“Manpower planning seeks to maintain and improve an organisation’s ability to achieve corporate objectives by developing strategies which are designed to increase the present and future contribution of manpower”. (Robert C Appleby). A wrong plan can lead to the disruption of the activities, affecting the brand value of the company adversely. Manpower planning is followed by staffing function. Staffing includes recruitment, selection, training, promotion, demotions, transfer and retirement.

The first task of the personnel manager is recruitment. Recruitment is a conscious process, a slight error can result as a threat to the organization. Define the key skills for the role, the educational qualification, past experience, if any required. Then choose the method of inviting applications. Check for the necessary qualification within the organization. This will prove to be very effective as a background check on the individual is made very easy. For external applications, the assistance of a placement consultant, internet, an advertisement in the newspaper or the company website, in case of a company enjoying a good brand image, can be adopted. On the receipt of the applications, use a software for screening the applications and shortlisting those which have the basic skills required for the job. Inform the candidates on the recruitment process which might involve a written test, group discussion and an interview. The interviewer should be able to get the required answers from the candidate without cornering him. There ends the recruitment process.

Staffing, on the other hand, exists through every stage of the employee in the organization. Once the candidate and his role is finalized, identify the individual skill of the employee and compare it with the skill required for the task, measure the difference and then bridge the gap through proper training. Training makes an individual competent to face the task before her.

Staffing function also includes promotions and demotions. The path up the career ladder must be blueprinted and well communicated. A good performance appraisal system helps in the identification of the key players who are crucial to the attainment of the company objectives. Promotion, better monetary and non-monetary remuneration etc with prospects for the accomplishment of their personal growth helps in retaining them in the long run. But at times, badly performing employees need to be identified to improve their talent, and if it fails, demoting or even forcing them to leave the organization.

To retain the employees, the staffing department should be aware of the personal goals of the individuals. It is the duty of the staffing department to lay the route to assist them in achieving their goals. Job rotation is one way for providing better career prospects. The responsibility of checking whether the skills of the employee match with the new job is that of the staffing department.

This department conducts the exit interview at the time of resignation of the employee to know the reasons for the same to reduce the attrition rate in the entity. On knowing the reasons for attrition, they should take steps for the rectification of the same.

Recruitment is just one small, but crucial job of staffing. Staffing starts from the entry of the individual to an organization and continues through all stages until her exit from the company.