Odgers Interim Expands to Poland
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
The pressure has never been greater for organizations to deliver strong business results in less time and with fewer resources while mitigating the risk of hiring the wrong leaders.
To that end, a number of companies have been turning to temporary leaders to fill their C-suite needs and executive search firms are stepping up.
Odgers Interim, the U.K.-based executive interim division of Odgers Berndtson, has a new office in Warsaw. It will be led by Richard Kaluzynski, the joint managing director of Odgers Berndtson in Poland.
Mr. Kaluzynski has over 25 of years’ experience in the recruitment industry. Before working with Odgers in 2002, he co-founded his own executive search firm, placing candidates in senior roles across Poland, Hungary, Russia and the Czech and Slovak Republics. He also co-founded an agency specializing in technology, consumer goods, financial services and industrial executive-level recruitment.
Mr. Kaluzynski will be joined by consultant Agata Fiedurek and two researchers. The team will work with management teams in companies across Central and Eastern Europe, focusing initially on the industrial and consumer goods sectors.
“Our new dedicated interim practice will provide companies with high-quality senior management,” said Mr. Kaluzynski, who will now carry the title of head of Odgers Interim Poland. “Demand for experienced professionals who can deliver change within a fixed term is growing, particularly in industry and consumer goods.”
“Demand for interims is growing not just in Poland but in the rest of the Central and Eastern Europe too,” he said. “We’re looking forward to working closely with both clients and candidates, to help companies find interim managers with the right skills to yield results.”
Grant Speed, managing director of Odgers Interim, said the new office should be much in demand. “Large businesses across different sectors are choosing to invest in Poland and Warsaw is a fantastic location for Odgers Interim,” he said “Richard and the team will be building a strong portfolio of clients and candidates so that companies can benefit from the fresh insight and ideas that an interim manager can contribute.”
Odgers Interim has a talent base of over 6,000 pre-screened interim executives in all functional disciplines in business, government and not-for-profit sectors. It has the ability to identify pre-qualified, interim executive candidates quickly, usually within three to five days.
Sidestepping Talent Gaps
According to a recent report released by CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists International, hiring temporary and contract employees can help businesses sidestep talent gaps and remain nimble. The study shows more companies will be tapping into this labor segment, with temporary employment expected to add 173,478 jobs from 2016 to 2018 – an increase of 5.9 percent.
“Today, nearly three million people are employed in temporary jobs, and that number will continue to grow at a healthy pace over the next few years as companies strive to keep agile in the midst of changing market needs,” said Kyle Braun, president of CareerBuilder’s staffing and recruiting group. “Opportunities are opening up in a variety of occupations and pay levels, and this is a trend we’re seeing in a wide range of industries and company sizes.”
A separate report by CareerBuilder found that 47 percent of employers reported that they planned to hire temporary or contract workers this year, up slightly from 46 percent last year. Of these employers, 58 percent plan to transition some temporary or contract workers into full-time, permanent roles.
“Temporary employment benefits both sides of the labor market,” said Mr. Braun. “Hiring temporary and contract workers helps companies stay flexible and adapt quickly to changing market demands. For workers, it opens doors for those who want to utilize various skills, build relationships with different organizations and explore career options.”
These figures coincide with similar findings by the Execu | Search Group. Its “Hiring Outlook: Strategies for Adapting to a Candidate-Driven Market” report found that 26 percent of hiring managers surveyed planned to increase hiring of temporary employees this year.
In addition, a recent Adecco study, “Definitive Guide to Building a Better Workforce,” found that 67 percent of companies use contingent labor to enhance their workforce and close talent gaps. The study surveyed 536 C-suite executives across the U.S. regarding the types of talent they need, skills that are most difficult to find, how they are using contingent labor and progressive recruiting methods to enhance their workforces, employee retention techniques and more.
The report found that 80 percent of employers agree that the U.S. skills gap is a real challenge, and it provides insights into how different companies conceptualize and address this gap in talent. Part of the reason for the increased use of temporary workers: Companies are having difficulty finding quality talent.
This article was originally published in Hunt Scanlon Media.