SHL to Lead Discussion on Utilizing Assessment to Drive Business Performance

SHL to host roundtable at IDC HR Forum New York: Strategies to Acquire, Retain & Engage Talent.

Chicago, IL (HRMarketer/PRWeb) September 12, 2007 -- SHL, leaders in objective assessment and development solutions, will host a lunchtime roundtable at the IDC Human Resources Forum on September 17, in New York, with Marlene Burchfield Dunne, Ph.D.
VP of Consulting, SHL USA, facilitating a discussion on using objective assessment to hire ‘smarter’, develop talent and drive business performance.

IDC predicts that in the US by 2016 there will be a three million person shortfall to satisfy workforce needs. These statistics and many others on the changing makeup of the North American workforce have caused organizations to re-evaluate their talent management systems and strive for ongoing improvement.

The behaviors of individuals and teams in the workplace have a huge impact on the success of the organization. Once companies recognize the abilities and behaviors that are most effective in their environment, they are better equipped to hire successfully and demonstrate the positive results that assessing talent brings to the bottom line

Addressing employers’ talent shortage concern and drawing from global client work, SHL will share ideas on how companies representing a range of industries have utilized assessments to help them better attract and retain top talent, as well as encourage attendees to share their experiences and questions.

Cushing Anderson, IDC vice president for Learning and Performance research, sees talent management as the most pressing concern for corporations; "Every organization will be impacted by both the skill shortage and the resulting war for quality talent. Organizations must adapt their talent management programs to dramatically increase retention and to focus on hiring the right candidates the first time."

Although the real effect of these workforce shifts will be evident in the long-term, many companies already acknowledge that the effects of the talent shortage are being felt right now. A survey of Fortune 500 companies shows that 60 percent feel the workplace shortage, especially in key positions.

The IDC lunchtime roundtable discussion on September 17 will provide attendees with the opportunity to interact with peers, speakers and experts to develop an understanding of how to utilize objective assessment when managing talent. The small group setting will allow focused discussion on key topics while drawing on the presentations delivered earlier in the day, including IDC’s "The War for Talent" and practitioner presentations on "Global Recruiting: Metrics and Decision Support", "HR Outsourcing: Navigating the Changing Landscape", "Culture Counts: Leveraging the Employee Brand", "The Holy Grail of Talent Acquisition and Retention", and more.

Marlene Burchfield Dunne will be facilitating SHL’s roundtable and providing guidance; "SHL’s view is that organizations that have realized the importance of great people and use this insight to ensure they hire the right individuals for the business, will prosper", explains Marlene. "The behaviors of individuals and teams in the workplace have a huge impact on the success of the organization. Once companies recognize the abilities and behaviors that are most effective in their environment, they are better equipped to hire successfully and demonstrate the positive results that assessing talent brings to the bottom line".

Getting the right people into the right job and then managing and motivating them to fulfil their potential need to be top business priorities. Put simply, those organizations that can successfully measure and manage the potential of their workforce will be the leaders in their sectors.

Delegates can learn more about SHL at www.shl.com/idcNY and those interested in registering to attend the HR Forum in New York can visit www.idc.com/hreast07.

Note for editors:
Marlene Burchfield Dunne is available to discuss the importance of effective talent management. Please contact Tiffany Stronsky on +1 (312) 496-8078 or at tiffany.stronsky@shlgroup.com to organize a briefing.

About SHL Group Limited
SHL is a world-leading provider of psychometric assessment and development solutions. The company supports organizations in the selection, recruitment, promotion, succession planning and development of talented people at all levels and across all sectors. Operating in 40 countries and more than 30 languages, the SHL Group devises innovative approaches to help organizations increase productivity and gain competitive advantage through the more effective use of their human capital. SHL has over 15,500 organizations as clients, including many of the Global and Times Top 1000, and is recognized as the foremost provider of objective assessment products in the world. For more information please visit www.shl.com.

For more information, contact:

Tiffany Stronsky, Senior Marketing Manager
312.496.8078, tiffany.stronsky(at)shlgroup.com

Kevin Baughen, Marketing Director
011.44.208.335.8062, kevin.baughen(at)shlgroup.com

This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company listed above.

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