ISO 30409 Lead Auditor Course

The ISO 30409 Lead Auditor Course equips participants with the knowledge and skills required to plan, conduct, report, and follow up audits of a Workforce Planning System in accordance with ISO 30409.

ISO 30409 provides guidance on aligning workforce capabilities with organizational strategy, ensuring that the right people, skills, and competencies are available at the right time. This course focuses on evaluating how effectively organizations design, implement, and manage workforce planning processes.

Participants will learn how to:

• Audit workforce planning frameworks and processes
• Evaluate workforce strategies and alignment with business goals
• Identify workforce risks such as skills gaps and talent shortages
• Assess data-driven workforce decisions
• Provide actionable audit findings and recommendations

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the framework and principles of ISO 30409
• Apply auditing principles based on ISO 19011
• Plan and manage first, second, and third-party audits
• Audit key workforce planning elements:
  • Workforce demand and supply analysis
  • Workforce forecasting and planning
  • Talent acquisition and development
• Evaluate organizational alignment between workforce strategy and business objectives
• Collect and verify audit evidence
• Identify non-conformities and improvement opportunities
• Prepare professional audit reports

• Build a clear working understanding of ISO 30409 Lead Auditor.
• Apply relevant principles, requirements and good practice in realistic organisational contexts.
• Prepare participants to contribute confidently to implementation, assurance or professional practice.

Upon successful completion, participants will be able to:

• Lead ISO 30409 audits independently
• Evaluate workforce planning system effectiveness
• Identify risks such as:
  • Skills shortages
  • Workforce imbalance
  • Inefficient workforce utilization
• Assess compliance with workforce planning policies and procedures
• Provide objective audit conclusions and recommendations
• Support continuous improvement in workforce planning systems

The course is based on:

• ISO 30409: Human Resource Management — Workforce Planning
• ISO 19011: Guidelines for auditing management systems
• ISO 30400: Human Resource Management — Vocabulary
• ISO 30405: Recruitment Guidelines
• ISO 30408: Human Governance
• ISO 30414: Human Capital Reporting
• ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems (audit integration concepts)

Course Content (PDCA-Based Auditing Approach)

The course uses the Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA) model to structure audit activities and evaluate system effectiveness.

PLAN – Audit Planning & Preparation

• Overview of ISO 30409 framework
• Understanding organizational context and workforce strategy
• Audit principles, ethics, and auditor competence (ISO 19011)
• Risk-based audit planning
• Defining:
  • Audit scope
  • Audit objectives
  • Audit criteria
• Developing audit plans and checklists

DO – Conducting the Audit

• Opening meeting and audit communication
• Collecting audit evidence:
  • Interviews
  • Document reviews
  • Observation
• Auditing key workforce planning areas:
  • Workforce demand and supply analysis
  • Workforce forecasting and scenario planning
  • Talent acquisition and development processes
  • Succession planning and workforce optimization
• Recording audit findings and evidence

CHECK – Evaluation & Reporting

• Verifying audit evidence
• Evaluating conformity with ISO 30409 principles
• Identifying:
  • Non-conformities
  • Observations
  • Opportunities for improvement
• Preparing audit reports
• Conducting closing meetings

ACT – Follow-up & Improvement

• Corrective action processes
• Root cause analysis
• Follow-up audits
• Continuous improvement of workforce planning systems
• Enhancing audit effectiveness and organizational performance

This course is designed for:

• Internal and External Auditors
• HR Managers and Workforce Planning Professionals
• Talent Management Specialists
• Organizational Development Professionals
• Compliance and Governance Managers
• Consultants and Advisors
• Certification body auditors

• Stronger practical capability and professional confidence
• A structured approach that can be transferred to the workplace
• Assessment and a verifiable Cognicert certificate where the course requirements are met

The programme covers essential concepts, requirements, implementation considerations, evidence-based evaluation, common challenges and practical improvement planning.

Learning combines tutor explanation, guided discussion, examples, exercises and scenario-based application. Delivery may be live online, self-study or arranged for an organisation.