Evaluate the importance of workforce planning to the success of SBC.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Knowledge:
2. Definition of workforce planning – HRM organising and selecting employees to meet the needs of the business.
3. Use of different types of contracts to make business flexible and save labour costs, part-time, short-term, zero hours.
4. Implications for staff turnover and motivation.
5. Link between quality and workforce skills.
6. Meaning of quality in a service industry.
7. Application:
8. SBC need skilled staff for course tutoring.
9. Proposal to train new employees to deliver technology training.
10. Tutors on part-time contracts, flexible staffing.
11. Reference to issues from the case – shortage of good tutors.
12. Possibility of future move to permanent contracts offered to best tutors.
13. Reference to labour costs and revenues from government contract.
14. Analysis:
15. Possible workforce planning solutions developed and linked to levels of labour costs for the government contract.
16. Development of links between flexible contracts and motivation.
17. Could training new tutors be a good solution – costs and benefits?
18. Competition from other colleges – possible impact on wage levels.
19. Possible implications for existing courses if there is pressure on staffing.
20. Evaluation:
21. Essential to plan properly as government contract is important and could be lost if quality is not good.
22. How planning may / may not lead to profitability.
23. Difficult to predict future labour costs five years ahead.
24. Long term effect on staff motivation/turnover.
25. Management and delegation issues – can existing management cope?