Human Capital Management
Hiring Toolkit

Overview of Workforce Planning

Workforce Planning is the strategic process that enables us to have “the right people with the right skills in the right place at the right time.” It creates a framework for human resources decisions based on our mission, strategic plan, budget, and the competencies we need. This basic activity is critical to our performance; it gives us a basis for justifying budget allocations and workload staffing levels so that we can achieve our goals.

The following seven steps are followed in DOT during the Strategic Workforce Planning process:

1. Identify Strategic Direction: establish the strategic objectives and priorities of DOT/individual OAs/Lines of Business
2. Understand the Current Workforce: analyze existing workforce data and identify strengths and weaknesses.
3. Understand how Mission Critical Occupations (MCOs) Perform within the Organization: clearly understand the mission of the organization, the work requirements to achieve the mission and the structure and make-up of the organization.
4. Understand how the MCOs fit into the Organization in the Future: examine potential changes to existing mission and future changes (increases/decreases) in demand for services and determine impact on existing organizations and staff.
5. Identify Competencies for MCOs: determine competency requirements for existing and future staff.
6. Identify Competency Gaps: identify and prioritize competency gaps using a competency assessment survey, workforce data, information from staff, and meetings with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) or key stakeholders.
7. Identify Strategies to Close Gaps: examine all data collected and analyzed during the workforce planning process to develop strategies to close identified gaps; align strategies with budget requests, staffing and training plans, and recruitment and hiring activities.

Workforce Planning and the Hiring Manger's Role

Workforce planning typically begins with an assessment of the types of individuals you need to perform your work now and in the future, followed by contrasting that outlook with the current state of your work unit. It may be that the way the job has been handled in the past is not the way you need the job to be handled in the future. Job duties, and the skills necessary to perform them, may change as your work unit evolves.

Review Strategic Workforce Plans

As you review your OA Strategic Workforce Plan, consider the strategies and solutions that were identified to mitigate workforce-related risks and competency gaps to meet your future staffing needs.

Identify Talent Requirements

As you review your OA Workforce Planning Strategy, as well as that pertaining to the usage of the Pathways Programs (when appropriate), consider your unit’s balance of new and experienced talent, and whether that balance will continue to serve you in the future.

Ask yourself questions such as:

1. What necessary skills are in short supply on your staff?
2. How do you anticipate your skills shortage changing in the near term due to anticipated workforce changes? What about over the long term?
3. How are the demands on your organization—and your staff—changing?
4. Will your work unit’s mission be changing in the months or years ahead as a result of larger changes in your agency or department? What are those changes?
5. What is the status, background, and availability of participants under the Pathways Programs? Is there a fit in your work area for a Pathways hire?
6. Does my work unit reflect an inclusive environment?

Overview of Hiring Pre-Work

The Hiring Pre-Work phase acts as a preparation period that takes place before any hiring processes have begun. It puts you, as the hiring manager, in the driver’s seat and begins with smart, upfront groundwork.

Validate Need and Gain Approval

• Validate the need to hire against your workforce, staffing, and recruitments plans.
• Work with the relevant OA office to gain approval/authorization to hire a new employee.

Hold Strategic Conversations with your HR Specialist

• Discuss the position, recruitment strategies and any current or potential issues which could impact the hiring process.
• Review available hiring flexibilities.
• Review available recruitment incentives.
• Identify recruiting sources and outreach planning.

Refer to the PRE-WORK STRATEGIC CONVERSATION WORKSHEET.

Verify Vacancy Announcement Request Package

Your HR Specialist should consult the Executive Agent’s (EA) Vacancy Announcement Request Package Completeness Checklist during and after your strategic meetings. This list is used by the EA to review the Vacancy Announcement Request Package for quality and completeness, so it works well as a self-check before submitting the pack to EA.

Sample Hiring Documents

Below are several examples of documents that you may be asked to create during the hiring process. We suggest you review the below sample document(s), then work with your HR Specialist to review and/or revise existing document(s) or develop new document(s) that are needed for your current hiring action.

Sample POSITION DESCRIPTION

Sample JOB ANALYSIS

Sample JOB OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT