Over one in five organisations in the sector (21%) cited conflict management as being in short supply, while a further 19% named it as the competency most difficult to develop in new recruits. In a sector where talent migration is high and workforces are culturally diverse, the need for good employee-to-employee relations is fundamental and the lack of conflict management as a competency is a concern.
The findings have been revealed as part of Futurestep's inaugural Global Talent Impact Study: Understanding the Race for Impact 2012 which surveyed over 1,500 HR professionals across five continents.
The findings also revealed motivating others was not a concern for the industrial sector. According to respondents, this competency is readily available in the industry. With the rise of mixed workforces and talent migration, this is crucial and can be harnessed to counter-balance the shortage in conflict management skills and to encourage teamwork.
Dinesh Tyagi, industrial market leader, Futurestep India, said: "We are seeing an increase in global talent migration, especially in industrial managers from European to Asian countries, which is resulting in a culturally diverse workforce.
"Conflict management skills are essential to ensure a mixed labour force runs harmoniously and employee relations are strong regardless of the difference in background and culture of its employees."
