Dive Brief:
- The C-suite doesn’t realize the role middle managers play in talent development, according to the results of a recent survey by Beamery, a talent management platform. After surveying members of the C-suite and people managers, the organization concluded that 58% of the C-suite believes HR is primarily responsible for retaining talent, while only 9% point to front-line managers. Yet, the C-suite identified helping workers find their next career opportunity and connecting teams to upskilling opportunities as the most important parts of managers’ roles.
- Managers, for their part, overwhelmingly (80%) said they have skills gaps on their teams, but 27% reported not having a full understanding of what strengths and skills their team members have, the survey found.
- “What separates great companies from average companies? Often it’s an understanding that growth, progression and productivity are not the sole remit of HR, but the responsibility of middle managers,” Abakar Saidov, co-founder and CEO of Beamery, said in a statement. “Investing in and empowering managers is a crucial strategy for businesses looking to overcome talent challenges, not just at the top but everywhere in the organization.”
Dive Insight:
Skills development is becoming increasingly important not only for talent retention but to prevent talent shortages, especially as AI’s presence in the workplace grows, reports show.
Minus an investment in development, employers could see a shortfall of 85 million skilled workers by 2030, according to a report by Korn Ferry, an organizational consulting firm. Udemy, a skills development platform, recorded a 60% increase in AI-related training in the past year, according to a report released earlier this month. And courses tied to ChatGPT rose 4,000% during the first quarter.
The Josh Bersin Co. said companies will be forced to rely on reskilling, retention and AI to manage ongoing shortages of workers.
