Translate workload into capacity
Course overview · 4 min reading + 12 min practice, estimated
Principles and method
Begin with the work required, its variability and the time horizon. Headcount is a consequence of assumptions about demand, productivity and available hours. Separate contracted hours from productive capacity after leave, learning and other responsibilities. Avoid presenting a single point forecast as certainty. Model a base case and plausible lower and higher demand cases. A skills bottleneck may matter more than total headcount: a team can have spare hours while lacking the person authorised to complete a critical task. Record each assumption, its source and the date at which it should be checked.
Worked example
A fictional service expects 1,200 tasks a month at 30 minutes each: 600 hours. If one trained worker contributes 120 productive hours, the arithmetic gives five worker-equivalents. It does not account for shift coverage, skill mix or demand peaks.
Put it into practice
Calculate capacity for 900, 1,200 and 1,500 tasks, then add two constraints the arithmetic misses.
Use fictional information and keep your work in your own notes.
Compare your approach: self-review guidance
The simple scenarios require 3.75, 5 and 6.25 worker-equivalents. Do not automatically round these into hiring requests. Explore scheduling, cross-training and coverage constraints before agreeing headcount.
Sources and further reading
Original Academy teaching and fictional examples. These references provide context, not endorsement. Edition 2026.09; updated 2026-09-24.
- CIPD: Workforce planning
Further reading on workforce demand and supply.
- CIPD: Recruitment
Professional context for the recruitment lifecycle.