TaThe lentPHOTO BY RYAN PYLE
Scout
THE MERE WORDS “talent shortage” are enough to strike terror in the
heart of anyone looking for a few good project managers. And it gets more
complicated in China, where the country’s status as an emerging economic
mega-force is putting an even higher premium on project leaders with the
right skills, including cross-cultural acumen.
“The current business environment is extremely difficult,” says Theo
Tombeur, general management, business development and buildings in the
Shanghai, China office of global engineering, project management and
consulting firm Arcadis. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Arcadis has
more than 13,500 employees and $2 billion in gross revenues worldwide.
In Shanghai, the company has a staff of 60.
Mr. Tombeur’s talent acquisition strategy begins with a search for project
talent with broad skills and expertise. “It’s better to hire people with broader
knowledge and expertise rather than specialists,” he explains. “It’s always
possible to find specialists and hire them on a temporary basis.”
But technical skills and expertise can take a candidate—and a
company—only so far. A global economy requires project leaders to possess
superior language skills. Yet it’s rare to find candidates fluent in both
Chinese and English. “It is crucial to understand the nuances of the
When a new project hire is needed, Mr. Tombeur first consults
with his staff “as they understand what profiles we need.” He then
turns to a circle of colleagues who help spot contenders.
“By developing a professional network, it is possible to work
together so that everyone benefits,” he explains. “Trust is a very big
issue and knowing who is making a recommendation goes a long
way toward simplifying and improving the hiring process.”
Of course, even if a company lands a solid employee, it still has to
keep that person on board. Poaching is common in China, but Arcadis
has lost only one key employee over the last two-plus years. Mr.
Tombeur credits the firm’s willingness to provide training, including, if
possible, stints in Europe and the United States.
“This is important because the individual offices are not large and
there isn’t the opportunity to move people around and help them gain
people with broader knowledge and expertise rather than
possible to find specialists and hire them on a temporary basis.”
business,” he says. “Misinterpreting words—or a lack of understanding
about the nuances of language—can result in major problems.”
What’s more, Mr. Tombeur estimates about 90 percent of all graduates
of Chinese technical schools and universities take positions at Chinese
companies. That means multinationals like Arcadis are left to battle it out
for the remaining 10 percent.
“Candidates in China know they are in a position to pick and choose,” he
admits. And supply isn’t likely to overtake demand anytime soon. So the company has learned to target its recruiting, provide competitive salaries and offer
ongoing training and opportunities for advancement.
experience in a range of disciplines,” he explains. Arcadis also tries
to foster a sense of autonomy and empowerment among its project
managers and team members.
“China has a great deal of talent,” Mr. Tombeur says. “Cultivating it
effectively and retaining key employees is central to success. Colleagues
must believe that you’re able to provide the required services and
perform at a high level. For a long time it was hard to convince our
colleagues in the United States and Europe that their Chinese colleagues could perform up to international standards. Today we do
not have this issue.” —Samuel Greengard
