Workforce planning compares the people and skills the organisation has today with what it will need, based on plans for growth, expected turnover, retirements and changes in technology. The gaps become a hiring, training or redeployment plan. For example, a retailer opening three stores in spring, with known seasonal peaks, can estimate how many store staff to hire and when to start recruiting.
Without a plan, hiring becomes reactive, with rushed processes and lowered standards when roles are urgent. With one, recruiting teams can build pipelines ahead of demand, line up screening capacity for peaks and agree criteria with hiring managers early. Internal mobility belongs in the plan too, since some gaps are better filled by developing existing staff than by hiring.