Workforce planning

The apprenticeship levy has highlighted the lack of good workforce planning across councils. There is a need for Human Resources (HR) to better inform service planning (transformation) in the short and long term.

• Local government has an ageing workforce and in certain key professions this is reaching a crisis point in an increasing number of councils 
• 74 per cent of councils in England said they were experiencing recruitment and retention difficulties – it hasn’t changed for over a decade
• There is too much focus on addressing short term needs which is compounding the existing long-term workforce problems
• There is a greater need for integration between local government and other services such as health and social care to meet community health challenges – effective place-based workforce planning can help create greater opportunities for service improvement at reduced costs
• Increasing pressure on council resources and an increasing demand for services is impacting on morale and turnover is increasing across councils in key professions
• Council HR services have and are being cut. This has resulted in expertise/capacity to carry out workforce planning being reduced.

National Workforce Planning Network

This group links all stakeholders in the workforce planning process together through ideas, tools, techniques and shared challenges.

Join the National Workforce Planning Network by emailing welna.bowden@local.gov.uk

LGA strategic workforce planning consultancy offer

For practical support on-site contact welna.bowden@local.gov.uk.