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Media Advisory: Boston Consulting Group Experts Available to Discuss Landmark 'People' Study

BOSTON (Business Wire EON) April 16, 2008 -- Recruiting, retaining and developing talent is the biggest "people" challenge facing companies in the United States and worldwide, and it's the one they are least ready to handle, according to a major new survey of nearly 5,000 executives in 83 countries and markets.

Talent management emerged as the most urgent priority not only among companies in the United States, but also among companies in every region of the world and in every industry. Other people challenges requiring urgent action, both in the United States and globally, are improving leadership development, managing demographics, and managing change and cultural transformation--issues closely linked to talent management.

Among U.S. executives and many others worldwide, these four challenges rank far above the more traditional imperatives of modern people management, such as measuring HR and employee performance, managing work-life balance, managing globalization, managing diversity and managing corporate social responsibility.

Managing demographics--i.e., adapting to an aging workforce and the shifting needs of incoming "Gen Y" employees--was rated the challenge whose importance will grow the most between now and 2015.

These are among the key findings and insights of "Creating People Advantage: How to Address HR Challenges Worldwide Through 2015," a report based on a global study conducted by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations (WFPMA) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The study, which included over 200 in-depth interviews with senior executives worldwide, is the most comprehensive review of global HR practices ever conducted.

"The corporate world is fundamentally shifting, and companies around the globe are ill-prepared to meet the challenges of an increasingly globalized marketplace," warned Anna Minto, a BCG partner and leader of the firm's People Advantage Initiative in the Americas. "While most CEOs and their executive teams are focused on quarterly results and managing the financial side of the business, they are at risk of neglecting the people side. The anticipated gap between the talent-related capabilities companies have now and what they expect to need by 2015 is significant across a number of dimensions. CEOs and other leaders need to ask themselves whether they're doing enough today, and putting the right resources in place, to prepare for the people challenges they'll face in just a few years."

Added Chuck Scullion, a BCG partner and leader of the firm's Organization practice in the Americas, "Human resources should be at the center of most companies' strategies--not an afterthought once the strategy is set. How can an organization manage a far-flung multicultural work force and find the talent needed in rapidly developing economies? How can it develop globally-minded leaders, and replace the knowledge and skills of retiring employees? These are difficult questions, and they require boardroom attention now to avoid a boardroom crisis later."

As examples of talent shortfalls, Scullion pointed to U.S. hospitals having a perennial shortage of nurses and other health care professionals; India not being able to meet its demand for IT experts; China lacking a sufficient number of experienced managers; and Germany having too few engineers.

"In the near future, finding and keeping talent may become harder than raising money in an IPO," Scullion said.

Ms. Minto and Mr. Scullion are available to speak about and elaborate on the findings. During a conversation, they can discuss, among other issues...

-- The talent management and retention initiatives that U.S. executives say they will need to step up between now and 2015.

          -- About 20% of the respondents said their companies now

           source talented employees globally; nearly half said they

           will in the near future.

          -- Fewer than 10% of respondents said their companies have

           moved to new locations to access talented people. More than

           20% said they will in the near future.

          -- Just over 40% of respondents said their companies now

           have tailored career tracks--but more than 70% said their

           companies will have them in the near future (2010-2015).

          -- While 40% of respondents said their companies now have

           specific compensation schemes for talented people, nearly

           65% said their companies will in the near future.

          -- 70% of companies expect to offer flexible work programs

           by 2015.

-- What companies believe they'll do to manage the capacity loss that is resulting from the aging workforce.

           -- A quarter of the U.S. respondents said their companies

            now offer employment options to attract or retain semi-

            retired or retired workers. About 65% said their companies

            will in the near future.

           -- Fewer than 20% of respondents said their companies

            analyze the demand per job group for the next 10 years.

            50% said their companies will begin doing that analysis.

           -- Just over 40% of respondents said their companies

            currently conduct internal training to help people qualify

            for other kinds of jobs. About 65% said their companies

            will be doing that in the near future.

           -- 40% said their companies now use increases in

            productivity to compensate for a diminishing workforce;

            55% expect that will happen.

           -- About a quarter of the respondents said their companies

            outsource work. 45% say their companies will be doing

            that.

-- Other steps that HR will take to help companies managing an aging workforce.

          -- Just over 30% of U.S. respondents said their companies

           now train employees to respond to generational differences

           in the workplace; more than half said their companies will

           be doing this by 2015.

          -- Nearly a quarter of respondents said their companies have

           changed health and safety policies to reflect the aging

           workforce; nearly half say those changes will take place at

           their companies in the near future.

          -- About 5% of respondents said their companies have created

           age-specific incentive systems; a quarter says their

           companies will do so soon.

-- How companies and the HR function expect to spring into action to prepare leaders.

          -- Only about a quarter of U.S. respondents said their

           companies now provide financial rewards for good

           leadership; more than 60% believe they will in the near

           future.

          -- Fewer than half the respondents said their companies now

           measure leadership skills through 360-degree feedback; just

           about 65% said they will in the near future.

          -- Fewer than 20% of respondents said their companies have

           developed leadership seminars with business schools. 40%

           expect that to be in the cards in the near future.

          -- Only about 10% of respondents said their companies

           currently have an internal virtual leadership institute.

           35% say they will in the near future.

To arrange a conversation with BCG experts Anna Minto or Chuck Scullion, and/or to receive a copy of the report and supporting materials, please contact Alexandra Corriveau at Sommerfield Communications, Inc., at 212-255-8386 or alexandra@sommerfield.com.

About the Study

BCG and the European Association for Personnel Management (EAPM) conducted the Web survey in Europe through January 2007, receiving 1,355 responses from HR and other executives in 27 European countries. In conjunction with that survey, during May 2007, we interviewed 102 senior executives in Europe. Between September and November 2007, a global Web survey was conducted in cooperation with the WFPMA, eliciting an additional 3,386 responses from participants in 56 countries. The SRHM assisted with data collection for the survey in the United States. This survey was rounded out with 118 interviews with executives from those countries. In all, the two Web surveys elicited 4,741 responses from 83 countries and markets, and BCG conducted 220 interviews with senior executives.

About The Boston Consulting Group

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm and the world's leading advisor on business strategy. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses. Our customized approach combines deep insight into the dynamics of companies and markets with close collaboration at all levels of the client organization. This ensures that our clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage, build more capable organizations, and secure lasting results. Founded in 1963, BCG is a private company with 66 offices in 38 countries. For more information, please visit www.bcg.com.

About the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations

The World Federation of Personnel Management Associations (WFPMA) is a global network of professionals in people management. It was founded in 1976 to aid the development and improve the effectiveness of professional people management all over the world. Its members are predominantly the continental federations, which are made up of more than 70 national personnel associations representing over 400,000 people-management professionals. For more information, please visit www.wfpma.com.

About the Society for Human Resource Management

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 225,000 members in over 130 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India. Visit SHRM Online at www.shrm.org.

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