Human element is indispensable factor of production.Every enterprise must have the optimum number and right type of employees. The shortage and the surplus both of manpower are disadvantageous to the organization. In case of shortage, full productive capacity cannot be utilized. In case of surplus manpower, the enterprise will bear unnecessary burden of labour cost. In the same way, the shortage and surplus manpower in terms of quality of workers will also adversely affect business prospects. As such, every enterprise must assess its labour requirements on the basis of factual information. It should also recruit and select the right candidates objectively, i.e., without any favour or prejudice.
In order to make the selected candidates real asset, proper training should be imparted to them and employees should also be provided opportunities for professional growth.
Meaning and Definition of HRP
Manpower is the primary resolute without which
other resources like money material, etc. cannot be put to use. Even a fully automatic unit such as an unmanned satellite requires manpower to execute it and make further improvements. That is why man learnt the use of manpower much before he learnt to use other resources.
Manpower planning is an important aspect of personnel management. It. may be defined as the strategy for the acquisition, utilization, improvement and retention ofnhuman resources of an enterprise. Manpower planning is basically the process by which it is determined how an organization should move from its current manpower positionnto its desired manpower positron. Different management scholars have defined the term “manpower planning” differently.
According to Edwin B Gester “manpower planning is a process including forecasting, developing, implementing and controlling by which a firm ensures that it has the right number of people and right kind of people at the right place and at the right time for things for which they are economically useful”.
Manpower planning, in the words of Dale S. Beach “is the process of determining and assuring that organization will have an adequate number of qualified persons available at proper times, performing jobs which meet the needs of entire enterprise and which provides satisfactions for the individuals involved”.
According to M. N. Rudrobasavraj, “Manpower planning may be a strategy for acquisition, utilization, improvement and preservation of an enterprises human resources”. Thus, manpower planning is the process by which an organization ensures that it has the right number and kind of people at right places at the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing the tasks that will help the organization to achieve its overall objectives. Manpower
planning translates the organization’s objectives and plans into number of workers needed to meet these objectives. In simple words, manpower planning is a strategy for procurement, development and allocation and utilization of an organization’s human resources.
Characteristics of Manpower planning are listed as under:
Some of the major characteristics of manpower plan
It is not a matter concerned with individual career planning and development.
It is not just a planning for changing organizational structure.
It is an ongoing process.
It includes the planning and development of human resources.
It is not just forecasting demand and supply of human resources
