SHORTAGE OF MANAGEMENT TALENT
I was laughing.
Okay, maybe not laughing, but definitely chuckling when I read recently that Bersin & Associates, a talent management consultancy firm, conducted a survey of 750 business and 55 senior HR executives and found that “more than half admitted to a critical shortage of line managers as well as difficulty in identifying, hiring and developing mid-level managers.”
The reason I was chortling was because I remember a time in my friend’s career when he was literally squeezed out of a company – along with fellow mid-level managers – as the rank and file along with the executive team came together in a flattening of the organization.
Now these oh, so many years later, they want him. They really want him. But why now?
According to Josh Bersin, President of Bersin & Associates, “Business and economic growth, changing workforce demographics, and constrained corporate spending have collided to create daunting talent-related business challenges.”
And the impact is particularly apparent in healthcare, government, utilities, oil and gas and telecommunications.
So what should you do?
Take time to develop the talent already on staff. Unfortunately too many organizations run to the marketplace the minute they need to fill a management role instead of preparing in advance. Where better to find the skills and knowledge that your company needs then right in your own backyard?
Think about it. If it takes more than six months to recruit someone from outside your organization, that’s time lost. If you plan in advance for the possibility that managers will eventually leave (hopefully due to internal promotions), you can backfill with the talent you already have. Then your job will be to replace a lower level position, and you’re less likely to run into a shortage of management talent.
Explore posts in the same categories: Recruiting, Sourcing, Hiring, Succession Planning
