Syllabus: Cambridge - International AS & A Level Business
Module: 2.1 Human Resource Management (HRM)
Lesson: 2.1.2 Workforce Planning

Introduction

Workforce planning is a core element of the Cambridge International AS & A Level Business syllabus (section 2.1.2). It examines how organisations assess and anticipate their staffing needs to meet strategic goals. For teachers, this topic offers a strong bridge between theory and application, as students can analyse how labour supply, training, retention, and recruitment strategies fit into broader business objectives. It is particularly relevant for developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, given its link to both short-term operational needs and long-term strategic direction.

Key Concepts

In line with the Cambridge specification, students should understand:

• Definition of workforce planning: assessing current workforce, forecasting future needs, and planning to ensure the right number of employees with the right skills are available.

• Stages of workforce planning:

  1. Analysing current workforce structure.

  2. Forecasting future staffing requirements.

  3. Identifying gaps in skills or numbers.

  4. Developing recruitment, training, or redundancy plans.

• Internal and external influences on workforce needs, including technological change, organisational growth, demographic trends, and labour market conditions.

• Link to HRM: alignment with recruitment, training, appraisal, and retention strategies.

• Costs and benefits: balancing investment in people with efficiency and flexibility.

Real-World Relevance

A strong case study example is Tesco’s post-pandemic workforce strategy. Facing a surge in online orders, Tesco initially hired thousands of temporary staff. Post-lockdown, workforce planning shifted to balancing automation in warehouses with retaining trained employees. Students can explore how forecasting demand and adapting recruitment avoided service bottlenecks. Another example is the NHS, which uses national workforce plans to anticipate shortages in specialist roles, linking university training places to projected healthcare needs.

How It’s Assessed

Cambridge assessments may test this content through:

• Short-answer questions defining or explaining workforce planning concepts.

• Data response questions analysing HR challenges using provided scenarios.

• Essay-style questions evaluating workforce planning strategies for a given organisation.
  Common command words include analyse, discuss, and evaluate, which require students to go beyond definition and consider implications, trade-offs, and justifications.

Enterprise Skills Integration

Workforce planning links directly to decision-making, problem-solving, and analytical thinking — all skills emphasised in Enterprise Skills’ “learn by doing” approach. Simulations can place students in the role of HR managers, balancing recruitment costs, training time, and productivity goals. This gives them practical experience of strategic trade-offs, preparing them to apply theory under realistic constraints.

Careers Links

This topic connects with Gatsby Benchmark 4 (linking curriculum learning to careers) and Benchmark 5 (encounters with employers). Relevant career pathways include:

• HR manager or HR business partner

• Recruitment consultant

• Workforce analyst

• Operations manager

• Training and development officer
  Discussing these roles in class, and inviting HR professionals to speak, can help students connect syllabus content to real career routes.

Teaching Notes

• Time-saving tip: Use organisational charts and anonymised real HR plans from publicly available annual reports to illustrate workforce structures.

• Common pitfalls: Students often focus only on recruitment. Encourage them to see workforce planning as broader, including retention, redeployment, and succession planning.

• Extension activity: Run a mini-simulation where students must adapt a workforce plan to sudden changes — such as a competitor opening nearby or new technology rendering certain roles obsolete.

• Differentiation: Provide scaffolded templates for less confident students, while challenging advanced learners to apply quantitative labour market data in their justifications.