Patricia Cruz, Senior Project Manager, Leidos led an important session on "Workforce Development, Recruitment, Retention and Succession," showing TMEPA members why workforce planning is so important.
Key Takeaways:

1. Have a Strategic Plan

>Review plan and have direction of what will be needed in the future.

>Your Strategic Plan allows you to plan your workforce needs.

2. Access Workforce Situation

>Get that understanding of what you have in place – the current situation and your strengths and weaknesses.

3. Conduct Gap Analysis

>Big picture understanding – how to get from A to B.

>Ask, what is needed to have the right people, with the right skills in the right place with the right costs?

4. Define Goals and Strategies

>Know your goals and how to accomplish them.

>Have strategies and "talent management" on how to retain and keep your workforce, including recruitment, training, retention, succession planning, performance management and culture of organization.

5. Core Value and Culture

> If you are really living your values, that is the type of culture you will be creating.

Challenges:

1. Aging workforce.

2. Recruiting and hiring the "right people."