
Growth/decay
New markets
opportunities
Objectives
Manpower system
Work methods
--------------------------------------
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING-CURRENT STATUS
The starting point for planning is to have proper records of existing employees. Basic records cover:
* Personal data ‑ including date of birth (age), qualifications, special skills, and training record
* Position data ‑ including current job and work history in the organization
* Financial data ‑ including current pay, how this is made up (for example, overtime and shift premia), incremental scale, and pension rights.
Many of these details will traditionally be kept for payroll purposes.
*Headcount analysis, by age, service, skills, grades, and department. The overall profile of the workforce generated in this way is basic to any manpower planning system, and a vital aid to management decision making on things like redundancy. It can highlight impending problems, such as the retirement of a whole cohort of employees, and the need for fresh recruitment and training.
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING--WASTAGES
*Employee turnover, using data on joiners and leavers over a year. Along with headcount analysis, this is basic to forecasting supply. It may also identify problems ‑ for example, particular jobs where there is high turnover ‑ and stimulate corrective action
*Absenteeism and sickness. This will be especially geared to alerting management to problems and the need for corrective action. It will interact with other indices concerned with productivity (such as the amounts of overtime that are incurred simply to provide cover for absenteeism and sickness). Like turnover data, this information clearly needs to be generated on an on‑going basis, as distinct from basic records (the 'inventory'). It is likely to be a natural product of payroll data and the subject of regular reports from line functional management.
*Overall structure of the paybill, including how salary costs will rise with increments and reduce with new entrants at lower points in a scale
*Actual paybill against budget, with areas of variance.
Analysis in these various ways can identify significant issues of performance and productivity, and imbalances that may need to be corrected. It underpins the shift in manpower planning from macro‑forecasting towards the more problerncentred approach.
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING - labour utilization
The audit activity described above may be supplemented from time to time by data from other sources concerned with how efficiently people are being used. Whether this is part of a normal auditing process will depend from company to company. Data on analysis of manning ratios ('directs' to 'indirects') is a case in point. This may come under review only when cost pressures or the example of a competitor cutting indirect staff focuses attention on labour costs. Many large organizations have permanent staffs using work study and O&M (organization and methods) techniques to undertake periodic reviews of working methods and the efficiency of staff levels.
Forecasting the demand for labour
At first, forecasting the demand for labour might seem straightforward. Unfortunately, it is not. The problem is how to convert volumes of work into numbers of people. Two of the favoured means for doing this are ratio‑trend analysis and the use of work study standards.
Ratio‑trend analysis
The basic principle here is to say if it takes six people, for example, to perform an existing amount of work, it will take twelve people to do twice as much. Organizations measure activity levels in a variety of different ways. The ratio between 'directs' and 'indirects' in manufacturing is a classic one.
Individual departments in an organization also will have their own rule-of‑thumb measures. A sales department, for instance, may have an idea of the number of customer calls a salesperson should make in a week, and, indeed, use this as one criterion for monitoring sales efficiency. If the business plan projects an increase in the number of new customers, this can be translated into a proportionate increase in the sales force.
The problem with measures like these is that they are crude. They take no account of economies (or diseconomies) of scale which affect efficiencies; nor of local conditions; nor of the potential of new methods and technology to increase efficiencies.
What ratio‑trend analysis can do is to provide ballpark figures, which then focus attention on ways of improving efficiencies and a closer look at the underlying implications.
Work study
Work study is a more systematic method, but limited to manufacturing, certain other areas of manual work, and large clerical functions. For it to be worth while and do‑able in the first place, an activity has to be repeated sufficiently often to generate a reliable standard and justify the cost of measuring it.
KEY INFLUENCES OF MANPOWER PLANNING - Forecasting supply
Forecasting supply has two components, internal and external. Forecasting external supply means understanding the impact on recruitment and retention of such factors as:
•Demographic patterns
•Levels of unemployment
•Developments in the local economy like transport, education, and housing
•The pay policies of other employers, locally and nationally, and their plans for growth and contraction.
While the HR function should be keeping a general eye on these as a matter of course, they are likely to receive closer attention when there are specific plans to grow a business and there is a perceived gap between requirements and existing skills and numbers of employees ('the manpower gap').
There are a number of simple ways of reflecting people leaving and joining:
• Crude labour turnover rate (or wastage index):
Number of leavers per period
------------------------------------------------------------------ x 100
Average number employed during that period
This shows the percentage of employees leaving over a period of time (say, in the course of a year). This rate can be then compared over time and with that of other organizations
* Stability index.,
Number of employees with one or more year' s service X 100
Number employed one year ago
This will show whether the workforce is generally stable or volatile. in conjunction with the crude turnover rate, it can help to focus problems. These may include whether the organization is failing to bring in new blood because of low turnover.
• Wastage / survival curves:
Having a picture of wastage patterns over time is a major help to an organization in:
*Planning recruitment and training to renew skills and experience
*Developing policies and practices to minimize the loss of valuable trained people
*Managing career progression
*Managing outflows through pension arrangements, and, if necessary, encouraging people to leave to make it possible to bring in new blood.
Wastage can be plotted in a number of different ways: for instance, to show when people tend to leave and at what rate according to length of service. This can be expressed either in actual numbers or as a percentage of joiners. Alternatively, by showing the cumulative impact of turnover.
*WORK PATTERN
-Full time tenured employee
-Full time self employed
-Full time employee , either temporary or without tenure.
-Part time
-job sharing
-annualised contract
etc
Forms of flexibility
Flexibility at work can be defined as:
The ability of the organisation to adapt the size, composition, responsiveness and cost of the people inputs required to achieve organisational objectives.
Various forms of flexibility exist and common categories include functional, numerical and financial . Managers need to be able to distinguish between these forms of flexibility in order to be able to seize opportunities for increasing organisational flexibility, but they should also be aware of the problems.
Functional flexibility ‑ relates to the employer's ability to deploy people in response to work priorities and demands. It can be either horizontal or vertical. Horizontal implies a reduction in demarcation between activities and tasks at the same level as the job holder. Vertical functional flexibility involves the acceptance and performance of tasks and activities by employees at either a lower or a higher job level. Functional flexibility is closely associated with skills flexibility.
Numerical flexibility ‑ is the scope to expand or contract labour supply through altering the number of people employed in proportion to product or service demand. It relies on the quick and easy engagement and release of people through rapid recruitment responses and the use of fixed, short‑term or temporary contracts. Numerical flexibility also involves the increased use of agency staff and the sub‑contracting of work. It requires a managerial predisposition for using employee redundancy as a human resource practice.
