IBM recently surveyed 700 human resource executives to find out the key challenges they expect to face in the near future and their degree of readiness to meet those challenges successfully.  Nine different areas of concern were identified:

• Managing labor costs
• Sourcing and recruiting from outside the organization
• Evaluating workforce performance
• Efficiently allocating the workforce
• Retaining valued talent within the organization
• Enhancing workforce productivity
• Developing future leaders
• Developing workforce skills and capabilities
• Fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing

Next the researchers asked the human resource executives which of the nine challenges were the most important from their perspective and which did they feel least prepared to meet successfully.  Three of the nine challenges appeared on both lists

1. Developing Future Leaders—HR executives say the ability to develop future leaders will have the greatest impact on their organizations’ future success. Yet, only one in three believes they are prepared to do this effectively.
2. Developing Workforce Skills and Capabilities—Executives identified developing workforce capabilities as the second of their most important imperatives, but rated their effectiveness in this area among the bottom three as well.
3. Fostering Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing—HR executives also rated their organizations as least effective and least prepared in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing.

How does this match up with your experience? Are these the same concerns you have for your organization?  While the IBM study does not provide specific solutions for addressing each of these areas of concern, it does present some questions that can get you thinking about these issues in your own organization.  To download a copy of the complete study (and also take a self-assessment in these key areas) visit the Insights from the 2010 IBM Global CHRO Study web page.