Strategic Resourcing and the Flexible Firm – Ashridge/Chiumento

I’ve just come across this report from Ashridge Business School (researchers Arno Haslberger and Mary Kennedy) and talent management consultancy Chiumento: Strategic Resourcing and the Flexible Firm.

It dates from summer 2004 but is still very relevant.  The researchers’ top-line conclusion is that HR needs to take strategic leadership on resourcing (which we talked about recently, here, here and here).

They also conclude that failure to manage the interim process adequately leads to wasted time and opportunity: not specifying outcomes before the project begins; not providing inductions and on-going feedback; not managing the skills transfer process so that the firm retains the benefit after the interim has moved onto his or her next assignment.

With the increasing shortage of talent, with ever greater numbers opting for interim or freelancing careers and with organisations desperately looking to reduce fixed cost: firms need to take develop a strategic and agile approach to resourcing that places talent where and when it is needed … and not where it’s not.