Contents
Templates overview ........................................................................................................................... 1
Document management ...................................................................................................................... 2
Template 1: Workforce planning project plan ................................................................................... 3
Template 2: Stakeholder engagement plan ........................................................................................ 5
Template 3: Workforce planning project risk assessment ................................................................. 6
Template 4: Workforce segmentation document ............................................................................... 7
Template 5: Job role profiling template ............................................................................................. 9
Template 6: Demand analysis (current and future) .......................................................................... 11
Template 7: Alternative future analysis ........................................................................................... 13
Template 8: Workforce database ..................................................................................................... 15
Template 9: Workforce trend summary ........................................................................................... 17
Template 10: Employee survey ........................................................................................................ 18
Template 11: Exit interview ............................................................................................................. 19
Template 12: Internal supply (current and future) ........................................................................... 21
Template 13: External supply (current and future) .......................................................................... 22
Template 14: Workforce gap (current and future) ........................................................................... 23
Template 15: Risk and options analysis ........................................................................................... 24
Template 16: Action plan ................................................................................................................. 25
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
iii
Templates overview
These are the templates referred to throughout the eight modules of the Australian Public Service
Workforce Planning Guide, designed to assist you with workforce planning in your agency or
department.
These are generic templates outlining the basic information required and suggested format for
collecting and structuring this information. Templates are referred to throughout the modules by
their number and title, and the following symbol is also used throughout the modules to draw your
attention to templates that might help you along the way, as you progress workforce planning in
your organisation.
The structure of the eight modules as they relate to the workforce planning process is depicted in
Figure 1.
Figure 1. Modules in the APS Workforce Planning Guide
Introduction and how to use the guide
Workforce planning explained
Initiation and planning for workforce planning
Segmenting your workforce
Demand analysis
Supply analysis
Gap analysis and strategy and initiative development
Implementation and monitoring, evaluation, review and adjustment
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
1
Document management
Version history Date Author Description
2
Version
Date
Author
Description
1.1
January 2013
Australian Public Service Commission
Minor updates
1
December 2011
Australian Public Service Commission
First version
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Template 1: Workforce planning project plan
You can complete this template at the beginning of the initial workforce planning process. It is a
simple project plan providing all relevant people with an overview of the project.
Headings
Key points
Name of project
A unique name that describes the project accurately and succinctly (e.g. Workforce
Planning for the Environmental Division, Department of Travel, June 2011).
Owner
Who owns the project? Who is the key stakeholder for the business area to which the
workforce planning project applies? (e.g. Environmental Division Head)
Responsibility
This should be one person (e.g. the project manager), name and position specified.
Project team
Specify the names and positions of all members of the project team.
Timeline
When will the project begin? When is it scheduled to finish (and be integrated into
business as usual)? What are the timeframes associated with key components of the
project (and their linkages to key timeframes associated with business and financial
planning, etc.)?
Objective
What is the outcome you are seeking to achieve from this workforce planning project?
Output
What will the output of the project be? (e.g. Environmental Division (Department of
Transport) Workforce Plan 2011–2014)
Target audience
Specify who the project output (workforce plan) is intended to be used by? (e.g.
Environmental Division Head, Environmental Division Business Manager,
Environmental Division Directors)
Scope
For what organisational level is the workforce plan being developed? (e.g. unit, section,
branch, division, group, agency, department, etc.) Will the workforce plan cover all
workforce segments or critical job roles only? What are the main inclusions and
exclusions of the project? (e.g. due to data constraints a workforce profile will be
excluded)
Milestones
What significant milestones can be used to track the progress of workforce planning?
(e.g. completion of a particular component of the workforce planning project by a
specified date)
Review timeframe and
responsibility
When will the project be reviewed and who is responsible for undertaking the review/s
required to maintain the workforce plan? When is this going to happen?
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 2: Stakeholder engagement plan
This template is a table containing the main components of a stakeholder engagement plan. You can use it as a stakeholder engagement plan or attach it as
an annex to a more extensive stakeholder engagement plan.
Stakeholders
Involvement
Risk
Engagement
Responsibility
Timing
Approach
Who is the
potential
stakeholder?
How are they involved or
interested in the workforce
planning activity?
What are the risks
of not engaging
them?
What level of engagement is
appropriate? (e.g. awareness,
involvement, commitment)
Who is
responsible for
engaging them?
How often
should you
engage them?
When?
How will the
stakeholder be
engaged? Through
what media?1
1
The communication media to be used for engaging with stakeholders depends on variables such as the purpose of the engagement, the size and nature of the target group, what communication has occurred before,
and time and resource constraints (including budget). Stakeholder engagement can be very resource intensive.
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 3: Workforce planning project risk assessment
You can use this template to assess the risks associated with your workforce planning project and develop mitigation strategies.
6
Risks
Likelihood
Consequence
Criticality
Mitigation strategies
What is the potential risk?
