Companies Retain Competitive Workforce by Hiring Right

BOSTON, MA-April 14, 2005 - Challenged by changing workforce demographics, 82% of businesses
cite the intelligent deployment of technology solutions as the most positive step toward recruiting talented employees, says AberdeenGroup, a leading research firm serving major corporate technology end-users. Pre-hiring assessment is key as companies seek to add skill, knowledge, and attitude assessment software to their candidate screening.

The Enterprise Talent Management Benchmark Report: Hiring Smart, Hiring Right found that leading companies emphasize strategic, longer term planning for their workforce, citing concern in the inability to predict future workforce needs. The survey was conducted in conjunction with the Human Capital Institute, a Washington, DC-based provider of educational programs for human capital practitioners, talent managers, and executives.

"Hiring and retaining top talent is the driving concern of today's human capital management professionals," said Dr. Katherine Jones, Aberdeen's research director of enterprise applications and author of the report. "Employers are torn between two issues: planning for the future workforce, and hiring a better workforce today. This stems from the perception that there is an insufficient supply of top talent in the current labor force, and a fear that the supply will shrink further in the future."

Sixty percent of survey respondents perceive career development, succession planning, and managing the internal mobility of their existing workforce as primary challenges. Yet despite these concerns, 50% report that their current hiring management strategy is reactive and emergency-driven, with little or no long-term planning for future staffing requirements.

This study surveyed respondents on hiring management practices and challenges, and key performance indicators used to improve the workforce. The ensuing report provides actionable steps to optimize hiring management.

About Aberdeen Group
Aberdeen Group is the leading provider of fact-based research and advice for the global technology-driven value chain, delivering solutions for business and technology Executives. Our portfolio of research-based solutions comprise benchmarking, market and solution assessments, solution selection and sales acceleration programs, and networking conferences. For more information, please visit Aberdeen on their website www.aberdeen.com or call +1-617-723-7890.

About Human Capital Institute
HCI is a catalyst for innovative new thinking in talent acquisition, development and deployment. Through research and collaboration, HCI's programs collect original, creative ideas from a field of executives, HR practitioners and the brightest thought leaders in strategic talent management. Those ideas are then transformed into measurable, real-world strategies that help its members attract and retain the best talent, build a diverse, inclusive workplace, and leverage individual and team performance throughout the enterprise.