Workforce planning needs to be credible and should clearly add value to the business, In a way it's a chicken and egg situation How can you plan ahead ir you aren't planning your workforce ahead? Some of the factors that will convince chief executives and board members include: -Identification of the link between losses(or reduced profits) and job vacancies, deadlines that have been missed, and other poor performance factors Analysis of the costs/savings of less training in-house versus buying in talent for critical skills high prices. Recognition of the kind of return a company can expect from investing in tools and in-house training. .Appreciation of the savings that can be achieved by in-house training versus recruitment.