United States Ranks 4th in 2017 Global Talent Competitiveness Index
San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York in Top 15 of Inaugural City Rankings
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – January 17, 2017 – The United States ranks fourth internationally in growing, attracting and retaining talent for the third consecutive year, according to the Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI). Produced in partnership by INSEAD, The Business School for the World, The Adecco Group, the world’s leading provider of human resource solutions, and the Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore, the GTCI is an annual benchmarking report that measures countries’ ability to compete for talent.
The theme of this fourth edition of the GTCI is Talent and Technology: Shaping the Future of Work. The 2017 study focuses on how technological advances are affecting talent competitiveness and the nature of work. By analyzing data on 118 countries, the GTCI provides a tool for decision makers to overcome talent gaps and be competitive in the global marketplace.
In the 2017 GTCI, high-ranking countries share key traits, including educational systems that meet the needs of the economy, employment policies that favor flexibility, mobility and entrepreneurship, and high connectedness of stakeholders in business and government.
Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2017 Rankings: Top Ten
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Sweden
- Australia
- Luxembourg
- Denmark
- Finland
- Norway
“The fast advance of automation and artificial intelligence is the source of the most disruptive changes of our time in the way we live and work,” said Alain Dehaze, chief executive officer of The Adecco Group. “The transition will be rocky, so governments and business must act. Education system reforms are urgently needed to provide the right technical and people skills, and the ability to adapt to change. As a multi-career reality becomes the norm, workers must boost employability by committing to life-long learning. At the same time, employment policies must combine employers’ need for flexibility with social protection. Only by working together will we respond to the challenges, unleash the power of work and boost prosperity.”
In the fourth position, the United States leads the way in growing its own talent, particularly through formal education, its leading network of universities and access to growth opportunities. The country is also competitive in terms of having a large pool of global knowledge skills, which deal with knowledge workers in professional, managerial, or leadership roles that require creativity and problem solving. Their economic impact is evaluated by indicators of innovation, entrepreneurship and the development of high-value industries.
By contrast, the report identified vocational and technical skills as the United States’ biggest challenge when compared with other high-income nations. The GTCI also pointed out the need for more stakeholder connectedness in order to best position the country for talent readiness in technology.
“Technological advancement is rapidly changing the way we work, and developing a strong workforce with the right skills is more urgent than ever,” said Bob Crouch, chief executive officer of The Adecco Group’s North American region. “We must look forward and determine ways to ensure that the United States is equipped with a diverse, specialized talent pool that can meet the demands of work today and in the future.”
In addition to country rankings, the 2017 GTCI launched a special section focused on cities: The Global Cities Talent Competitiveness Index (GCTCI). This first edition features 46 cities and explores the factors that contribute to turning cities into talent magnets. Copenhagen placed first, followed by Zurich and Helsinki. The United States saw three major cities ranked in the top 15, with San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York ranking 4th, 8th and 14th respectively.
For more information on the Global Talent Competitiveness Index and to download the full report, please visit: www.gtci2017.com.
About The Adecco Group
The Adecco Group, based in Zurich, Switzerland, is the world’s leading provider of workforce solutions. With more than 33,000 FTE employees and around 5,100 branches in 60 countries and territories around the world, The Adecco Group offers a wide variety of services, connecting approximately 700,000 associates with our clients every day. The services offered fall into the broad categories of temporary staffing, permanent placement, career transition and talent development, as well as outsourcing and consulting. The Adecco Group is a Fortune Global 500 company. Adecco Group AG is registered in Switzerland (ISIN: CH0012138605) and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ADEN).
