Human resource planning is an ongoing process that ensures project personnel are allocated effectively for each task throughout the project lifecycle. To do this, inputs like the Project Management Plan, Activity resource requirements, Enterprise environmental factors, and Organisational process assets are necessary. Meanwhile, tools and techniques such as Organisation charts and position descriptions, Networking, Organisational theory (from textbooks), Expert judgement, and Meetings are utilized.

The main objectives of human resource planning are to ensure personnel are well-suited to their tasks, minimize resourcing shortages, and minimize resourcing surpluses. While projects are essential for organizational growth, it's important to remember that people execute these projects, and human behavior can cause delays, mismanagement, and communication issues.

Human resource managers play a critical role in guiding and coordinating the workforce to achieve organizational goals. Project managers may not have control over the administrative aspects of human resource management, but they still need to understand the human side of project management. The success or failure of a project depends largely on human resources.

To ensure effective management of a project's human resources, project managers need to focus on various aspects. The PMBOK® Processes for Project Human Resource Management include Organizing and Preparing, which involves Plan Human Resource Management, and Carrying Out the Project Work, which involves Acquire Project Team, Develop Project Team, and Manage Project Team.

Planning project activities.

To achieve success in a project, it is crucial that the project manager conducts a thorough analysis of each task, taking into account the necessary skills and personnel needed for each one. A well-structured project plan is equally important, which aligns the team's skills and competencies with their assigned tasks, providing clear communication channels, review procedures, and reporting requirements.

As the project progresses, the project manager's role transforms into one of allocating and reallocating personnel to ensure they are best suited to the project's evolving needs. This includes tasks such as placement, equipping, induction, and debriefing. The project manager must also oversee, monitor, and review staff and staffing issues at all levels of the project, with a primary focus on performance management.

Throughout the project's lifecycle, it is critical that the project manager communicates any changes in HRM functions, structures, roles, and status to all stakeholders and higher project authorities, thereby ensuring transparency, responsibility, and an unwavering focus on quality.

Undertaking professional development activities.

By considering growth potential within project parameters, we have the opportunity to develop individuals beyond their current level of knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes. This not only benefits the project itself, but also the team members and their organization. Clear expectations, responsibilities, and performance criteria lay the foundation for ongoing appraisal and assessment. With these strategies in place, we can measure team and individual performance against agreed criteria, and implement strategies to address any shortcomings. Ongoing development and training for the project team encourages career progression and further skill and knowledge attainment.

Assisting and providing guidance to the project team.

As a project manager, you play a crucial role in balancing the needs of individual team members and the team as a whole. Your efforts to monitor and address any conflicts promptly will help minimize their impact on achieving project objectives. By implementing procedures for interpersonal communication, counseling, and conflict resolution, you can ensure a positive working environment for everyone. Remember to promote continuous improvement of staff and overall project effectiveness, and take necessary remedial actions promptly when problems or conflicts arise. Your dedication to these principles will inspire your team to achieve great things together.

Planning for Quality in Future Projects for Organizational Purposes.

It's important to document any management issues and recommended improvements, and share them with the appropriate authorities as "lessons learned" for both current and future projects.

PERFORMANCE PLANNING

Effective team management planning is instrumental to the success of any project. Performance planning plays a crucial role in achieving this success by identifying, evaluating, and developing the work performance of employees in the organization. By setting goals and objectives, employees can receive the recognition, acknowledgment, and career guidance they need to succeed.

As a result, a shared understanding is established, which helps manage and develop people to attain those goals. According to a recent survey, employees are motivated by organizational communication, the impact of their job on personal or family life, the nature of their work, quality management, and a sense of control over their work. Money ranked 16th, which means that other factors are more important to employees.

Richard Rudman emphasizes the importance of having a shared understanding of expectations and goals. Managers must develop processes and systems that focus on performance and support the achievement of targets. By emphasizing planning for performance rather than just reviewing it, organizations can achieve greater success.

For your project team to contribute to your organization's overall goals and achievements, they need to understand how their work fits into the bigger picture. Encouraging them to make better contributions, developing their skills and talents, and recognizing and rewarding their efforts can go a long way in achieving success.

EVALUATING TASK PERFORMANCE

There are various methods for evaluating task performance. The following are some common ones:

Formal Appraisal:

Teams and individuals tend to be more committed to performance appraisals when they have played a part in drawing up personal targets and determining ways of evaluating themselves. This makes it easier for them to accept the results.

Peer Review:

This method is useful for groups that are confident in their skill and relationships. However, it may not necessarily be valid or unbiased, and it could affect cohesion and harmony if people are knocked off one at a time.

Review by Subordinates:

Responses may not be genuine and could be what is expected. Both the subordinate and the manager may find this method threatening.

Ranking and Paired Comparisons:

This method can only evaluate single-dimensional contributions or performance. It often involves subjective criteria like adaptability, intelligence, and cooperativeness and requires close knowledge of the context.

Critical Incidents (+ Interviewing):

This method involves recording on-the-job incidents that are examples of effective or ineffective behaviors. However, the incidents can be random and unrepresentative. This method can be useful for task or role analysis and for determining key success factors when employees are asked:

- To describe a situation where something remarkable occurred.

- What tasks had to be accomplished?

- What action did you take?

- What were the results?

- What would you recommend or conclude from this?

To ensure success, each member of the project team should have specific performance measures that outline the following:

• Criteria for recruitment and selection

• Essential competencies and knowledge areas

• Professional development requirements

• Monitoring of employee development and well-being

• Levels of reward and recognition.

To plan human resource management, one can use the WBS by analyzing the individual tasks within it. This analysis can help determine the required resourcing levels and competencies needed to successfully undertake each task.

Plan Human Resource Management

Using the WBS

By analysing individual tasks within the WBS, resourcing levels and competencies needed to undertake each task can be determined.

Structuring Project Resources

Establishing an effective structure ensures that all project activities are appropriately assigned.

Resource Responsibility Matrix

Ensure all project team members have a clear understanding of their project responsibilities and how these relate to the delivery of the project.

When it comes to performance evaluation, there are different methods available. Checklists are commonly used, but they require a deep understanding of the job and its success factors. However, selecting and weighting the criteria can be challenging, and it's important to decide on a valid rating scale.

Another approach is using Behavioral Observation Scales, which can be time-consuming to develop. It's essential to define measurable objectives and key areas for reporting, ensuring that all performance aspects are covered. Some tasks require consistent performance, while others need to maintain a certain standard.

360 Degree Feedback is a multi-rater and multi-source approach that takes into account different perspectives. To implement this method, criteria and processes need to be developed, such as questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews. It's crucial to gather, collate, and communicate the feedback effectively.

The Secrets of Dynamic Leadership