Having trouble sleeping at night? It's not surprising if you are because, according to the 2008 Corporate Issues Survey from The Ken Blanchard Companies, you have a lot to think about. Based on feedback from more than 1,800 executives, line managers, and training and human resources leaders, here are some of your hot topics so far for 2008:
• At the management level, your challenges revolve around people development—creating an engaged workforce, managing change, and developing potential leaders. And at the employee development level, the top three issues include performance management, manager/supervisory skills, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Creating an engaged workforce has increased in importance every year since 2003, based on the number of respondents selecting it. Managing change, an issue that was added to the survey in 2008, ranks second, and developing potential leaders ranks third.
• Performance management emerged as the key employee development challenge followed by manager/ supervisory skills, interpersonal communications skills, and teambuilding skills.
• Economic challenges was added as an issue to this year's list of choices, and also was a top issue for organizations surveyed, perhaps mirroring the uncertain economic outlook ahead. Growth and expansion continues not only to surface as a key issue but also has increased in regard to the number of respondents selecting it since 2005.
• The areas of most concern specifically to HR and training leaders are the ability to connect training content so it specifically links to and addresses business results for the organization; sustaining training throughout the organization and specific to the individual through follow-up and reinforcement strategies; the ability to align training goals and business initiatives to create strategic alignment; and the need to create and embrace coaching, and to imbed that within the organizational culture.
With all the business and training challenges weighing on your brain, have you considered that your biggest problem might be not trusting your own workforce? Join the discussion on Training Day.
Note: With the need for top talent, corporations would be wise to get their new hires on board with an onboarding program. Read "Help New Hires Succeed" to discover how effective training will keep those new stars in their cubicles.
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