BEIJING - As an increasing number of Chinese companies enter the global market, they face a host of challenges.
These include a shortage of skilled labor and the need for work force planning and management, according to Jeff Carr, president of Global Field Operations for Saba Software Inc - a global provider of talent management solutions - in an interview with China Daily.
"These challenges, coupled with the explosive growth and changes in work force dynamics, are being experienced by large and growing Chinese companies," Carr said. The companies need to increase their awareness of global culture, organizational structure, and human resource management to compete effectively in the global market, he said.They need to train and develop employees on an ongoing basis and improve their performance management, work force planning, and talent mobility, he said.
"Therefore, systems and solutions that help them manage their people and their ongoing enablement and education are proving to be key," he said, adding that only companies that can create a talented, well-managed, and properly trained work force will gain a sustainable competitive advantage on the world stage.
By the end of 2009, China had a labor force of 1.07 billion people and the number of employees had reached 780 million, according to a white paper entitled China's Human Resources, released by the Information Office of the State Council in September 2010."One of the key issues facing China today is that the demand for skilled workers far outstrips the supply," said Emily He, vice-president of Corporate Planning and Operations for Saba.
"Saba's solutions can help Chinese enterprises, especially those going global, to not only train and prepare their employees for the work they need to do today, but also for the work they will be required to do tomorrow. It can provide a platform for the tracking and measurement of learning and training initiatives," she said.
According to He, China's telecommunications equipment giant, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, recently contracted the company to help train employees, numbering some 87,500, across the world through virtual classrooms.
In late April, the Nasdaq-listed company announced the opening of its Beijing office as its regional headquarters for Asia. Currently, California-based Saba has 1,400 customers worldwide, according to the company.
