Many leaders view strategic workforce planning through a narrow or operational lens, often mistaking it for standard talent management. Elizabeth Stapley, Talent & Strategic Workforce Planning Leader at Arup, addresses how to challenge these misconceptions by establishing clear boundaries for SWP that align with the organisation's strategic goals. She will provide approaches for repositioning SWP within the broader leadership mindset, equipping leaders to leverage SWP insights effectively for long-term business growth. This session offers essential strategies for defining SWP’s distinct value, ensuring it drives strategic discussions rather than being conflated with everyday HR functions.

A clear understanding of SWP is vital for organisations to make informed, future-oriented workforce decisions. By addressing leaders’ misconceptions about SWP, HR and workforce planning teams can secure buy-in and embed SWP as a key driver of organisational strategy.

• Common misconceptions about SWP among business leaders

• Differences between strategic workforce planning and operational HR

• Strategies for communicating SWP’s unique value to executives

• Building business-aligned SWP frameworks

• Best practices for securing leader engagement in SWP.

• Gain clarity on the boundaries of strategic workforce planning vs. other HR activities

• Learn techniques to reposition SWP in leadership discussions

• Understand how to secure executive buy-in by aligning SWP with long-term goals

• Equip leaders to champion SWP-driven strategic decisions.