Survey: CEOs Prioritizing the People Agenda as a Means to Recover and Grow

Insight from the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) 13th Annual CEO Survey, suggests that CEOs are prioritizing the people agenda as a means to recover and grow. The research found some areas of weakness have been highlighted by the recession and the vast majority (79%) of CEOs expect to overhaul the way their organizations manage people during change as a consequence of the economic crisis. Attending to staff morale was highlighted by three-quarters (75%) of CEOs as an area also in need of reform and increased investment. Some 59% said they will make changes to flexible working while 55% will revise global mobility arrangements such as staff travel.

Despite a massive majority seeing the existence of a talented, well-skilled and well-educated workforce as critical to future competitiveness, only one in five (20%) think their government has been effective in helping to create a skilled workforce.

Previously released findings showed that CEOs recognize the importance of having the right people in the right place - with over a third (39%) hoping to increase headcount over the next 12 months. That said, 48% stated they had reduced headcount over the last year. Perhaps in recognition of the new skills required of the emerging business environment, more than three-quarters (77%) plan to increase investment in training and development.

-- 79% of global CEOs expect to overhaul the way their organizations manage people though change

-- Prosperity depends on an increasingly-limited number of talented people producing wealth; only one in five (20%) think their government has been effective in helping to create a skilled workforce

-- Unanticipated rate and scale of people management changes required in the downturn brought some human capital failings to the surface

-- Over a third (39%) of CEOs hope to increase headcount over the next 12 months while more than three-quarters (77%) expect to increase investment in training and development

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