Define Zero Based Manpower Planning

What is meant by zero-based manpower planning?

Zero-based manpower planning is an extension of the technique zero-based budgeting. The underlying essence of the technique including its meaning in the manpower area presupposes that every function in an organization is unnecessary, until proved otherwise. The application of this technique purely in the manpower domain stresses on the importance of ongoing organizational vigil to measure effectiveness and value addition from each job to generate bottom line benefits. In simple terms it means that no manpower should remain unutilized and should be optimally utilized. It implies regular time bound survey for optimum utilization of the available manpower resources. This will lead to annual examination of all positions and may further lead to redeployment and reassignment of people according to organizational needs. All these will be focused while ensuring operations driven structure. Consequently this will contribute to decide about the need and extent of right, sizing and to maximize cost- efficiency without sacrificing on operations driven structure.