Temporal flexibility ‑ is concerned with restructuring working hours to increase organisational responsiveness to work demands. It has the aim of maximising productive time and minimising unproductive time and may be formal or informal. Formal temporal flexibility can be achieved through the use of annualised hours arrangements and through zero or core hours contracts.
Financial flexibility ‑ increases the ability of the organisation to control employment expenditure. It is pursued in a number of ways. First, through the use of local market rates to determine the commercial worth and the reward package of employees to ensure that no more than necessary is paid. Second, through the use of individual pay arrangements instead of collectively regulated and uniform pay levels; for example, performance‑related pay and profit‑related pay. Third, through shifting from national or central bargaining to local bargaining arrangements to intensify the linkage between employment costs and local affordability. Fourth, through the use of non‑consolidated bonus pay and non‑pensionable payments to avoid consolidated payments which relentlessly and permanently increase the pay bill.
Skills flexibility ‑ incorporates not only skills development and acquisition, but also employee receptiveness to the updating and extension of the skills necessary to reduce Job demarcation and promote employee versatility. Skills flexibility may be vertical or horizontal through a deepening or a widening of the employee's skill base.
Atitudinal flexibility ‑ infers a specific focus on the encouragement of flexible employee attitudes characterised by a receptiveness to learning new skills, a willingness to engage in functional flexibility and a responsiveness to changes in working practices or management approaches. Flexible attitudes and behaviour can be recognised, rewarded and reinforced through integrated human resource practices and the management of corporate values.
Learning flexibility ‑ links to the concept of the learning organisation, broadly defined as an organisation which continuously transforms itself through the ability of its members to learn. The development of learning flexibility by employees includes a willingness to unlearn familiar and comfortable ways of working. Learning flexibility is associated with contemporary HRD philosophies, quality management and Investor in People standards.
Structural flexibility ‑ as an objective is a response to concern that organisational hierarchy may reinforce job specialisation and restrictive working practices and consequently inhibit flexible working and organisational responsiveness. Team‑working, matrix organisation, project working, lateral job moves, delayering, empowerment and process re‑engineering offer opportunities for increasing flexibility through fluidity of organisation structure.
Distance flexibility ‑ is achieved through utilising technology. Work may be undertaken in locations remote to the work organisation through teleworking and the exploitation of electronic mail, facsimile transmissions, telephone links and video conferencing effectively making distance extinct.
3 Planning and
resourcing
*working patterns
*organisation structure and development
*recruitment and selection
*equality of opportunity
*pay and reward
*performance management
*retention
*health and safety
*release
*training and development
*employment relations
The following are some areas a manpower plan may seek to address:
*Recruitment:
How many and what types of people are required?
Should recruitment or internal development and transfer be preferred, and why? For instance, are there imbalances where transferring people would avoid a redundancy problem and solve a recruitment one?
What problems exist with recruiting, and how might these be overcome? Might less conventional contracts (such as job‑share) tap new sources of recruit?
What is a realistic/ necessary timetable for recruitment, and how should it be done?
*Training and development:
Given the number and types of people required, how desirable is it that they should be trained from within, and what is the capacity of the training and development system to deliver them?
Where will trainees come from ‑ from among existing employees, through those already in the pipeline, or new recruits who will first have to be recruited?
How will trainees be selected, either from within or without?
What kind of training programme is required, what are the implications of taking people off‑the‑job, who will run it, how will it be resourced, what will it cost?
What are the requirements for developing people, such as managers, over the longer term?
Is the organization making full use of the potential of all employees, such as its women, in training and development?
Retention
Is the problem retaining people too long or losing them too soon? Are skills and experience being lost or getting stale?
Is pay too low, compared with the competition?
Are there inequities in the pay for different groups?
Is the career system holding people back and frustrating them? Is promotion unnecessarily slow?
Are people being passed over in favour of outsiders because they are not being prepared for promotion through training?
Is the organization recruiting too many high flyers, all of whom it cannot hope to satisfy?
Are new recruits being given realistic information about the organization and their prospects?
Are selection processes recruiting the right people?
Are new recruits being given adequate initial training?
Are working conditions satisfactory?
* Redundancy
How far can people be lost through natural wastage or redeployed?
What do the organization's agreements say about the procedures for handling redundancies? For example, does LIFO ('last in, first out') limit the organization's choice about who goes?
How and when should it be announced, with how much consultation?
How is redundancy pay determined?
Who should be selected, how, and when?
How far can redundancy be managed voluntarily, and does the organization want to place any restrictions on this to avoid losing key people?
What can and should the organization do to help people to find new jobs?
What do the redundancies mean in terms of reorganization to secure cover for work, and are there training implications for employees who remain?
How long before the redundancies pay for themselves in salary and wage costs saved?
Presented like this, the 'manpower plan' is less a detailed written document, than a process set in train to deliver (or discard) specific numbers and skills. The 'plan' may set targets and an outline timetable, but the detail will be filled in as people work through the implications asking questions such as those above. At this stage, it is vital then that proposed actions in one area are continually tested against those in others to ensure a coherent, integrated response. This is a social process of people talking to one another, not a backroom analytical process.
Organizational skills inventory [ all elements mentioned above ] plus the anticipated
changes [ deaths/discharges/resignations/promotions/transfers/retirements]
would lead you to net HR rquirements through
[ recruitment/selection/orientation/development etc etc. ].
================================================== ==============
DEVELOPING HR TACTICS UNDER VARIOUS BUSINESS SITUATIONS
Taking cues from the various analysis as mentioned above,
ORGANIZATION WITHOUT EXPANSION PLANS
-freeze recruitment [ except for special cases ]
-reduce manpower by natural wastage.
-partial ban on new recruits
-increase training programs
-increase development programs
-reduce overtime
-reduce turnover
-increase productivity improvements
-restructure organization [ if needed]
-make performance managemant effective.
-restructure rewards system
-intriduce skill changes
-monitor the employee age distribution
-need based reward system
-career planning on merits .
-create opportunities by moving staff.
-reduce expectation by counselling
-using various combinations of flexibility
etc etc
----------- ----------------------- ------------------ -----------------
ORGANIZATION WITH MAJOR EXPANSION PLANS
-smart recruitments
-high overtime leaning
-monitor wastage / reverse it
-increase/ faster training
-accelerated development program.
