It’s Christmas week, all of the team at LACE are at home for the holidays, but just for a bit of fun we thought we’d have a little think about spreading a bit of Christmas joy. So here’s Debbie Mitchell’s take on all things Father Christmas and strategic workforce planning….
The holidays are a time for joy, magic, and meticulous planning – at least for Father Christmas. Managing the North Pole’s workforce isn’t just about making toys and loading sleighs; it’s a masterclass in strategic workforce planning. With the demands of delivering millions of gifts in one night, Santa knows he needs the right elves with the right skills in the right roles. Here’s how the big guy in red ensures his talent pipeline is as polished as a freshly wrapped present.
Forecasting festive needs: From toy trends to reindeer readiness
Santa starts his workforce planning with robust forecasting. Every January, he brings together the North Pole’s Analytics and Magic Department to review global toy trends, demographic data, and the growth rate of the Nice list. This data informs the workforce plan developed in collaboration with the Analytics and Magic team at LACE Partners.
- Skills forecasting: Father Christmas predicts demand for specific skills like AI-integrated toy engineering or biodegradable wrapping innovation.
- Capacity planning: With population growth, more kids, mean more presents. Father Christmas ensures he has enough elves to meet the surge.
- Reindeer management: While not technically elves, the flying team gets their own training schedules. Rudolph’s ongoing laser-nose upgrades require specialised technicians!
Defining the core skills of elves
A great plan starts with understanding the skills that matter. After a workshop with LACE Partners’ Talent and Skills specialists, held in the North Pole Workshop, the skills requirements of the elves were determined into three broad categories, each with a unique skill set:
- Toy Technicians
These elves specialize in toy-making, requiring technical precision and creativity. Key competencies include:- Miniature robotics assembly
- Advanced glitter application
- Quality control (because no child wants a teddy with two left arms).
- Logistics Luminaries
This team oversees inventory, packing, and sleigh-loading. Core skills include:- Spatial reasoning for optimised packing (Tetris experts preferred).
- Route-planning with Santa’s SleighNav system.
- Speed-wrapping—a skill honed during the annual Wrapping Olympics.
- Magic Maintainers
Behind every Christmas miracle is a team of magic-savvy elves who maintain the North Pole’s enchantments. Essential skills include:- Crystal snow globe diagnostics.
- Stardust calibration for the sleigh’s boosters.
- Spell troubleshooting (to avoid awkward chimney incidents).
Talent acquisition: Recruiting the right elves
Finding the perfect elf isn’t easy. Santa uses a rigorous hiring process, focussed on an exceptional elf experience, including glittery aptitude tests and a team-building challenge involving gingerbread towers. To keep his employer brand strong, Santa worked with LACE Partners’ Experience specialists and set out to promote the North Pole as the ultimate place to work, offering perks like hot cocoa fountains and a sled-to-work scheme.
Upskilling and reskilling: Future-proofing elf expertise
Santa knows the toy industry doesn’t stand still. Every summer, elves attend training programs like “Coding for kids’ gadgets” or “Eco-friendly toy design.” The North Pole Academy (NAP) offers courses to reskill elves from wrapping to logistics, ensuring the workforce is always ready for emerging trends.
Succession planning: Grooming the next generation of elves
What happens if the Head of Tinsel suddenly retires? Santa has a succession plan. Promising elves are identified early and given leadership roles in projects like the Candy Cane Innovation Lab. Santa believes in nurturing potential, ensuring the magic of Christmas is never short-staffed.
The gift of workforce strategy
Thanks to Santa’s strategic workforce planning, and a sparkly collaboration with LACE Partners, the North Pole team is a seamless blend of talent and efficiency. By aligning skills, forecasting demand, and fostering development, Father Christmas ensures his elves deliver on time, in full, every Christmas Eve.
If Santa can plan this well under the twinkling pressure of holiday deadlines, surely we can take a leaf from his workforce playbook. After all, isn’t success the ultimate gift?
Looking for us to help with your bespoke workforce plan requirements? Looking at your approach to people analytics? We’d be happy to sprinkle some magic on your programme – reach out to us using the form below.
