Empowering Worcestershire Businesses for the Future

The Worcestershire Workforce Planning Platform is an online resource designed to provide step-by-step instructions and practical tools to help businesses assess their current workforce and plan for future needs.

Developed in response to feedback from local businesses, the platform aims to help employers strengthen their workforce, enhance working practices, and prepare for the future. Key features include:

•    Step-by-Step Guidance: Detailed instructions on evaluating company culture and workforce capabilities, along with creating effective plans.
•    Practical Advice: Resources and best practices to overcome common challenges and skills shortages.
•    Flexible Usage: A user-friendly design allowing businesses to work at their own pace, with an assessment tool recommending tailored development plans.

Judy Gibbs, Director of Skills at Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Head of Skills and Investment for Worcestershire County Council, stated, "We’re thrilled to offer an enhanced Worcestershire Workforce Planning Platform. Workforce planning is essential for navigating modern business challenges. By adopting a people-first approach, businesses can build a strong company culture and ensure their teams have the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed for long-term success. This streamlined tool will empower businesses to strategically develop their teams, fostering innovation and resilience in our local economy."

By utilising the platform, businesses can identify and address gaps in skills, behaviours, and competencies to build a stronger, more resilient team. They can analyse and improve current working practices to boost recruitment and retention. Additionally, the platform helps anticipate industry trends and challenges, allowing businesses to plan in advance to achieve their goals. With optimised resource allocation, businesses will have the necessary tools to innovate, grow, and sustain themselves in a dynamic environment.

Phil Newton, Co-CEO of PSE Offline Marketing, who has helped beta-test the platform, remarked, "As a growing marketing agency, this platform has been invaluable. It provided us with the tools to map out our team's skills, identify gaps, and create development plans. I highly recommend it to any business looking to improve their workforce planning and support future growth."

The Worcestershire Workforce Planning Platform is completely free to use. Businesses can register at any time, create workforce plans at their own pace, and monitor their progress using the streamlined digital tool. For more information and to access the toolkit, visit the Worcestershire Growth Hub website.