talentedge

I don't need to tell anyone reading this that it is a job-seekers market!  Unemployment is at it's lowest in decades and the job market continues to grow, the resultant talent shortage means that employers need to move quickly to implement strategies to attract, retain and engage talent.  If you don't believe me, then check out the following findings of the Vedior Asia Pacific 2006/07 Employment Trends survey*:

• 60% of respondents were finding it hard to source talent, and most of these report the skills shortage is having either a high or critical impact on their organisation
• 28% are looking to increase staff numbers in the next year
• 26% indicated that higher-than-average remuneration helps attract talent
• 76% of those surveyed believe that their organisation's culture, values and people are the main factors which draw people to work for them
• More than 60% rate their staff turnover as medium to high

So while offering higher salaries is one strategy it should not be the only one, employers that are able to offer training and structured career management programs will be in a better position to attract and retain their staff.  Never has investing in training and development been more critical as organisations begin to realise that growing internal talent is a far less costly and risky business than buying it externally.  And let's not forget other critical engagement issues, such as work/life balance, performance reviews, development planning and career advancement.  Organisations putting in place strategies to address these issues will be in a better position than their competitors when it comes to attracting and retaining their talent.

To learn more keep an eye out for aCE talentNET invitations to Talent Tuesday events in coming months.

Warm Regards, Deirdre
Corporate Talent Agent

* Vive Magazine, "Mind the Gap", Felicita Benedikovics, Aug-Sept 2007

Deirdre Gruiters is the Executive Director - Consulting for aCE talentNET, or in other words, aCE talentNET's Corporate Talent Agent. So if looking for Organisational Development resources is what you're needing to do, then Deirdre and the team of aCE talentNET know how to find them. Ask anyone of our continually satisfied clients.

develop youredge The following 3 articles are our favourites for this month; and a snapshot of the fabulous content on the aCE talentNET blog  ... feel free to visit and make comments Soft Skills; Hard Dollars   (extracting Real Value from Business Coaching) by Geraldine Mockler of Account Manager and Head of Coaching Services GPR Dehler, and speaker at the upcoming International Coach Federation Australasian Conference. Coaching has been enthusiastically adopted in the business world, with an increasing number of people looking for personal support in the workplace. Managers and executives, in particular those in key roles, seek peers that can unlock their ability to work through complex business problems and to better achieve their goals. The sector is still evolving and maturing. There are different perceptions of what coaches are expected to deliver, the criteria by which they are assessed, and how, and by whom, their value is measured.    This may leave buyers at a potential disadvantage – without the ability to establish clear expectations or a means to differentiate coaching programs, assess capability and evaluate the return on investment. Design meet Business: "Business, this is... Design" by Mark Dziersk for Fast Company. Business people need to develop a better understanding of design, form partnerships between themselves and creativity, and apply strategy to design thinking, in order to compete effectively today. Let's say you're the typical business person who knows very little about design. Perhaps you equate Mike Meyer's old SNL character on "Sprockets" with the typical designer. You know, dressed all in black, funny little glasses, all emotion no rational thought. Now, let's say you're being asked to integrate design into everything you do, and leverage it as a core strategy for every part of your competitive advantage.   Making the Most of Your Time: Going Beyond To-Do Lists By Rajesh Setty. The author of one of 'ChangeThis' most popular manifesto, 25 Ways to Distinguish Yourself, Rajesh Setty returns with a new set of suggestions for optimizing your abilities. He asserts that even though everyone is given only 24 hours in a day, the most successful people are those who make every minute count. Here, he tells you how project management, understanding your abilities, investing in relationships and making a difference are just some of the ways you can make the most of your time.    This is for everyone, whether in corporate, or as an independent. Is this not something we are all striving for...

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• We are delighted to welcome a number of new Consultants to aCE talentNET.
  
• If you do wish to see what your details are on file, now would be a great time to visit and update as required. However, don't despair if you have lost your password, simply request a new one be sent to you!  We look forward to seeing many of you update your details soon!!!
  
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