TMS warns of potential return of 'war for talent' as regional economies strengthen

Online, April 21, 2010 (Newswire.com) - TMS Asia-Pacific CEO Andrew Chan has reiterated his New Year warning that unless employers stay committed to staff retention strategies, they could struggle to retain head count as the grip of the GFR softens and new job offerings increase across the hospitality and tourism sector.

Mr Chan's warning come as many regional economies slowly start to strengthen and more jobs opportunities come on line.

And not just within hospitality and tourism, he said, but also in other sectors where invariably, salaries tend to be higher.

Speaking from Shanghai where he addressed a senior group of local hospitality and tourism sector employers last week, Mr Chan said staff retention issues were the number one factor affecting the sector prior to the onset of the GFR.

"However addressing the employee attachment factor in good times as well as the lean times is essential at all levels of business if employers are to succeed in holding on to their staff," he said.

"Unless employers are able to implement the systems they need to motivate, engage and ultimately, retain their employees, there is a real danger that we will see a return to those pre-GFC days.

"It is well known that when employees are continually learning and developing their skills, they become more engaged with their employers and content with their environment and as a result, stay where they are.

"Ãt is those organisations which remain fully committed and continually working at their HR strategies that will succeed in hanging on to their head count in these times of regrowth.

"So a big focus needs to remain fixed on investing on the training and development factor to make sure that they are in a winning position with their head count as things start to heat up across the sector.

Mr Chan said it was evident the message was getting across judging by the increase in interest the company's regionally-located TMS Academy executive training division had received in recent weeks.

"Our Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore academies have all reported an increase in contact from organisations enquiring about dedicated courses for their staff for the remainder of 2010," he said.

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