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Resourcing meetings are the place where joint agreements are made on all matters concerning resourcing. They are an opportunity to examine how the previous week went and, crucially, to look to the future and ensure that all projects will have enough pairs of hands in the coming weeks. The cycle of resourcing meetings will vary depending on the size of the organisation, and it may also be affected by the nature of the projects. In smaller organisations, one month may be a sufficient interval, but in most cases, circumstances change so often that a more frequent cycle is desirable. The organisation’s size also determines whether one weekly meeting is enough for the entire company or whether the various units should handle this topic separately, with the unit heads overseeing the situation as a whole.
Resourcing meetings review the current resourcing status. The things to keep in mind are the resourcing requirements for projects in production, ensuring a suitable workload for each team and employee, identifying potential conflicts, and optimising the use of resources throughout the organisation. Conflicts are situations in which one person is needed for several projects at the same time or a key person is absent due to a prolonged illness. Conflicts may also arise if the competency requirements are not met or the necessary roles are not available. Ultimately, it comes down to the ratio of people to projects.
Resourcing meetings often cover newly sold projects, schedules, and personnel and competency requirements. New projects often introduce conflicts and changes, making it necessary to adapt existing reservations and, potentially, to move people from one project to another.
It is also important to review the projects that may take place in the near future. This is especially important from the standpoint of forecasting in order to identify potential impacts in the near future. At the same time, it is also possible to observe if there is not enough work to go around or if new recruits are needed to address an employee shortfall.
Above all, resourcing meetings are about employee wellbeing and optimising the utilisation rate. Do we have enough employees? Do we have the right competencies for our projects? What will happen if we cannot sell big projects? Should we take on subcontractors instead of recruiting new personnel? It is good to get answers to these questions at regular resourcing meetings and resolve any problems.
Resourcing meetings encompass all of the following:
- Regular meetings are essential. Otherwise, it is easy to lose control.
- Above all, meetings are a case of communication and information flow. The relevant parties should reach an agreement on matters related to resourcing so that everyone knows what the status is.
- Meetings help to create transparency throughout the organisation.
- Resourcing meetings involve looking back, assessing the current situation, and – importantly – focusing on the future.
- The status should be examined from the perspectives of people, role requirements, and competencies. Do we have the necessary number of people in the right roles? Do we have the right competencies in view of our project requirements? Does everyone have an optimal workload?
- You can avoid nasty surprises by forecasting future situations and ensuring that all relevant parties are involved in agreeing on things.
