In a time when AI and automation dominate strategic conversations, Alejandro Giordanelli, Global Lead for Strategic Workforce Planning and People Analytics at Merck Group, advocates for re-integrating the human dimension into workforce planning. Reflecting on the trajectory of economics towards incorporating behavioural insights, Giordanelli presents how SWP can evolve similarly by accounting for the psychological factors that influence workforce decisions. Attendees will learn why moving beyond optimisation models to embrace behavioural science can create strategies that resonate more deeply with employees, drive stronger engagement, and yield strategic decisions grounded in a richer understanding of human complexity.

Amid rapid advancements in technology and data analytics, strategic workforce planning can risk de-prioritising the human elements essential for employee engagement and organisational adaptability. Learning from behavioural science, companies can ensure SWP strategies that acknowledge human decision-making patterns, improving strategy adoption and long-term workforce alignment.

• Insights from behavioural science applicable to SWP
• Human factors influencing workforce decisions and strategy impact
• Beyond models: humanising SWP for greater engagement and adoption
• Aligning behavioural science insights with data for resilient workforce plans.

• Recognise the limits of optimisation models in fully capturing workforce dynamics
• Understand how behavioural insights drive effective SWP and strategic buy-in
• Learn actionable methods to incorporate psychological factors in workforce strategies
• Gain a framework for ensuring SWP resonates with employees’ needs and motivations.