-increase labor contract
-hoarding of manpower
-increase outsourcing
-pay for performance
-market oriented reward system
-smart career planning
-faster / effective induction
-smart orientation program
-monitor labor market demand / supply
-detect people with potential at an early stage
-explore unusual career paths
-use external recruitment for unusual positions
-using various combinations of flexibility
etc etc
----------------------- ----------------------- --------------------
ORGANIZATION - START UP
-smart recruitment
-use HEAD HUNTERS.
-use market oriented rewards
-faster / effective induction
-smart orientation program
-monitor wastages
-manage expectations by counselling
-plan ahead on career management
-using various combinations of flexibility
etc etc
You can add or delete more elements as your situation demands.
================================================
ALSO, I like to inform you
-work with the information available or easily collected.
and don't wait for the TOTAL information.
-set up the required HR database for the future.
WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
Dear Leo,
I really admire the way you take keen interest in replying to query that each one of us post.
can i have your input on the Leave Policy.....or the name of site wherein i can take help with regard to HR Policy formulation.
Regards
Deepa Arora
HR Manager
From India, Gurgaon
I really admire the way you take keen interest in replying to query that each one of us post.
can i have your input on the Leave Policy.....or the name of site wherein i can take help with regard to HR Policy formulation.
Regards
Deepa Arora
HR Manager
From India, Gurgaon
Dear Leo, That was quite insightful. Needed to know the general details only and your post was just what I was looking for. Thanks a lot. Regards, Leena
From India, Delhi
From India, Delhi
LEAVE POLICY
1.First, INDIANIZE the content, as it is universal.
2.Discuss with your management.
3.Fine tune it with your LEGAL WIGS, to get the right
interpretation.
4.Always link the payments with LEAVE POLICY,
as employees are always interested/ concern with it.
=========================================
The leave policy could cover many of the below listed
Areas , plus others depending on
-country
-company
-culture
of the workplace.
-Family and Illness Leave
- Leave of Absence Without Pay
- Personal Days
- Leaves of Absence
- Annual Leave
- Sick Leave
- Personal Leave
- Bereavement Leave
- Education Leaves of Absence With Pay
- Leaves of Absence Without Pay
- Family and Medical Leave Policy
- Leaves of Absence Without Pay
- Parental Leave Policy
- Personal Leave
- Committee Work
- Return to Work After Disability
- Short Term Disability
- Sick Leave
- Funeral Leave
etc
==============================
Holiday/Vacation Policy
The following sample company policy statements are for holiday leave. Generally, holidays are paid leave with no loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company.
The policy below mentions Floating Holidays, which are a couple of days you designate each year just to give your employees a little more time off. If you don’t want to offer Floating Holidays, you should remove the reference.
If you want your policy to differ in other ways from the policy set out below, you should change this policy to reflect those differences. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your CEO / LEGAL COUNSEL look over the changes. A list of holidays typically provided by employers is also included.
============================
Annual Holidays
[YOUR COMPANY] observes the following holidays:
• New Year's Day
• Independence Day[ 15 aug]
• Labor Day [ may 1
• Christmas Day
• Republic
• Other Indian festival / religious holidays
ETC ETC
You should update this as per your current
Calendar year.
=========================================
Paid Holidays[ annual leave ]
All full-time employees will receive holiday pay of eight straight time hours at their regular rate, provided the following conditions are satisified:
1. Work a full shift on the employee's last scheduled work shift prior to the paid holiday.
2. Work a full shift on the employee's first scheduled work shift following the holiday.
3. Should the employee be unable to work either of these two days because of illness, proof of illness will be required in order to qualify for the paid holiday.
The shift differential for second and third shift employees will not be included in holiday pay.
Holiday pay will not be paid if:
1. The employee has been on the payroll for less than 90 days.
2. The employee is on lay-off status.
3. The employee is a temporary or seasonal employee.
4. The employee is on leave of absence when the holiday occurs.
5. The employee is requested to work during a paid holiday and the employee refuse to do so.
Employees who are requested to work during a paid holiday will receive holiday pay plus regular pay.
==============================================
Paid Holidays During Vacations and Weekends
If a holiday occurs during the employee's vacation, the employee's vacation will be extended by the number of holidays falling during the vacation period or an equal number of vacation days will be carried forward for future use.
If any scheduled paid holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday will usually be observed on the preceding Friday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will usually be observed as the holiday.
=============================================
Overtime
Holidays are not considered a day worked for purposes of calculating overtime unless work is actually performed.
================================================
[The Floating Holiday clause below may be removed if it does not apply to your circumstances.]
Floating Holidays
In addition to the named holidays for which eligible employes will receive paid time off, [YOUR COMPANY] will schedule two floating holidays each year. Floating holidays will be scheduled so as to provide eligible employees with extended weekends by combining them with named holidays.
At the beginning of each calendar year, the employee will receive a complete schedule of paid holidays, including paid floating holidays.
[The Personal Holidays clause below may be removed if it does not apply to your circumstances.]
Personal Holidays
In addition to scheduled paid holidays, eligible employees are given two floating holidays annually to be used as personal time off. Before scheduling a personal holiday, the employee must obtain approval. Requests for personal holidays must be made in writing not less than 10 days in advance of the requested date.
=========================================
Religious Holidays
[YOUR COMPANY] recognizes that there may be religious holidays (other than those already designated at holidays) that employees would like to observe. It may be possible to arrange these holidays as scheduled days off, authorized absences without pay or personal time off. Requests for time off to observe religious holidays must be approved.
=============================================
Vacation Time
At the end of the employee's first year as a full-time employee of [YOUR COMPANY], an employee is entitled to [number] days of paid vacation.
The employee's vacation days increase to [number] days after five years of continuous employment with [YOUR COMPANY],
[number] days after 15 years of continuous employment with [YOUR COMPANY], and
[number] days after 25 years of continuous employment with [YOUR COMPANY].
Vacation time may be taken in increments of one full day but in all cases must be prescheduled and preapproved. One day of vacation for every five days that an employee is entitled to may be carried over to the following year, but must be used before [date].
[YOUR COMPANY] does not provide paid vacation time for part-time employees.
==============================================
Vacation Pay
Vacation pay is the employee's regular rate of pay, excluding overtime or holiday premiums. If the employee's regular rate of pay varies from week to week, the employee's vacation pay will equal the employee's average weekly hours or scheduled hours in the previous calendar quarter not to exceed 40 hours.
