Africa – The latest Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023, published by the French business school INSEAD, reveals that Switzerland, Singapore, and the United States top the rankings in attracting, developing, and retaining skilled people.
According to World Economic Forum, this annual index evaluates 134 countries across various income groups, offering insights for policy and action improvement.
Top Countries for Talent Competitiveness
Switzerland retains its position as the world’s best country for nurturing talent for the tenth consecutive year, followed by Singapore and the United States. Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Australia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom round out the top ten. Europe dominates the index, with 17 of its countries making the top 25.
Shifts in Rankings
This year marks a notable change with South Korea replacing Japan in the top 25 for the first time. The index categorizes countries as talent champions, movers, limpers, or laggards based on their overall talent performance.
Emerging Talent Champions and Movers
China and Russia have progressed from being talent movers to champions, showcasing significant improvement in all aspects of talent competitiveness. Indonesia, maintaining its position as a talent mover, has shown the most substantial improvement over the past decade. Mexico has advanced from a laggard to a mover, while Brazil, still a laggard, is on the cusp of becoming a talent mover.
Factors Influencing Talent Attractiveness
Switzerland’s success is attributed to high social protection levels and environmental quality, though it could benefit from increasing university-educated employees. Singapore excels in formal education and matching workforce supply with demand, with its openness to foreign business and talent being particularly commendable.
Mexico stands out in lifelong learning, particularly in business masters programs and employee development opportunities. However, greater openness to foreign talent could enhance its attractiveness.
Future Trends in Talent Attraction
The index predicts that quality of life and sustainability will become increasingly significant factors in talent attraction over the next decade.
World Economic Forum’s Insights on Talent Development
The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023 delves into the evolution of jobs and skills over the next five years. While businesses are confident in developing their existing workforce, uncertainty about future talent availability persists. To address this, companies are focusing on improving talent promotion processes, offering higher wages, and implementing reskilling and upskilling strategies.
Emerging Job Roles
Roles such as AI and machine learning specialists, sustainability specialists, and renewable energy engineers are expected to drive new job creation in the near future, influenced by technological advancements and the climate crisis.
The Global Talent Competitiveness Index and the World Economic Forum’s report both highlight the ongoing evolution of the global workforce and the strategies countries and companies are adopting to remain competitive in the talent market.