The Small Enterprise Guide to People and Resource Management

Quickly start getting the right people, with the right skills, at the right time.

Thought Model: The Small Enterprise Guide to People and Resource Management

Member Challenge

  • 52% of small business owners agree that labor quality is their most important problem, and 76% of executives expect the talent market to get even more challenging.
  • The problem? You can't compete on salary, training budgets are slim, you need people skilled in all areas, and even one resignation represents a large part of your workforce.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

  • The usual, reactive approach to workforce management is risky:
    • Optimizing tactics helps you hire faster, train more, and negotiate better contracts.
    • But fulfilling needs as they arise costs more, has greater risk of failure, and leaves you unprepared for future needs.
  • In a small enterprise where every resource counts, in which one hire represents 10% of your workforce, it is essential to get it right.

Impact and Result

  • Workforce planning helps you anticipate future needs.
  • More lead time means better decisions at lower cost.
  • Small Enterprises benefit most, since every resource counts.

Research & Tools

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1. The Small Enterprise Guide to People and Resource Management Deck – Find out why workforce planning is critical for small enterprises.

Use this storyboard to lay the foundation of people and resources management practices in your small enterprise IT department.

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The Small Enterprise Guide to People and Resource Management – Phases 1-3

2. Workforce Planning Workbook – Use the tool to successfully complete all of the activities required to define and estimate your workforce needs for the future.

Use these concise exercises to analyze your department’s talent current and future needs and create a skill sourcing strategy to fill the gaps.

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Workforce Planning Workbook for Small Enterprises

3. Knowledge Transfer Tools – Use these templates to identify knowledge to be transferred.

Work through an activity to discover key knowledge held by an employee and create a plan to transfer that knowledge to a successor.

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IT Knowledge Identification Interview Guide Template
IT Knowledge Transfer Plan Template

4. Development Planning Tools – Use these tools to determine priority development competencies.

Assess employees’ development needs and draft a development plan that fits with key organizational priorities.

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IT Competency Library
Leadership Competencies Workbook
IT Employee Career Development Workbook
Development Plan Template
Learning Methods Catalog for IT Employees
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