Pay will not be granted in lieu of vacation time not taken.
=============================================
Scheduling Vacations
[YOUR COMPANY] will attempt to grant all employees vacation at the time they desire to take it. However, [YOUR COMPANY] must maintain adequate staffing at all times. Therefore, vacations must be scheduled in advance and with prior written approval.
Where conflicts develop, they will be resolved as fairly as possible. Preference will be given to the more senior employee, the employee who can demonstrate the greater need for vacation at the conflicting time or the employee who makes the earliest request.
================================================
[The Plantwide Shutdown clause below may be removed if it does not apply to your circumstances.]
Plantwide Shutdown
It is [YOUR COMPANY] practice to have an annual shutdown of [period of time] during the month of [month]. All employees, with the exception of essential personnel, will take their normal vacations at this time. For those employees who are entitled to more than 10 days of vacation, the balance of that vacation must be scheduled. Employees who have been employed for less than one year receive paid vacation in the amount accrued as of the annual plant shutdown, providing they have completed six months of service at [YOUR COMPANY].
==========================================
Holiday or Illness During Vacation
When a holiday occurs during the employee's vacation time, the employee will still receive pay for the holiday in addition to the employee's vacation pay or the employee may select another day off.
If the employee is hospitalized while on vacation, the time from the date of the employee's hospitalization until the employee's doctor releases the employee may, at the employee's option, be charged against the employee's short term disability benefits, rather than the employee's vacation time. If this happens, the employee must notify [Your Company]. If the employee becomes ill while on vacation, but the employee is not hospitalized, the employee's absence is charged against vacation time.
============================================
Termination and Vacation Pay
When employment ends for any reason, vacation time earned but not taken by the employee will be included in the employee's final paycheck. At the same time, vacation time taken in advance will be deducted from the final paycheck.
==============================================
Vacation Accrual Methods
The following is a sample vacation accrual chart. You can modify your vacation accruals to reflect additional credit for any factor you feel deserve additional vacation as long as you are nondiscriminatory. If you make substantive changes to this policy, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
Basic seniority Accrual Method
Employees who have completed one year of service and who work a 5-day, 40-hour week, are entitled to vacation as follows:
Service Vacation entitlement in week/hours
After 1 year 4 week [ 160 hours]
Vacation must be taken during the calendar year at times convenient to you and your supervisor.
Vacation accrual based on years of service do not address new employees who are hired after the beginning of the year.
==================================================
Funeral Leave Policy
The following sample company policy statements are for funeral leave. Generally, funeral leave is granted with pay and without loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company. If you want your policy to differ from the policy set out below, you should change this policy to reflect those differences. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
Salaried Employees
The purpose of funeral leave is to provide you with time to attend the funeral of a member of your family and to handle personal affairs without disrupting your income. Only permanent full-time employees are eligible for funeral leave benefits, and the benefits become effective after you complete your training and adjustment period.
Time allowed: You may be granted up to a three-day leave (three consecutive working days) with pay in the event of the death of an immediate family member.
Definition of immediate family member: The term immediate family member is defined as:
• Brother
• Child
• Father
• Father-in-law
• Husband
• Mother
• Mother-in-law
• Sister
• Stepbrother
• Stepchild
• Stepfather
• Stepmother
• Stepsister
• Wife
Funeral pay: Your funeral leave pay will be figured at your regular rate of pay.
Leave without pay: If you are not eligible for funeral leave with pay, you may be given time off without pay in case of a death in the family. Time off without pay may be arranged to attend the funeral of a close friend. Each day off will be counted as an absence without pay.
Forfeiture: You forfeit your rights to funeral leave benefits if you terminate employment before returning to your assigned position to work at least one workday after you have used funeral leave benefits.
When you are granted funeral leave benefits, it is mandatory that you attend the funeral of the relative for whom such funeral leave was requested. We reserve the right to ask you to supply the name and relationship of the deceased and the name of the funeral home that handled the arrangements.
==================================================
Sample Sick Leave Policy
The following sample company policy statements are for sick leave plans. Generally, sick leave is granted with pay and without a loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company. If you want your policy to differ from the policies set out below, you should change these policies to reflect those differences. If you make substantive changes to these policies, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
Pay for Illness
Employees will become eligible to participate in the paid time for illness program as follows:
• if employed prior to July 1, employees will be allowed up to 10 days in the following year
• if employed between July 1 and December 31, employees will be allowed up to five days in the following year, and up to five days in the succeeding years.
In addition to illness, sick leave may also be granted for medical, dental, or optical examinations or when a member of your household requires your personal care and attention due to illness.
Pay and benefits during sick leave. Illness pay will be based on a regular eight-hour day at straight time and at the employee’s base rate. Illness absence of less than three hours in a day will not be considered for payment. Saturdays, Sundays, daily overtime hours, paid holidays, and paid vacation time are excluded as time for which payment will be made under this program.
Weekly insurance benefits will continue to be paid commencing with the first day of certified disability due to accidents and the fourth day due to illness. Thus, in accident and illness cases, the insurance benefit will be paid rather than the paid illness allowance, and any unused illness allowance will be available for use later in the year as needed.
Certification of illness. Certification of illness by a physician will not normally be required to qualify for payment under this program.
Effect on performance. While the company pays you for authorized sick days, we expect you to be honest with us in taking days off only when you are actually ill. Any abuse of this benefit will be taken into account in evaluations of your performance. The company reserves the right to require a statement from your doctor.
At termination. When termination of employment occurs, no payment for sick leave will be made.
Accrual of Sick Leave
Starting with the first day of employment, sick leave will accumulate at the rate of one (1) day per month. Sick leave may accumulate to a maximum of sixty (60) days.
An employee may receive compensation for his/her sick leave that has accumulated in excess of 60 days at the rate of one day’s pay for each two days of sick leave accumulated in excess of 60 days. Payment for unused sick leave will be made during the month of December each year, or at other times as designated by [person who approves sick leave].
One day of sick leave for those employees who normally work a 40-hour week shall be eight hours. A day of sick leave for employees working fifty-six (56) or more hours per week shall be twelve (12) hours.
Permanent part-time employees are entitled to sick leave as earned on a pro rata basis. No sick leave shall accumulate to seasonal or temporary employees. All sick leave payments are to be approved by [person who approves sick leave]. Thus, any employee who is ill is responsible for reporting his or her absence to the appropriate person within one hour after his or her designated time for reporting to work.
