Manpower Inc. chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres on January 27 will advise business and government leaders on how companies can address a global talent mismatch and do more with less in his remarks as part of a global skills creation panel at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
"In this economic climate, it's not just about finding skilled workers, it's about finding elite talent – the best of the best. The strategic use of temporary workers is the fastest way for companies to stage an immediate post-crisis comeback," said Joerres. "Flexibility is key, for both employers and their workforce. Companies need flexible, agile workers who can constantly adjust and enhance their skills to meet the needs and expectations of workers. Employees expect that same flexibility in return, to advance professionally and pursue their personal lifestyles."
There are plenty of people available for work with the technical qualities needed to do certain jobs, but perhaps they don't have the psychological make-up, critical thinking skills or intellectual curiosity to really move the company forward, according to Joerres' planned remarks for the panel. Earlier this week, Manpower Inc. identified four megatrends that should be top concerns for business leaders around the globe when planning their workforce management strategy throughout the recovery. These tenets will be pillars of Joerres' remarks on the panel skills creation. These megatrends are:
- The Talent Mismatch is deepening as the working age population declines and the nature of work changes. These significant shifts in talent supply are transforming the global labor market.
- Individual Choice will be exercised by those with the skills that are most in demand, requiring companies to think differently about how jobs are defined and how they will attract and retain scarce talent.
- Rising Customer Sophistication requires businesses to work in a new way, driven by innovation and delivering greater value and efficiency.
- Technological Revolutions have the power to change where, when and how we work, enabling organizations to be more agile and innovative – if they know how to leverage it.
According to Manpower's most recent Talent Shortage Survey, 30 percent of employers across the globe continue to struggle to fill positions available despite the global economic downturn. The top five positions employers are having most trouble filling globally are skilled manual trades people, sales representatives, technicians (technical workers in the areas of production/operations, engineering and maintenance), engineers and management/executives. Manpower surveyed nearly 39,000 employers across 33 countries and territories to gauge employers' ability to find the talent they need.
Joerres and Manpower are members of the Global Agenda Council on the Skills Gap. The panel will be moderated by J. Frank Brown, dean of INSTEAD, France, who co-chairs the Global Agenda Council on the Skills Gap along with Manpower president of global corporate affairs David Arkless. This panel can be watched via livestream at http://wef2010.unitec-media.tv/index.html.
