Workforce planning tools are HR software, standalone or built into an HRIS, that centralize job and skills frameworks, performance and career interviews, and development plans so you can anticipate future skills needs. In France this approach is called GPEC, the French equivalent of strategic workforce planning and skills management, now officially named GEPP.
Key takeaways
- GPEC is the French term for strategic workforce planning and skills management; since the September 22, 2017 ordinances, French labor law calls it GEPP.
- Workforce planning tools centralize the skills framework, career interviews, skills mapping and development plans.
- They can be an HRIS module or a dedicated tool connected to it: data flow between the two is a key selection criterion.
- Their value depends on adoption by HR teams and managers, which is why training them on the tool matters.
New jobs, digital transformation, chosen mobility: skills needs and employee expectations are changing fast. In this context, as HR managers must constantly adapt to changes within the company and its environment, anticipatory workforce planning and skills management (GPEC) has become a major challenge for organizations. Anticipating future company developments, identifying skill requirements, and implementing the necessary actions to address them... Today, specialized workforce planning tools help you meet these challenges. Let's take a closer look.
1. Definition of GPEC
The main challenge of anticipatory workforce planning and skills management lies in its ability to support your company in a changing environment. Technological advancements, economic and social shifts, and evolving employee expectations all necessitate constant adaptation of skills within organizations. GPEC allows you to anticipate these changes and implement actions to develop the skills essential for your company's long-term sustainability. However, manual data management related to GPEC can be complex and time-consuming. Who wants to fill out spreadsheets for hours? This is where HRIS software comes in. These IT tools centralize and analyze data related to jobs, skills, and employee career paths. They provide a comprehensive and precise overview of the company's current situation, as well as future projections. If you don't measure each employee's performance, how can you improve their results and retain your top talent?
What is GPEC? The French equivalent of strategic workforce planning
GPEC stands for gestion prévisionnelle des emplois et des compétences, which translates as anticipatory management of jobs and skills. In English, the closest equivalent is strategic workforce planning combined with skills management. The CIPD defines workforce planning as balancing labor supply (skills) against demand (the numbers needed): analyzing the current workforce, identifying future needs and gaps, and implementing solutions.
In France, GPEC has a legal dimension. As the DREETS Centre-Val de Loire explains, the September 22, 2017 ordinances renamed it GEPP (gestion des emplois et des parcours professionnels, management of jobs and career paths). Negotiating on GEPP is mandatory for companies and groups with at least 300 employees, and for EU-scale groups with at least one establishment of 150 employees in France; unless an agreement sets another schedule, it takes place every three years.
For software, nothing changes: GPEC tools, GEPP tools and workforce planning tools cover the same features. Smaller companies with no negotiation obligation use them too, to manage their skills proactively.
2. How to implement Workforce Planning?
Implementing GPEC begins with an audit of existing resources to diagnose your needs, both in terms of positions to be filled and career management. The professional development interview forms the basis of GPEC. This discussion between the employee and the company aims to address the skills required for the current role and the employee's training and career development plans. The employee's aspirations gathered during these interviews can then be centralized in a Human Resources Information System (HRIS). These interviews will enable you to map the skills within your company, monitor them, identify any gaps, and guide your strategic decisions accordingly.
3. What are the benefits of GPEC?
- Streamline strategic human resource planning: Thanks to advanced features, HRIS software helps identify gaps between available skills and those required to achieve company objectives. They can also assist you in defining concrete action plans to bridge these gaps, whether through training, recruitment, or internal mobility. If a key employee decides to leave your company soon, do you have the internal qualifications to replace them? Can a direct report aspire to advance in their role, or will you need to recruit externally? If their career paths have been optimally tracked, you will have all the information needed to make an informed decision based on concrete data.
- Foster employee engagement: By offering visibility into career development opportunities within your company, these tools contribute to employee motivation and retention. Employees feel valued and encouraged to develop their skills, knowing they have prospects for growth alongside you. Promoting internal mobility also leads to better talent retention, while avoiding the costs and time associated with external recruitment.
The average recruitment time for an executive in France increased from 9 to 11 weeks between 2020 and 2021; in high value-added services (IT, engineering, consulting), the share of companies taking more than 12 weeks to hire rose from 12% to 22% (Apec, 2022).
- Predictive analytics: By leveraging available data, HRIS software such as Cegid Talentsoft, Cornerstone HR or Sopra HR, can help anticipate future skill needs and plan preventive actions. This allows the company to prepare for upcoming changes, reduce risks associated with the loss of key skills, and optimize its recruitment and training strategy. HRIS software then offers you better visibility into the company. As an HR manager, you have powerful tools to effectively manage skills and careers. And to foster upskilling, what's better than tailored training?
What features should workforce planning tools include?
Whether it is an HRIS module or a dedicated tool, workforce planning software usually covers:
- Job and skills framework: job descriptions, expected skills and proficiency levels.
- Skills mapping: the skills available in each team and a gap analysis against future needs.
- Interview campaigns: annual and career development interviews, with history and employee aspirations.
- Development plans: a direct link between identified gaps, training and internal mobility.
- Talent reviews and succession plans for key positions.
- Dashboards and scenarios: age pyramid, critical jobs, scarce skills and future headcount scenarios.
HRIS module or dedicated tool? A module built into your HRIS avoids double data entry and relies on up-to-date employee records; a dedicated tool often offers richer skills frameworks but needs a solid interface with the HRIS. Either way, the deciding factor is usage: a skills framework that managers never fill in produces no usable data. Plan from the start how you will support adoption of the tool.
4. Train your employees
In the context of GPEC, it is essential that HR managers themselves are well-trained in talent management tools to ensure optimal support for their employees in managing their skills. To support them in their learning, application simulators for interactive training exist.
The authoring tool K-STUDIO lets you create a faithful replica of a business application. HR managers then have access to comprehensive modules: step-by-step discovery, practical exercises with input, etc., enabling them to optimize the use of their HRIS GPEC module.
Frequently asked questions
What does workforce planning refer to?
Workforce planning refers to the process of matching the skills and headcount an organization has with those it will need to deliver its strategy. It involves analyzing the current workforce, forecasting future needs, identifying gaps and closing them through hiring, training, internal mobility or outsourcing. Strategic workforce planning looks several years ahead; in France, the equivalent approach is called GPEC.
What are the main workforce planning tools?
Workforce planning tools include both methods and software. The methods are job and skills frameworks, skills mapping, gap analysis, career interviews, talent reviews, 9-box grids, succession plans and scenario planning. The software, either an HRIS module or a dedicated workforce planning application, centralizes this data, keeps it up to date and turns it into dashboards and headcount scenarios.
What is the difference between strategic and operational workforce planning?
Strategic workforce planning looks several years ahead: it aligns skills and headcount with the business strategy and anticipates new jobs, retirements and scarce skills. Operational workforce planning, often called workforce management, covers the short term: shift scheduling, time tracking and staffing levels. GPEC and the tools discussed in this article belong to strategic workforce planning.
What is the difference between workforce planning software and an HRIS?
An HRIS manages all HR data and processes: employee records, payroll, absences, training and recruitment. Workforce planning software focuses on anticipation: skills, jobs, career paths and development plans. Many HRIS suites include a workforce planning module; otherwise, the dedicated tool must be connected to the HRIS to share employee data and avoid double entry.
How do you get managers to use a workforce planning tool?
A workforce planning tool only creates value if managers fill in interviews and skills. To drive adoption, simplify the forms, explain how the data will be used, train managers on real cases before each campaign and provide help directly inside the tool. See also our guide to corporate software training methods.
