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April 19, 2007
Senior Executives Least Likely to Get Training
BOSTON, April 19, 2007 — Of all
corporate staff levels senior management is least likely to
get training and development, according to a survey of
2,000 HR and T&D executives by Novations Group, a
global consulting and training firm based in Boston. While
90% of first-line managers will receive training this year,
only 59% of senior executives will do so.
"Leadership development professionals have long known
that top management is sometimes ambivalent when it comes
to any type of training," said Paul Terry, Novations
Vice President for Talent Management. "Nevertheless,
the rate at which senior-level people get development
support is probably greater than at any time in the past.
Organizations are more concerned about bench strength and
retiring boomers. Our findings probably under-reflect how
much senior management is actually getting, since their
teams often participate in visioning, coaching, strategic
planning and other endeavors that are actually T&D, if
not in name."
Which of the following employee categories at your
organization will receive training & development this
year? (Select all that apply.)
-
Entry-level employees - 82%
-
Experienced non-management employees -
75%
-
First-line managers - 90%
-
Middle-level executives - 76%
-
Senior-level executives - 59%
Novations’ findings also indicate how important
organizations consider training for first-line managers,
said Terry. "First-line managers are making a
transition from individual contributor to leader. Often
this means putting a gifted technical person into a role
that requires the individual to manage other people. And
experience tells us this shift is difficult and calls for
substantial organizational support and coaching in addition
to training. By a large margin, training professionals
recognize the challenge of moving individuals into a
managerial role."
Employees make various transitions during their careers. In
your experience as an HR professional, which of the
following is most difficult?
-
From entry level to seasoned professional
- 17%
-
From seasoned professional to
supervisory/managerial - 65%
-
From supervisory/managerial to senior
management/executive - 18%
"Many first-line managers are recently promoted,"
said Terry. "More senior managers already got some
fundamental training. And management understands that
first-line managers can have the greatest impact on
everyday lives of employees. Effective training for
first-line people can help improve retention and
engagement."
The finding that only 18% of respondents believe the
transition to senior management is the most difficult,
warned Terry, suggests organizations underestimate the
dimensions of the challenge. "A senior executive plays
a qualitatively different role in the company and has to
have a broader perspective. He or she has to make critical
business decisions, set company strategy, muster resources
and give direction to the whole organization. Consequently,
developing a senior person has to be a deliberate and
structured process that integrates the right kind of
experiences."
The Novations Group Internet survey of 2,046 senior human
resource and training & development executives was
conducted by Equation Research.
Novations Group is a leading provider of consulting and
training services on four continents. Novations is
recognized for its expertise in diversity & inclusion,
employee engagement, talent management, employee selection,
leadership development, organization communications, sales
training, customer service and project management.
Contact: Pat FitzGerald, Novations,
617-787-2163, pfitzgerald@novations.com,
or Phil Ryan, Ryan Public Relations, 845-339-7858.
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