What is the
likelihood? (e.g.
extreme, high,
moderate, low,
negligible)
What is the
consequence? (e.g.
extreme, high,
moderate, low,
negligible)
What is the
criticality? (e.g.
extreme, high,
moderate, low)
What are some potential strategies for mitigating the risk?
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Template 4: Workforce segmentation document
You can use this template to help you define the workforce segments within your organisation and outline the job capability requirements for each
segment. Workforce segments should draw upon the job families, job functions and job roles in the APS Job Families Model. This template will provide
the link between your workforce demand and workforce supply (defined in terms of skills and capabilities). You can use this template to communicate
your workforce breakdown to employees and other stakeholders. Depending on your organisation, you may choose to add other columns to the table.
Job family
Job function
Job capability requirements
Outputs to be delivered
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Essential skills, capabilities and
characteristics
Desirable skills, capabilities and
characteristics
7
Template 5: Job role profiling template
You can use this template to systematically collect and manage information about particular
positions or types of roles. A job profile is basically a comprehensive list of the responsibilities and
tasks undertaken in a position or role plus a list of critical skills and capabilities needed to perform
these responsibilities and tasks.
Job family information
Job family
Job function
Job role
Australian and New
Zealand Standard
Classification of
Occupations (ANZSCO)
code (if applicable)
Profile information
Role purpose
Core responsibilities
Demonstrated behaviours
Preferred qualifications,
certifications, licenses
Is the qualification mandatory, or can it be acquired over a period of time in the role?
Mandatory
2–6 months
1–2 months
6–12 months
Baseline
Negative vetting 2
Negative vetting 1
Positive vetting
High
Medium
12+ months
Preferred knowledge
Role specific technical
knowledge
Source
Australian Public Service
classification range
Security clearance
Vacancy criticality
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Low
9
Template 6: Demand analysis (current and future)
You can use this template to determine your workforce demand, current and future.
Your full demand analysis should contain:
 Information on your critical job roles.

An outline of your demand forecasting method.

Your demand forecast findings (the known path, as well as the most plausible other scenarios and their impact on demand). In particular, it is important
that you list the key internal and external drivers of workforce demand and explain how these are expected to impact on demand. This will inform
workforce planning in the future as well as help you evaluate the accuracy of forecasted future demand.
The table below allows you to summarise your current and future workforce demand and as such will also show the gap between these two. The future
demand in this table should be based on your known path. Bear in mind that workforce demand is the workforce you desire, however, it will need to be
reconciled to the supply and budget.
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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FTE = full-time equivalent
12
APS = Australian Public Service
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Location
Level
FTE
Location
(+ 4 years)
Level
(+ 3 years)
FTE
(+ 2 years)
Location
(+ 1 year)
Level
Future demand
FTE
Future demand
Location
Future demand
Level
Future demand
FTE
Current demand
Location
Job role
Level
Job function
FTE
Job family
Template 7: Alternative future analysis
As part of your demand forecasting process you will identify the ‘known path’ (the most likely path
for your organisation) and alternative futures, scenarios and events that could impact your demand.
You can use this template to record alternative futures and how they will affect demand as well as
supply.
Scenario (name)
Description
Timeframe
Likelihood
Workforce demand
implications
Capacity
(size, structure)
Capability
(skills, capabilities)
Affordability
(full-time equivalent)
Capacity
Workforce supply
implications
(size, structure)
Capability
(skills, capabilities)
Key risks
Mitigation strategies
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 8: Workforce database
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Qualifications
Training
Education
Other attributes and
characteristics
Capability
Skill
Skills and
capabilities
Disability
Aboriginal / Torres
Strait Islander
Employment
Status
(Permanent,
full time, part
time, casual)
Full-time equivalent
Classification Level
Location
Job role
Job function
Job family
First start date
Male or female
Age
Date of birth
Name
Employee
identification
You can use this template to collate a comprehensive list of employee information. You should use your demographic payroll data and skills and
capabilities audit to populate the table. You can use this table as a basis for your internal supply analysis. Note: if your organisation is large, an information
database will be much easier to manage than a spreadsheet.
15
Template 9: Workforce trend summary
You can use this template you to summarise your organisation’s workforce inflow and outflow
trends from past years. This will enable you to get an overview of how inflow and outflow have
changed over time and can give you an idea of what they will be over the coming years.
Yearly workforce statistics
Workforce inflow
Current
-1 yr
-2 yrs
-3 yrs
-4 yrs
-5 yrs
-6 yrs
Current
-1 yr
-2 yrs
-3 yrs
-4 yrs
-5 yrs
-6 yrs
Recruitment
Secondments
Transfers
Total
Workforce outflow
Terminations
Secondments
Transfers
Resignations
Retirements
Redundancies
Deaths
Total
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 10: Employee survey
You can use this template to survey employee opinion, experience and intentions to complement
your quantitative information.
