#gtci

The 2017 report explores the effects of technological change on talent competitiveness, arguing that while jobs at all levels continue to be replaced by machines, technology is also creating new opportunities.

The GTCI shows that Canada is well positioned in all aspects of Talent Readiness for Technology, which measures how well countries are adapting to emerging needs and realities, and reflect the changes in organization, work models, and skills for the 21st-century economy. Canada scores relatively well in its ability to attract valuable resources from abroad, remove barriers to entering the workforce and facilitate growth. Improvements can nonetheless be shown across Canada's professional training offerings, skill matching and quality of life. According to the report, Canada can progress its technology competencies by further encouraging collaboration between firms.

"In Canada, we've being coping with the fallout of an economic slowdown and many provinces have been pained by an ongoing skills shortage," said Shari Angle, Vice President at The Adecco Group Canada. "It's encouraging to see that despite these challenges, Canada has the educational landscape, social programs, regulatory practices, immigration policies, collaborative mindset, access to growth opportunities and overall quality of life to effectively adapt to technology and still be able to attract, grow, retain and enable talent for our country's long-term prosperity". "On a micro-level," advised Ms. Angle, "Canadian organizations should start to focus on their own Total Talent Management model—which aims to combine varied forms of talent and technology sources—to address the preferences and realities of a new workplace eon that demands a multi-career approach over a job for life".

The 2016-2017 report evaluates 118 countries and representing 88.7% of the world's population, along with 97.3% of the world's GDP.

Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2017 Rankings: Top Ten Countries

1

Switzerland

9

Finland

2

Singapore

10

Norway

3

United Kingdom

11

The Netherlands

4

United States

12

Ireland

5

Sweden

13

Canada

6

Australia

14

New Zealand

7

Luxembourg

15

Iceland

8

Denmark

High ranking countries share key traits, including educational systems that meet the needs of the economy, employment policies that favour flexibility, mobility and entrepreneurship, and high connectedness of stakeholders in business and government.

This year's report also includes the first ever Global Cities Talent Competitiveness Index (GCTCI), a ranking of 46 cities according to their talent competitiveness. Copenhagen placed first, followed by Zurich and Helsinki. San Francisco and Los Angeles are the two American cities in the top ten.

By analysing the countries and cities in the index, several patterns and trends emerge, summarised as follows:

Technology and hyper-connectivity are changing the nature of work with more of the labour force being made up of free agents (independent contractors).

Expectations of a 'multi-career' rather than a job for life has become the norm.

Results and collaboration win over authority and hierarchy within competitive organizations.

Technical skills combined with social/project competence are crucial for the new talent profile since innovation increasingly comes from collaboration.

Cooperation between government, business and educational institutions is critical to reform education systems and design employment policies that address the new realities.

There are many small cities amongst the top performers which combine a high quality of life with opportunities for international exposure and careers, thereby turning these metropolises into talent magnets.

When asked to comment on the findings of the latest GTCI, Alain Dehaze, Adecco Group Chief Executive Officer, said: "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. 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."

For more information on the Global Talent Competitiveness Index and to download the full report, please visit: www.gtci2017.com