Staff development and talent management key to business success

Many organisations are turning to technology and business execution software to make talent management decisions and assist staff development. The process of recording employee development in ring binder folders and spreadsheets is no longer adequate enough for the complex challenges HR now faces of plugging the talent shortage.

A recent survey commissioned by SuccessFactors, an SAP company, found that 87% of employees feel they could be more productive in their job with more staff development and trainingⁱ. In a world where some skills are becoming increasingly scare, this may suggest that there are opportunities to overcome this challenge from within the business. The combination of rapid technological development, weak economies, poorly aligned education structures and an aging workforce means that a war for talent is fast becoming a reality.

Many industries are facing a skills shortage, in part created by an ageing population, with strong competition to find talented employees in a shrinking pool. There will be winners and losers in the imminent war for talent.

Employees themselves are enthusiastic about developing their skills. In the research it was found that 90% felt that employee development or training would be beneficial if available. However, 68% say they are not encouraged to actively seek staff development or training.

So it’s clear, staff development is high on everyone’s agenda. A great Learning Management System is key to providing effective staff development, linked with strategic business objectives. Once you have established the skills that will be necessary in your business in the future, these systems will provide learning options that extend into your employees lives using technology that crosses a formal, informal and social learning experience.

Discover what impact Learning and  Talent management technology could have on your business’ performance by taking SuccessFactors’ quick benchmarking test to see how your company compares to other companies. You’ll also get immediate recommendations on what you can do to make improvements and where to get guidance on creating a winning talent strategy.

The SuccessFactors’ benchmarking test can be found at http://www.successfactors-skilledworkforce.com/benchmarking.php. Additionally, to learn more about talent management technology and Business Execution solutions, visit www.successfactors.com.

ⁱ ‘The SuccessFactors Employee Perspectives Snapshot 2012’ – Conducted by Vanson Bourne