What do Poker and Workforce Management Forecasting have in common?

As a poker enthusiast, I find intriguing parallels between the game and my workforce management professional role. In Poker, understanding opponents' hands involves analyzing their betting patterns, playing style, and the cards we hold. The key insight here is that we deduce opponents' possible hands as a range, not just a single hand.

Likewise, exceptional workforce management forecasters avoid single-point predictions and instead consider multiple outcomes. While one outcome might seem most probable, envisioning a range of possibilities offers several advantages:

1. Better Risk Assessment: Contemplating different outcomes enables forecasters to develop plans for various scenarios, reducing the chances of being caught off guard. With pre-established action plans, they can respond swiftly and effectively.

2. Avoiding Biases and Fallacies: Human minds are susceptible to biases, and initial predictions often lean towards our personal biases. By evaluating various outcomes systematically, forecasters create a structured framework that challenges these biases, leading to more objective forecasts.

Just like a skilled poker player expertly considers a range of possible hands, incorporating multiple outcomes into workforce management forecasting is a winning strategy!  Embracing uncertainty and preparing for various scenarios empowers forecasters to make better decisions and stay ahead of the game. So, go ahead and create a diverse forecast and watch your abilities level up!