================================================== ==
Personal Leave Policy
The following sample company policy statement is for personal leave. Generally, personal leave is granted without pay, but without loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company. Not all companies allow employees to retain their service credit, however. If you want your policy to differ from the one below, you should modify it to fit your circumstances. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
A personal leave of absence without pay may be granted an employee at the discretion of the company. A personal leave of absence is defined as an absence of two weeks or longer. It is not our general policy to grant personal leaves of absence and such leaves will be granted only under unusual circumstances. A personal leave of absence is not available instead of medical leave.
Granting of such a leave depends on the review of the merits of each case, including the effect the employee’s absence will have on the workload of the other employees. Probationary employees are not generally eligible for leaves of absence. An employee must have one year of continuous employment before such a leave will be considered.
Applications for leaves of absence may be granted or rejected as dictated by the judgment of [name of person who approves requests].
Salary and benefits are not payable to an employee while the employee is on a personal leave of absence, with the exception of company-paid term life insurance that is continued for eligible employees for one year of a leave of absence. Health insurance may be continued if the employee pays the full premium at the group rate. Although employees do not accrue benefits while on leave, those benefits accrued up to the time the employee started the leave will be retained.
The employee’s exact position, tour of duty, or work area may not be guaranteed upon return from a personal leave of absence; however, all efforts will be made to place the employee in the first available similar job with similar pay. The employee’s date of initial employment will be adjusted to reflect the time spent on personal leave.
It is the employee’s responsibility to return to work on the date the leave of absence expires. Should the employee fail to return and fail to notify [name of person who should receive requests] of a request for an extension, we will assume that the employee does not intend to rejoin the company and will consider the employee to have resigned from employment. A request for extension of a leave of absence must be in writing and must be received at least five working days prior to the expiration of a leave.
================================================== ==
Pregnancy/Maternity Leave Policy
The following policy should be modified to reflect your circumstances. For example, if your short-term disability policy has terms and conditions that are different from the one referred to below, you should change the policy to reflect those terms. Also, you don’t have to offer 16 weeks of leave. If you want to offer a different amount of time, you should modify this policy. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
To be eligible for a pregnancy leave of absence, the employee must be a nontemporary, full-time female employee.
Maximum Length of Leave
The maximum length of pregnancy leave allowed is [number] weeks. If the employee needs a longer leave due to medical complications, the employee should notify [YOUR COMPANY] as soon as possible. The additional leave will be treated the same as any other medical or disability leave.
Written Requests
A written request for pregnancy leave must be submitted within a reasonable time. The employee must submit a written doctor's statement, indicating the anticipated delivery date. The employee should inform [YOUR COMPANY] of the expected duration of her pregnancy leave so that [YOUR COMPANY] may plan around the absence efficiently until her return.
Transfers
An employee requesting pregnancy leave may also ask for a transfer to another less strenuous or less hazardous position if so desired. The request must be in writing and must state the reason for the transfer.
Paid Leave
[YOUR COMPANY] provides for paid pregnancy leave for the period of [time limit—e.g., number of days or weeks]. The employee may use any accumulated paid sick days and/or paid vacation days to extend her pregnancy leave beyond the paid leave period. The employee will be paid for those designated days.
Medical Incapacity
At her option, the employee may continue to work up to the delivery date, depending upon the employee's medical circumstances and the nature of the employee's job. In the event the employee is physically incapable of performing her regular job duties at any time during her pregnancy, the employee may request that the employee be placed on pregnancy leave. An advance notice of a minimum of one (1) week should be given, accompanied by a statement from the employee's physician attesting to the employee's incapacitation.
Benefits
While an employee is away from work on an approved pregnancy leave of absence, she continues to participate in [YOUR COMPANY]'s company employee benefit programs. [YOUR COMPANY] will endeavor to return the employee to the same or equal job she had before taking pregnancy leave. Although [YOUR COMPANY] does not guarantee a return to the identical job, the employee will suffer no loss in seniority.
THIS IS YOUR GOVT. OF INDIA RULINGS .
No. 13018/1/97-Estt.(L)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
……
NEW DELHI, Dated 7th October, 1997.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject :- Recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission relating to enhancement of quantum of MATERNITY LEAVE and to allow PATERNITY LEAVE in respect of Central Govt. Employees.
The undersigned is directed to say that consequent upon the decisions taken by the Govt. on the recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission relating to Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave, the President is pleased to decide that the existing provisions of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, may be treated as modified as follows in respect of civilian employees of the Central Govt. :-
The existing ceiling of 90 days maternity leave provided in Rule 43(1) ibid shall be enhanced to 135 days.
A male Govt. servant (including an apprentice) with less than two surviving children may be granted Paternity Leave for a period of 15 days during the confinement of his wife. During the period of such leave, he shall be paid leave salary equal to the pay drawn immediately before proceeding on leave. Paternity Leave shall not be debited against the leave account and may be combined with any other kind of leave (as in the case of Maternity Leave). It may not normally be refused under any circumstances.
2. These orders take effect from the date of issue.
3. In the light of paragraph 2 above, a female Govt. servant in whose case the period of 90 days of Maternity Leave has not expired on the said date shall also be entitled to the Maternity Leave of 135 days. Similarly, Paternity Leave to a male Govt. employee may also be allowed in case his wife had given birth to the child on a date not prior to 135 days from the date of issue of this order.
4. Formal amendments to the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, are being issued separately.
5. In so far as persons serving in the Indian Audit & Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue in consultation with the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.
================================================== ================================================== ===============
What are the provisions for maternity leave?
Every organisation has provisions for a specified period of time that is designated as maternity leave. This may vary form 3-6 months and is usually a paid leave. However, though leave may be granted, most women may have to undergo subtle discrimination once her colleagues come to know that she is pregnant. Thus, it is a good idea to tell the immediate supervisor about the pregnancy. This makes it easier to dispel any doubts or misunderstandings between the employer and the employee. In India, usually a maternity leave is for 12 weeks and the employer pays for the leave. In case of a miscarriage, a woman is entitled to 6 weeks paid leave from the day of the miscarriage.
The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Central Government passed the Maternity Benefit Act in 1961 which extends to the whole of India, and to every establishment belonging to the government – industrial, commercial or agricultural. It provides for certain benefits which are granted to a woman during her pregnancy. Also she cannot be dismissed from service on account of her pregnancy.
