Methods for diagnosing personnel needs are also known as forecasting personnel demand and supply. Determining needs requires several different techniques and tools to help gather the necessary information. The following methods can be distinguished:

Analysis of employee mobility

It answers the question of how many employees leave the company during the year, for what reasons, how the employment structure changes, and how this structure is affected by employee promotions or changes due to job rotation. Having this knowledge makes it possible to fill in the gaps that arise in the organizational structure.

Zero-based forecasting

i.e. annual assessment and adjustment of the current workforce. The advantage is that job descriptions are systematically updated and their functionality is assessed from the point of view of strategic objectives. The disadvantage is the high probability of previously duplicated errors that may appear in the job description and will be duplicated.

A managerial appraisal

It is characterized by two approaches, the first being a bottom-up approach, i.e. the collection of data from departmental managers. These are prepared by line managers and are passed on to senior managers. The second is the top-down approach, where planning data is prepared by senior managers and passed on to departments where the data is verified.

The Delphi method

It is based on the knowledge and work of experts who individually develop expert opinions on specific staffing problems, which are then analyzed and reworked. The expert opinions are usually anonymous and evaluated twice, with the comments being passed on to a feedback task so that the experts can rework the problem. The final stage is the selection of one of the versions thus developed or the working out of one final solution and can take place, for example, during a discussion session.

Statistical analyses

It consists of the analysis of correlations and forecasts of the desired state based on data (e.g. sales, profit, or productivity) that would influence future employment. The advantage of this method is the close link between employment planning and the company’s economic accounts. The disadvantage is that it requires a good understanding of the statistical and econometric issues involved, which for some companies is a major burden.

Scenario forecasting

aims to analyze and evaluate changes in the environment. It makes it possible to determine the future conditions an organization will likely have to operate. Scenario forecasting combines elements of corporate strategy with the implementation of the personnel function. This method assumes that future directions can be influenced.

Computer simulation involves experimenting on a model example of a real situation and observing the consequences of personnel decisions. Such activities provide an opportunity to evaluate certain HR decisions and avoid mistakes, without the need for experimentation.