Nicky Firth
VP Human Resources, Kennecott Utah Copper at Rio Tinto
“Workforce Planning“
There is a difference between Headcount Planning & effective Workforce Planning. One helps to understand costs and annual planning cycles. The other is the engine room to HR strategy. Companies need both, but HR practitioners should not stop at Headcount Planning and think they have all that is needed to deliver a proactive and sustainable people strategy.
Workforce Planning must be based on an understanding of the drivers of work and productivity in any business and must have strong links to Talent Management. For instance, a business is planning a future expansion in an open pit mine. How will this expansion impact the people needs of the business? What skills are needed and when? What skills are already embedded in the organization? How long will it take to develop that skill? Is it available from the labor market and in what form? How will people be trained and when? Is the work permanent or reflect a ramp up of work that will not be sustained? Can someone else provide the skills more expertly and efficiently that the company? Asking the Right Questions; involving people with “know how” in your business; and HR analytical tools and thinking are critical success factors for effective Workforce Planning.
Workforce Planning is a dynamic process that, if done well, provides an excellent way for HR teams to become engaged with business leaders at the planning and strategy phases of business growth and sustainability.
Biography
Rio Tinto is a world leader in finding, mining and processing the Earth’s mineral resources and the parent company of Kennecott Utah Copper.
Kennecott Utah Copper is one of the largest copper mines in the world. Kennecott is a fully integrated mining, concentrating, smelting and refining company committed to practicing sustainable development in every facet of its business. Kennecott’s operations include the Bingham Canyon Mine, Copperton Concentrator, smelter, refinery, power plant and related facilities. Kennecott produces copper, molybdenum, gold, silver and sulfuric acid. Nearly everything that human beings do today is dependent on materials that are minded – from the minerals we use daily in medicine, food, shampoo and soap, to metals used for conducting heat and electricity to those used in CAT scans and the space shuttle.
Nicky Firth has been an employee of Rio Tinto for eight years and has worked in three Product Groups spanning Australia and USA. She is presently Vice President Human Resources and External Relations at Kennecott Utah Copper in Salt Lake City.
Prior to this role, she was General Manager Human Resources of Argyle Diamonds, from 2008. Argyle is the world’s largest diamond mine located in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia with significant focus on indigenous employment and development strategies. Nicky joined Rio Tinto in 2003 and has worked in both operational and corporate roles in the Aluminium, Diamonds and Copper product groups.
Nicky commenced her career with a HR consulting firm then spent 5 years with WMC Resources, prior to working in Oil and Gas for a couple of years.
Nicky holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with majors in Human Resources and Industrial Relations.
She is married with one child, and lives in Salt Lake City. Her interests include music, playing the drums and attempting to cook.