The maximum permissible period of maternity leave is 12 weeks, with 6 weeks leave to be taken before delivery and 6 weeks immediately after the child is born. A woman can ask for light work before she goes off on leave. The employer cannot reduce her salary in this scenario. The maternity benefits can only be withdrawn if the employee joins some other organisation during that time.
YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS ACT.
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
1.First, INDIANIZE the content, as it is universal.
2.Discuss with your management.
3.Fine tune it with your LEGAL WIGS, to get the right
interpretation.
4.Always link the payments with LEAVE POLICY,
as employees are always interested/ concern with it.
=========================================
The leave policy could cover many of the below listed
Areas , plus others depending on
-country
-company
-culture
of the workplace.
-Family and Illness Leave
- Leave of Absence Without Pay
- Personal Days
- Leaves of Absence
- Annual Leave
- Sick Leave
- Personal Leave
- Bereavement Leave
- Education Leaves of Absence With Pay
- Leaves of Absence Without Pay
- Family and Medical Leave Policy
- Leaves of Absence Without Pay
- Parental Leave Policy
- Personal Leave
- Committee Work
- Return to Work After Disability
- Short Term Disability
- Sick Leave
- Funeral Leave
etc
==============================
Holiday/Vacation Policy
The following sample company policy statements are for holiday leave. Generally, holidays are paid leave with no loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company.
The policy below mentions Floating Holidays, which are a couple of days you designate each year just to give your employees a little more time off. If you don’t want to offer Floating Holidays, you should remove the reference.
If you want your policy to differ in other ways from the policy set out below, you should change this policy to reflect those differences. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your CEO / LEGAL COUNSEL look over the changes. A list of holidays typically provided by employers is also included.
============================
Annual Holidays
[YOUR COMPANY] observes the following holidays:
• New Year's Day
• Independence Day[ 15 aug]
• Labor Day [ may 1
• Christmas Day
• Republic
• Other Indian festival / religious holidays
ETC ETC
You should update this as per your current
Calendar year.
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Paid Holidays[ annual leave ]
All full-time employees will receive holiday pay of eight straight time hours at their regular rate, provided the following conditions are satisified:
1. Work a full shift on the employee's last scheduled work shift prior to the paid holiday.
2. Work a full shift on the employee's first scheduled work shift following the holiday.
3. Should the employee be unable to work either of these two days because of illness, proof of illness will be required in order to qualify for the paid holiday.
The shift differential for second and third shift employees will not be included in holiday pay.
Holiday pay will not be paid if:
1. The employee has been on the payroll for less than 90 days.
2. The employee is on lay-off status.
3. The employee is a temporary or seasonal employee.
4. The employee is on leave of absence when the holiday occurs.
5. The employee is requested to work during a paid holiday and the employee refuse to do so.
Employees who are requested to work during a paid holiday will receive holiday pay plus regular pay.
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Paid Holidays During Vacations and Weekends
If a holiday occurs during the employee's vacation, the employee's vacation will be extended by the number of holidays falling during the vacation period or an equal number of vacation days will be carried forward for future use.
If any scheduled paid holiday falls on a Saturday, the holiday will usually be observed on the preceding Friday. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will usually be observed as the holiday.
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Overtime
Holidays are not considered a day worked for purposes of calculating overtime unless work is actually performed.
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[The Floating Holiday clause below may be removed if it does not apply to your circumstances.]
Floating Holidays
In addition to the named holidays for which eligible employes will receive paid time off, [YOUR COMPANY] will schedule two floating holidays each year. Floating holidays will be scheduled so as to provide eligible employees with extended weekends by combining them with named holidays.
At the beginning of each calendar year, the employee will receive a complete schedule of paid holidays, including paid floating holidays.
[The Personal Holidays clause below may be removed if it does not apply to your circumstances.]
Personal Holidays
In addition to scheduled paid holidays, eligible employees are given two floating holidays annually to be used as personal time off. Before scheduling a personal holiday, the employee must obtain approval. Requests for personal holidays must be made in writing not less than 10 days in advance of the requested date.
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Religious Holidays
[YOUR COMPANY] recognizes that there may be religious holidays (other than those already designated at holidays) that employees would like to observe. It may be possible to arrange these holidays as scheduled days off, authorized absences without pay or personal time off. Requests for time off to observe religious holidays must be approved.
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Vacation Time
At the end of the employee's first year as a full-time employee of [YOUR COMPANY], an employee is entitled to [number] days of paid vacation.
The employee's vacation days increase to [number] days after five years of continuous employment with [YOUR COMPANY],
[number] days after 15 years of continuous employment with [YOUR COMPANY], and
[number] days after 25 years of continuous employment with [YOUR COMPANY].
Vacation time may be taken in increments of one full day but in all cases must be prescheduled and preapproved. One day of vacation for every five days that an employee is entitled to may be carried over to the following year, but must be used before [date].
[YOUR COMPANY] does not provide paid vacation time for part-time employees.
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Vacation Pay
Vacation pay is the employee's regular rate of pay, excluding overtime or holiday premiums. If the employee's regular rate of pay varies from week to week, the employee's vacation pay will equal the employee's average weekly hours or scheduled hours in the previous calendar quarter not to exceed 40 hours.
Pay will not be granted in lieu of vacation time not taken.
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Scheduling Vacations
[YOUR COMPANY] will attempt to grant all employees vacation at the time they desire to take it. However, [YOUR COMPANY] must maintain adequate staffing at all times. Therefore, vacations must be scheduled in advance and with prior written approval.
Where conflicts develop, they will be resolved as fairly as possible. Preference will be given to the more senior employee, the employee who can demonstrate the greater need for vacation at the conflicting time or the employee who makes the earliest request.
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[The Plantwide Shutdown clause below may be removed if it does not apply to your circumstances.]
Plantwide Shutdown
It is [YOUR COMPANY] practice to have an annual shutdown of [period of time] during the month of [month]. All employees, with the exception of essential personnel, will take their normal vacations at this time. For those employees who are entitled to more than 10 days of vacation, the balance of that vacation must be scheduled. Employees who have been employed for less than one year receive paid vacation in the amount accrued as of the annual plant shutdown, providing they have completed six months of service at [YOUR COMPANY].
