Will your future leaders be ëcoached or poachedí during the economic recovery?

Senior management needs to invest more time in coaching, training and mentoring to cope with impending skills shortages that will arise from the economic recovery according to professional workforce solutions leader, Kelly Executive – a division of Kelly Services.
 
In the past 12 months, many companies have downsized their workforce and tightened their budget for non-monetary incentives such as additional training and development programs.
 
However as the economic tide turns, employers will again be faced with the challenge of attracting and retaining quality staff and will need to look beyond basic rewards.
 
Kelly Executive Managing Director Paul Dickinson said that preparing for skills shortages by implementing positive development initiatives now, will give an organisation a competitive advantage when looking to expand during the economic recovery.
 
“As the economy continues its revival, we will inevitably return to the global war for talent, and retention strategies need to be firmly grounded in preparation.
 
“In many cases, the primary reasons for employees leaving companies are based around learning and development rather than financial rewards.
 
“Employers are far more likely to attract and retain high performing, valued employees if they have a solid staff development program.”
 
According to Mr Dickinson, an effective development program for a management team could include coaching, training, counselling, consulting and mentoring.
 
Each holds its own merit, however coaching can present a personal approach to problem solving. For instance, in a situation where an issue has been indentified, the ‘coach’ can encourage their ‘coachee’ to set a goal, develop a plan, and action that plan – all whilst monitoring progress and the results.
 
“The benefits derived from setting up a quality driven, collaborative and solutions-focused coaching program are enormous for all parties involved.
 
“The knowledge, confidence and satisfaction gained from this process will inevitably lead to a true development of skills, an enhancement in performance and ultimately a more committed and loyal employee.
 
“As business confidence continues to grow, the companies with the commitment, ability and passion to develop their staff are less likely to lose them to their competitors. Employers need to ask themselves if they want their staff to be coached or poached,” said Mr Dickinson.