Strategic Workforce Planning — How Outsourcing Can Help You Stay Competitive

Every business does workforce planning — or thinks they do. Yet, in practice, few organisations feel confident matching talent needs with business goals beyond the short term.

Most companies will freely admit they don't do a great job of it because it's difficult in a global business to know what’s happening right now, let alone what will happen next year," says Alex Hall, Head of Page Outsourcing UK. "Even organisations in stable, mature markets with low attrition struggle with this topic.

The challenge isn’t just about headcount. It’s about building a workforce strategy that can respond to rapid market shifts, changing skill requirements, and new working methods. Getting it right means moving beyond traditional hiring metrics like time-to-hire and cost-per-hire to think more broadly about how talent drives competitive advantage.

Why Traditional Workforce Planning Falls Short

Workforce planning often breaks down when businesses face unexpected challenges:

• A manufacturing company wins a major contract and suddenly needs 300 new workers — but supply chain delays halt production.
• A marketing team plans for normal turnover, but an economic shift increases attrition, leaving critical gaps.
• An IT department prepares for incremental hiring, only to find AI and automation have completely reshaped the required skillset.

These roadblocks are all too common. Overcoming them requires agility — adapting quickly as business needs shift and evolve.

"The core issue isn’t just filling current roles but understanding how those roles will change", Hall explains. Many companies struggle to balance maintaining operations while preparing for a future where jobs look fundamentally different.

AI and automation are reshaping roles at an extraordinary pace. By 2030, 300 million jobs globally could be displaced by AI, while 97 million new roles will emerge in areas like green technology and AI development. The abilities needed to thrive are changing, too, with 44% of workers' skills likely to be disrupted by 2028.

Workplace expectations are shifting, too. More than two-thirds of US firms now offer location flexibility, with structured hybrid work becoming the norm. Yet, 73% of hybrid team managers lack formal training to lead distributed teams effectively.

These shifts demand fresh thinking about talent. Companies must blend full-time staff, specialists and contingent workers to stay agile. They need people who can adapt as technology evolves, work effectively in hybrid teams and bring diverse perspectives to problem-solving.
 

Breaking Free from Outdated Hiring Patterns

Many organisations default to the same hiring strategies because they feel familiar. But are they still effective?

Alex Hall highlights skills adjacency as a major missed opportunity:

Skills adjacency is a big opportunity that's often missed. We see businesses fixated on specific experience when there's actually a larger pool of people with transferable skills. And then there's location — companies insist on office presence when they could access great talent in different regions.

Instead of rigid hiring frameworks, organisations should ask:

• Could analytical skills in one department transfer to another?
• Might experience professionals returning from a career break bring fresh perspectives?
• Could workers over 55 offer expertise on a flexible basis?
• Should top talent be encouraged to move across functions rather than leave for external opportunities?
• By opening minds to these possibilities, organisations can unlock talent pools they might never have considered before.

Shifting to a More Strategic Approach

Strategic workforce planning isn’t about predicting every possible scenario. As recent years have shown, even the best-laid plans can be disrupted. Instead, it’s about building the capability to respond quickly to change.

Hall emphasizes that success requires strong cross-functional partnerships. HR leaders must work closely with department heads to plan beyond immediate hiring needs and anticipate workforce changes 12, 24, or even 36 months ahead. This involves assessing:

• How the organisation might evolve in the coming years.
• What major projects require resourcing beyond business as usual?
• How skill gaps will be addressed as roles evolve.

Even with solid internal planning, some needs are too complex or time-sensitive to manage in-house. A company may need to hire 50 software developers within three months for a digital transformation or scale a customer service team across multiple regions.

Handling this internally can be costly and inefficient.

Where Outsourcing Makes the Difference

High-performing companies know when to build internal capabilities and when to bring in external expertise. Outsourcing helps organisations stay agile by providing:

• Gain market insights to align hiring strategies with industry trends.
• Access wider talent pools, including specialists and contingent workers.
• Scale teams up or down as business needs shift.

The key is getting the mix right," Hall says. "Some skills should stay in-house as part of core capabilities, while others are better suited for flexible arrangements or specialist partners. Leading businesses blend these approaches while maintaining high standards and a strong company culture.

Building Future-Ready Teams

The most successful organisations combine rigorous planning with flexible execution. They understand their core skill needs while remaining open to different ways of meeting them. They foster strong internal and external partnerships to access broader talent pools and fresh perspectives.

When organisations get it right, they have someone who partners with departments and takes a long-term view of workforce needs," Hall explains. "They maintain the right procurement partnerships to source talent effectively, keeping suppliers engaged with relevant insights and equitable terms. It’s about supporting internal teams while leveraging external expertise at the right time.

Workforce planning challenges aren’t going away. But by questioning old assumptions, embracing new talent sources, and thinking strategically about future needs, businesses can build resilient teams that drive long-term success.

Partnering with Page Outsourcing ensures you have the right strategy, expertise, and agility to stay ahead. Let’s start the conversation today.