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Holiday or Illness During Vacation
When a holiday occurs during the employee's vacation time, the employee will still receive pay for the holiday in addition to the employee's vacation pay or the employee may select another day off.
If the employee is hospitalized while on vacation, the time from the date of the employee's hospitalization until the employee's doctor releases the employee may, at the employee's option, be charged against the employee's short term disability benefits, rather than the employee's vacation time. If this happens, the employee must notify [Your Company]. If the employee becomes ill while on vacation, but the employee is not hospitalized, the employee's absence is charged against vacation time.
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Termination and Vacation Pay
When employment ends for any reason, vacation time earned but not taken by the employee will be included in the employee's final paycheck. At the same time, vacation time taken in advance will be deducted from the final paycheck.
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Vacation Accrual Methods
The following is a sample vacation accrual chart. You can modify your vacation accruals to reflect additional credit for any factor you feel deserve additional vacation as long as you are nondiscriminatory. If you make substantive changes to this policy, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
Basic seniority Accrual Method
Employees who have completed one year of service and who work a 5-day, 40-hour week, are entitled to vacation as follows:
Service Vacation entitlement in week/hours
After 1 year 4 week [ 160 hours]
Vacation must be taken during the calendar year at times convenient to you and your supervisor.
Vacation accrual based on years of service do not address new employees who are hired after the beginning of the year.
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Funeral Leave Policy
The following sample company policy statements are for funeral leave. Generally, funeral leave is granted with pay and without loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company. If you want your policy to differ from the policy set out below, you should change this policy to reflect those differences. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
Salaried Employees
The purpose of funeral leave is to provide you with time to attend the funeral of a member of your family and to handle personal affairs without disrupting your income. Only permanent full-time employees are eligible for funeral leave benefits, and the benefits become effective after you complete your training and adjustment period.
Time allowed: You may be granted up to a three-day leave (three consecutive working days) with pay in the event of the death of an immediate family member.
Definition of immediate family member: The term immediate family member is defined as:
• Brother
• Child
• Father
• Father-in-law
• Husband
• Mother
• Mother-in-law
• Sister
• Stepbrother
• Stepchild
• Stepfather
• Stepmother
• Stepsister
• Wife
Funeral pay: Your funeral leave pay will be figured at your regular rate of pay.
Leave without pay: If you are not eligible for funeral leave with pay, you may be given time off without pay in case of a death in the family. Time off without pay may be arranged to attend the funeral of a close friend. Each day off will be counted as an absence without pay.
Forfeiture: You forfeit your rights to funeral leave benefits if you terminate employment before returning to your assigned position to work at least one workday after you have used funeral leave benefits.
When you are granted funeral leave benefits, it is mandatory that you attend the funeral of the relative for whom such funeral leave was requested. We reserve the right to ask you to supply the name and relationship of the deceased and the name of the funeral home that handled the arrangements.
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Sample Sick Leave Policy
The following sample company policy statements are for sick leave plans. Generally, sick leave is granted with pay and without a loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company. If you want your policy to differ from the policies set out below, you should change these policies to reflect those differences. If you make substantive changes to these policies, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
Pay for Illness
Employees will become eligible to participate in the paid time for illness program as follows:
• if employed prior to July 1, employees will be allowed up to 10 days in the following year
• if employed between July 1 and December 31, employees will be allowed up to five days in the following year, and up to five days in the succeeding years.
In addition to illness, sick leave may also be granted for medical, dental, or optical examinations or when a member of your household requires your personal care and attention due to illness.
Pay and benefits during sick leave. Illness pay will be based on a regular eight-hour day at straight time and at the employee’s base rate. Illness absence of less than three hours in a day will not be considered for payment. Saturdays, Sundays, daily overtime hours, paid holidays, and paid vacation time are excluded as time for which payment will be made under this program.
Weekly insurance benefits will continue to be paid commencing with the first day of certified disability due to accidents and the fourth day due to illness. Thus, in accident and illness cases, the insurance benefit will be paid rather than the paid illness allowance, and any unused illness allowance will be available for use later in the year as needed.
Certification of illness. Certification of illness by a physician will not normally be required to qualify for payment under this program.
Effect on performance. While the company pays you for authorized sick days, we expect you to be honest with us in taking days off only when you are actually ill. Any abuse of this benefit will be taken into account in evaluations of your performance. The company reserves the right to require a statement from your doctor.
At termination. When termination of employment occurs, no payment for sick leave will be made.
Accrual of Sick Leave
Starting with the first day of employment, sick leave will accumulate at the rate of one (1) day per month. Sick leave may accumulate to a maximum of sixty (60) days.
An employee may receive compensation for his/her sick leave that has accumulated in excess of 60 days at the rate of one day’s pay for each two days of sick leave accumulated in excess of 60 days. Payment for unused sick leave will be made during the month of December each year, or at other times as designated by [person who approves sick leave].
One day of sick leave for those employees who normally work a 40-hour week shall be eight hours. A day of sick leave for employees working fifty-six (56) or more hours per week shall be twelve (12) hours.
Permanent part-time employees are entitled to sick leave as earned on a pro rata basis. No sick leave shall accumulate to seasonal or temporary employees. All sick leave payments are to be approved by [person who approves sick leave]. Thus, any employee who is ill is responsible for reporting his or her absence to the appropriate person within one hour after his or her designated time for reporting to work.
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Personal Leave Policy
The following sample company policy statement is for personal leave. Generally, personal leave is granted without pay, but without loss of credit for the employee’s length of service with the company. Not all companies allow employees to retain their service credit, however. If you want your policy to differ from the one below, you should modify it to fit your circumstances. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
A personal leave of absence without pay may be granted an employee at the discretion of the company. A personal leave of absence is defined as an absence of two weeks or longer. It is not our general policy to grant personal leaves of absence and such leaves will be granted only under unusual circumstances. A personal leave of absence is not available instead of medical leave.
Granting of such a leave depends on the review of the merits of each case, including the effect the employee’s absence will have on the workload of the other employees. Probationary employees are not generally eligible for leaves of absence. An employee must have one year of continuous employment before such a leave will be considered.
Applications for leaves of absence may be granted or rejected as dictated by the judgment of [name of person who approves requests].
Salary and benefits are not payable to an employee while the employee is on a personal leave of absence, with the exception of company-paid term life insurance that is continued for eligible employees for one year of a leave of absence. Health insurance may be continued if the employee pays the full premium at the group rate. Although employees do not accrue benefits while on leave, those benefits accrued up to the time the employee started the leave will be retained.
