Workforce planning is the process of linking workforce strategies to desired business outcomes.

Workforce planning involves identifying key workforce:

1. Issues that impact overall business success.
2. Goals that must be reached to support overall business success.
3. Objectives that indicate progress toward attaining the goals.
4. Strategies and action plans for achieving the objectives.

Washington State's Workforce Planning Guide

• Introduction to Workforce Planning
• Levels of Workforce Planning
• Workforce Planning Model (PDF file) 
• Step 1: Identify Workforce Issues
• Step 2: Identify Workforce Goals
• Step 3: Identify Workforce Objectives
• Step 4: Identify Workforce Strategies

Click here to view and print the Guide to Developing Strategic Workforce Plans as a PDF document.

Additional Planning Guidance and Tools

• Competencies
• Essential Functions Guide
• WGS Position Description Guide
• Supervisors' Guide to Developing Operational Workforce Plans (PDF file) 
• Developing Staffing Plans
• Managing Staffing Reductions
• Managing Cultural Change
• Environmental Scan
  • With narration (44,611 KB PPTX file) - Please note: This is a large file and may take time to download depending on your download speed.
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  • Without narration (1,032 KB PPTX File)