Employee survey
Where did you work before this agency?
What attracted you to the job?
What would make you leave?
What are your career/retirement intentions over the
next year, next two years, next five years?
Where do you see yourself in two years’ time?
Would you recommend the organisation to others?
Why? Why not?
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APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Template 11: Exit interview
It is important that your organisation conducts and analyses exit interviews for the purpose of your
workforce planning. You can use this template for suggested questions if your organisation doesn’t
undertake exit interviews.
Exit interview
Why are you leaving the organisation?
Would you recommend the organisation to others?
Why? Why not?
Would you return to the organisation? Why? Why
not?
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 12: Internal supply (current and future)
Based on Template 6 you should now be able to populate the first three columns of this template, which you can use to gain an overview of the skills and
capabilities of your current workforce. Then, using workforce trend data and the information from your employee surveys, you should attempt to predict
what your workforce will look like at the end of your specified timeframe, if no attempt is made to reconcile it with future demand.
Job role
Job function
Job family
Current internal supply
FTE
Level
For example,
2
APS5
Location
Future internal supply*
Future internal supply*
Future internal supply*
Future internal supply*
(+1 yr)
(+2 yrs)
(+3 yrs)
(+4 yrs)
FTE
Level
Location
FTE
Level
Location
FTE
Level
Location
FTE
Level
Location
Sydney
FTE = full-time equivalent
*Assuming no change to trends
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 13: External supply (current and future)
You can use this template to examine your workforce’s current and future external supply. Knowing the market availability of skills and capabilities that
you require will be useful when you’re assessing the options for closing your workforce gaps. You do not need to distinguish between employees and
contractors if you do not have this information available.
Skills and
capabilities
in demand
(in order of
criticality)
Availability of supply
Employees
Current
Yr 1
Yr 2
Contractors
Yr 3
Yr 4
Current
Yr 1
E.g. project
management
= skill is in high supply
22
Yr 2
Supply
impediments
E.g. main
competitor is
industry
E.g. high cost
Note on location
Yr 3
Yr 4
E.g. shortage worst in
Western Australia
= skill is in moderate supply
Competitors
= skill is low supply
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Template 14: Workforce gap (current and future)
Using the information you have entered into Templates 5 and 10, you can use this table to show your workforce’s current skills and capability gaps as well
as the predicted future gap if no specific measures are taken to address this gap.
Job role
FTE
4
3
4
Gap
1
Demand
Supply
3
Demand
1
Future (Yr 4)
Gap
4
Supply
3
Demand
1
Future (Yr 3)
Gap
4
Supply
3
Demand
-2
Future (Yr 2)
Gap
3
Supply
5
Future (Yr 1)
Gap
Current
Demand
Job
function
Supply
Job
family
1
FTE = full-time equivalent
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
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Template 15: Risk and options analysis
= extreme
24
E.g.
high
E.g.
high
= high
E.g. likely retirement of
20 personnel with policy
skills in 3 years.
E.g. budgetary
constraints,
policy graduates
are becoming
harder to find.
= moderate
Expected
benefit
E.g. introduce
graduate policy
program
Alignment with
organisation
objectives
Responsibility
Potential
limitations
Estimated
cost
Other gaps the
strategies will
address
Residual
risk
Mitigation
strategy/initiative
options
Success
likelihood
E.g.
likely
Risk rating
Likelihood
E.g.
shortage
of policy
Analysts
Consequence
Gaps to be
addressed
When you’re developing strategies and initiatives to address your workforce gaps you will have several options. Some may address only one of your gaps,
while others may address several. You can populate this template to assess the various strategies by comparing the gaps they will address, noting the
potential limitations of implementing the strategies and initiatives.
e.g.
high,
medium,
low
= low
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
Template 16: Action plan
You can use this template to outline your chosen strategies and initiatives (in order of priority) and the responsibilities, key performance indicators,
timeline, milestones and resources requirements. You should involve line managers and HR managers in this process to ensure you develop a tangible and
realistic action plan. If there are links between existing strategies and initiatives and the strategies and initiatives you identify in your action plan, you
should make those responsible for implementing them aware of this, and ensure they have the tools needed to coordinate them.
Strategies and
initiatives
Priority
Responsibility
E.g. introduce graduate
policy program
E.g.
high,
medium,
low
E.g. Human Resources
Manager (implementation)
Chief Executive Officer
(owner)
Key performance
indicator and target
Timeline
Milestones and
deliverables
Budget and resource
requirements
E.g. Dec 2011 to
Mar 2012
E.g. Dec 2011—advertise
positions
E.g. 2 x Human Resources
Directorate staff required for
duration of timeline
Feb 2011—candidate interviews
Mar 2011—announce positions
Mar 2011—candidates start
= high
= medium
APS Workforce Planning Guide – Templates
= low
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