The employee’s exact position, tour of duty, or work area may not be guaranteed upon return from a personal leave of absence; however, all efforts will be made to place the employee in the first available similar job with similar pay. The employee’s date of initial employment will be adjusted to reflect the time spent on personal leave.
It is the employee’s responsibility to return to work on the date the leave of absence expires. Should the employee fail to return and fail to notify [name of person who should receive requests] of a request for an extension, we will assume that the employee does not intend to rejoin the company and will consider the employee to have resigned from employment. A request for extension of a leave of absence must be in writing and must be received at least five working days prior to the expiration of a leave.
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Pregnancy/Maternity Leave Policy
The following policy should be modified to reflect your circumstances. For example, if your short-term disability policy has terms and conditions that are different from the one referred to below, you should change the policy to reflect those terms. Also, you don’t have to offer 16 weeks of leave. If you want to offer a different amount of time, you should modify this policy. If you make substantive changes to this policy, however, you should have your attorney look over the changes.
To be eligible for a pregnancy leave of absence, the employee must be a nontemporary, full-time female employee.
Maximum Length of Leave
The maximum length of pregnancy leave allowed is [number] weeks. If the employee needs a longer leave due to medical complications, the employee should notify [YOUR COMPANY] as soon as possible. The additional leave will be treated the same as any other medical or disability leave.
Written Requests
A written request for pregnancy leave must be submitted within a reasonable time. The employee must submit a written doctor's statement, indicating the anticipated delivery date. The employee should inform [YOUR COMPANY] of the expected duration of her pregnancy leave so that [YOUR COMPANY] may plan around the absence efficiently until her return.
Transfers
An employee requesting pregnancy leave may also ask for a transfer to another less strenuous or less hazardous position if so desired. The request must be in writing and must state the reason for the transfer.
Paid Leave
[YOUR COMPANY] provides for paid pregnancy leave for the period of [time limit—e.g., number of days or weeks]. The employee may use any accumulated paid sick days and/or paid vacation days to extend her pregnancy leave beyond the paid leave period. The employee will be paid for those designated days.
Medical Incapacity
At her option, the employee may continue to work up to the delivery date, depending upon the employee's medical circumstances and the nature of the employee's job. In the event the employee is physically incapable of performing her regular job duties at any time during her pregnancy, the employee may request that the employee be placed on pregnancy leave. An advance notice of a minimum of one (1) week should be given, accompanied by a statement from the employee's physician attesting to the employee's incapacitation.
Benefits
While an employee is away from work on an approved pregnancy leave of absence, she continues to participate in [YOUR COMPANY]'s company employee benefit programs. [YOUR COMPANY] will endeavor to return the employee to the same or equal job she had before taking pregnancy leave. Although [YOUR COMPANY] does not guarantee a return to the identical job, the employee will suffer no loss in seniority.
THIS IS YOUR GOVT. OF INDIA RULINGS .
No. 13018/1/97-Estt.(L)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pensions
(Department of Personnel & Training)
……
NEW DELHI, Dated 7th October, 1997.
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject :- Recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission relating to enhancement of quantum of MATERNITY LEAVE and to allow PATERNITY LEAVE in respect of Central Govt. Employees.
The undersigned is directed to say that consequent upon the decisions taken by the Govt. on the recommendations of the Fifth Central Pay Commission relating to Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave, the President is pleased to decide that the existing provisions of the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, may be treated as modified as follows in respect of civilian employees of the Central Govt. :-
The existing ceiling of 90 days maternity leave provided in Rule 43(1) ibid shall be enhanced to 135 days.
A male Govt. servant (including an apprentice) with less than two surviving children may be granted Paternity Leave for a period of 15 days during the confinement of his wife. During the period of such leave, he shall be paid leave salary equal to the pay drawn immediately before proceeding on leave. Paternity Leave shall not be debited against the leave account and may be combined with any other kind of leave (as in the case of Maternity Leave). It may not normally be refused under any circumstances.
2. These orders take effect from the date of issue.
3. In the light of paragraph 2 above, a female Govt. servant in whose case the period of 90 days of Maternity Leave has not expired on the said date shall also be entitled to the Maternity Leave of 135 days. Similarly, Paternity Leave to a male Govt. employee may also be allowed in case his wife had given birth to the child on a date not prior to 135 days from the date of issue of this order.
4. Formal amendments to the Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972, are being issued separately.
5. In so far as persons serving in the Indian Audit & Accounts Department are concerned, these orders issue in consultation with the Comptroller & Auditor General of India.
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What are the provisions for maternity leave?
Every organisation has provisions for a specified period of time that is designated as maternity leave. This may vary form 3-6 months and is usually a paid leave. However, though leave may be granted, most women may have to undergo subtle discrimination once her colleagues come to know that she is pregnant. Thus, it is a good idea to tell the immediate supervisor about the pregnancy. This makes it easier to dispel any doubts or misunderstandings between the employer and the employee. In India, usually a maternity leave is for 12 weeks and the employer pays for the leave. In case of a miscarriage, a woman is entitled to 6 weeks paid leave from the day of the miscarriage.
The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
The Central Government passed the Maternity Benefit Act in 1961 which extends to the whole of India, and to every establishment belonging to the government – industrial, commercial or agricultural. It provides for certain benefits which are granted to a woman during her pregnancy. Also she cannot be dismissed from service on account of her pregnancy.
The maximum permissible period of maternity leave is 12 weeks, with 6 weeks leave to be taken before delivery and 6 weeks immediately after the child is born. A woman can ask for light work before she goes off on leave. The employer cannot reduce her salary in this scenario. The maternity benefits can only be withdrawn if the employee joins some other organisation during that time.
YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS ACT.
REGARDS
LEO LINGHAM
From India, Mumbai
Hi Leo, I really appreciate your interest in explaning in detailed about MANPOWER PLANNING. It would be of great help to all HR. Thank u so much. Regards, Tabassum
From India, Calcutta
From India, Calcutta
Hi All, Could somebody tell me about how one would go about Manpower planning? I also would like to inform you recently I have joined a new manufacturing company having more than 10 branches. I need a simple reliable format which can help me keeping the record of current manpower and future requirement for short-term and intermediate time period from employing either inside and outside source.
Regards,
Wahid
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
Regards,
Wahid
From Bangladesh, Dhaka
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