"I imagine workforce planning to be rather like a weather forecast. We may not be able to predict exactly how many inches of "rain will fall - but we can still make a decision as to whether or not it is really a good idea to go for a picnic." Alexandra Chauran. This short book acknowledges that workforce planning will never be an exact science, but also maintains that it is possible for HR departments to develop reasonable forecasts of workforce needs through the use of quite simple processes. The concept of workforce planning is overviewed and a range of tools explored that HR generalists can adopt and adapt to suit specific contexts without the need for complex statistics. It is not an academic book - rather an insight into straightforward techniques with which HR can engage with their managers to work together on what must now be viewed as a critical task.