What are the big demographic issues facing Europe today?
Without doubt an aging population and the availability of key skills to drive business development. It can range from having enough university qualified engineers to enough lorry drivers to deliver products. Strategic Workforce Planning is both an HR issue and a corporate strategy issue. From an HR perspective, you can see companies have to make decisions about whether to “buy, build, borrow or rent” talent. Many tend to default to the most expensive solution, which is to buy it. But they could also “borrow” this talent, for example from customers or suppliers, or by taking people from one end of the business and “lending” them to other areas. Many businesses are still structured too rigidly in silos to do this effectively. They may need to consider breaking down the barriers and moving people to the areas of greatest need and priority. This could also help them develop and retain talent. Is Europe developing the skills that companies need for today and tomorrow? We need to get better
