Manpower Planning | Advantages and Disadvantages

Manpower planning plays а vital role in the achievement of the common goals of the enterprise. Every enterprise has to estimate their manpower requirements in order to carry on the business operations smoothly. There are many advantages and disadvantages due to proper or improper manpower planning. They are discussed as follows.

Advantages of Manpower Planning

Without proper manpower planning no enterprise can achieve its objectives fully and entirely. Sometimes, even its very existence may be handicapped. Hence, it is needless to stress its importance. However, the following benefits are worth mentioning.

1. The required number of staff shall be recruited at each level in the hierarchy.

2. Staffing requirements can be better balanced and movement of staff can be made easier by manpower planning.

3. Areas of high labour turnover are highlighted in manpower planning.

4. Implications of changes in recruitment, promotion and succession plans are foreseeable.

Limitations of Manpower Planning

Human resources planning is not free from defects. In fact, it is a double edged weapon. If used properly, it will lead to maximum utilization of human resources. If used faulty, manpower planning will lead to disruption in the flow of work, lower production, less job satisfaction, etc. Besides, it also has certain limitations.

The following are some of the limitations of manpower planning

1. Detailed records are needed plus expensive clerical staff.

2. Problems of forecasting changes, especially in technological and Government policy areas.

3. Manpower planning can be uncertain even for at few years ahead. Particularly, in a dynamic business situation it is really difficult to foresee the future with maximum accuracy.

In spite of these limitations, proper manpower planning is a condition precedent to perform staffing function properly and successfully.