Murad Salman Mirza
The 12C’s Approach to Talent Management Strategy for Workforce Nationalization Workforce Nationalization doesn’t have to be an adversarial initiative if it is managed as a progressive ‘strategic imperative’ and not as a cumbersome ‘operational accommodation’
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ne of the most important initiatives undertaken by governments across the world is to ensure that the unemployment percentage of their working-age citizens remains low to ensure domestic harmony and a respectable international standing among the galaxy of nations. It features prominently in the economic agenda of current administrations and future aspirants. Generally, governments try to cultivate an increase in economic activities that boost the hiring of its citizens through favorable consequential factors, e.g., conducive tax breaks, infrastructure investments, robust law & order, education & skills enhancement initiatives, quality healthcare, astute societal integration, corporate-friendly monetary policies, leveraging cordial relations with other nations, etc. Such measures also attract foreign businesses that normally prefer to bring their own key management personnel as expats while hiring local team members at positions that are liable to be more risk-tolerant and operational in nature. Ideally, capable locals are expected by their governments to rise through the corporate ranks
to eventually replace the expats and diffuse experiences/lessons/expertise as a catalyst for domestic growth and mushrooming of businesses that are home-grown with international infusion of know-how. However, savvy foreign concerns are frequently hesitant to relent in such terms and find innovative ways to run organizations on their own terms. Consequently, some investmentfriendly countries have seen huge number of expats dominating the professional realm within majority of the corporate sectors. This has led to an active role by concerned governments, e.g., in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region, to use the active incentive-driven ‘Push’ strategy, rather than rely on the passive need-driven ‘Pull’ strategy by corporate entities in terms of customized Workforce Nationalization. Such measures include: penalty-based rules and regulations mandating quota-based/preferred hiring of locals with better pay and benefits than their peers, stricter visa policies that prioritize expats from certain countries over others, special privileges for organizations that perform well in terms of inclusiveness of local talent, etc.
PCI
The key to keeping training & development costs low is by attracting and retaining ‘above average’ local talent with strong management support in terms of steady career progression upon achieving the required competencies 24
| MAY 2017
MAY 2017 |
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