Latest news with #projectManagement
Forbes
09-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How To Turn Employee Absences Into Strategic Lever For Retention
Neil is President and COO of TIAG, an innovative technology company providing strategic, transformational commercial and defense solutions. Losing even one team member in a role that requires credentialed, cleared or highly technical expertise often means more than filling a vacancy. It results in losing project momentum and institutional knowledge, disrupting client continuity and increasing pressure on remaining team members. While companies continue to invest heavily in recruitment and employee benefits, one of the most overlooked and effective retention drivers is how they manage planned absences. Cyclical peaks are a reality across industries: sprint completions, proposal deadlines, product launches and compliance audits. These high-demand periods often clash with employees' personal time-off needs, whether for family obligations, long-planned vacations or essential recovery. When coverage plans are shallow or ad hoc, the outcomes are predictable: You miss an opportunity to refresh/reset your mental state and are instead either still working or mentally weighed down by what might not be progressing. These scenarios can erode trust, strain morale and accelerate turnover. A Process Problem, Not A People Problem Almost all organizations face challenges in quickly hiring or backfilling specialized roles, particularly in environments like software development, cybersecurity, healthcare, engineering and government contracting organizations. While leaders often have the best intentions, the fallback is frequently to add critical responsibilities to the plates of high performers. Over time, their exceptional efforts become the new baseline, and their above and beyond becomes expected. This may keep operations running, but ultimately depletes resources and undermines the organization's long-term sustainability. Another option is relying on surge support. However, tight deadlines or insufficient external relationships can make it difficult for contractors to integrate seamlessly without adequate context or continuity. The result is often a disjointed approach that fails to support. To address these challenges, my company developed a model we call Total Quality Process (T2Q), one part of which is evaluating resource allocation across the organization. When working with this model, we've found that it's important to develop a roles and responsibilities matrix that outlines exactly who is accountable, responsible, consulted and informed at every stage of a process. This way, the right people are prepared to step in temporarily, execute with confidence and keep critical initiatives moving. Most importantly, this process naturally creates a culture that focuses less on coverage and more on identifying development opportunities that strengthen internal bench depth. Rather than treating time away as an exception, T2Q proactively plans for absences, viewing them as an opportunity to optimize development, resource alignment and organizational resilience. This enables us to keep moving forward by mapping out responsibilities, ensuring coverage and allowing for skill development. This isn't a one-time initiative. It's a practice you build into operations. The strength of this process lies in three connected practices: • Capability Mapping: Teams regularly document the full scope of their work, including technical proficiencies, platform familiarity, project history, customer relationships, certifications, clearances and cross-functional experience. This creates a dynamic inventory of who knows what, not just who holds which title. • Critical Periods Planning: This goes beyond tracking time-off requests to forecasting operational intensity. Leaders identify periods where deadlines, deliverables or customer commitments are nonnegotiable, whether proposal submission, code deployment, public campaign or software go-live, to proactively coordinate coverage. • Growth Through Coverage: Absence coverage becomes a development opportunity with exposure to higher-level responsibilities. When a higher-level teammate is unavailable, mid-level developers might lead architectural discussions, junior project managers take ownership of timelines and cross-trained marketers might support campaign deployment. These assignments aren't "stretch goals," they're intentional and tied to performance conversations and leadership readiness. When employees know their time away is protected and that stepping in for others is a chance to grow, they stay longer, contribute more meaningfully and help build a culture of sustainable excellence. Transforming Absences From A Disruption Into A Catalyst For Growth This approach is built on a simple premise: Capability should be as visible and actionable as availability to maintain development velocity, service continuity and prevent gaps from becoming urgent. This is especially critical for teams central to growth, compliance, customer delivery or organizational reputation: • Proposal and capture teams manage RFPs, source selection responses and compliance-heavy submissions where accuracy and timing directly impact revenue. • Development and product teams close out sprints, coordinate production pushes and launch features, where delays can stall customer impact or innovation cycles. • Marketing and communications teams drive go-to-market campaigns, product announcements and executive communications where misalignment carries genuine brand and stakeholder risk. • Operations, HR and compliance teams oversee audits, system migrations and policy rollouts that affect enterprise-wide integrity, security and legal standing. How To Address Potential Challenges Although this process is beneficial, it also has some potential pitfalls. One of the main difficulties is the administrative burden. Regularly documenting all team capabilities, including certifications and project histories, can become cumbersome if not handled efficiently. Integrating this process into the fabric of daily individual and team routines is essential so it doesn't become an afterthought or feel like an extra task. Here are some other best practices we've found helpful over the years: • Routine Check-Ins: Schedule quarterly or semiannual reviews and encourage managers to hold regular one-on-ones with their teams to discuss current capabilities and professional growth. • Transparent Communication: While leadership views stepping in to fill gaps as a growth opportunity, employees may not share the same perspective and might resent having to take on extra tasks. Get buy-in, make it clear how it ties to their career growth, and make sure they have the support they need to succeed. Even more vital—recognize and reward these contributions during performance reviews, annual events and any formal recognition programs. • Balanced Workloads: Implement systems to ensure that employees stepping into new roles are given the support they need and that their core responsibilities are manageable. This helps prevent burnout and overwhelm. In today's environment, where complexity is constant and top talent is always in demand, resilience can't be reactive. It has to be intentional. The organizations that understand this and operationalize it will retain their people and outperform, outlast and outpace the competition. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
APM champions inclusivity in the Middle East's growing project management sector
Educational outreach on workplace inclusivity Dubai, UAE: Association for Project Management (APM), the only global chartered body for the project management profession, has announced the pilot launch of one of its flagship qualifications in the Arabic language, as the organization looks to build greater inclusivity among the region's diverse project professionals. This is in addition to the English language qualifications that APM currently offers to project management professionals in the region. APM's Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Jackie Martin, said: 'In the Middle East, project management jobs are on the rise due to major investments in the construction, infrastructure, energy, and technology sectors. Gaining professional qualifications is important for project managers to grow their skills through a mix of management tools, techniques, and processes. We are seeing an increase in interest from the region for our qualifications and in response we are now recruiting candidates to trial our Project Fundamentals Qualification in Arabic. 'This will be one of the largest pilots we've undertaken. It will be pivotal in developing the non-English language offering of our qualifications, and the profession's support will be invaluable. 'In addition, we are looking to cater to the region's diverse community of project managers from different countries and cultures through a multi-pronged approach focused on qualifications, knowledge sharing and research on key topics such as neurodiversity and women in leadership.' Project professionals who use Arabic, and would like to gain the APM Project Fundamentals Qualification, free of charge, can apply to join the pilot taking place on 9th and 10th September 2025. Strengthening their educational efforts, this month APM will host a webinar focused on celebrating diversity in the project management industry, as part of its 'Pathway to Leadership' series. This webinar will highlight the unique perspectives within diverse teams by delving into topics such as neurodiversity, importance of male allyship, and the role inclusive leaders play in fostering an environment of psychological safety within project teams. Marwa Soliman, a Conscious Leadership Consultant based in the UAE, who will be taking part in the webinar panel discussion, says: 'It is widely accepted that the more diverse a team, the more productive and successful it is. But how do employers go about creating environments of inclusion? The dynamics in project teams, where members from diverse areas of expertise and backgrounds come together to contribute to project success under strict timelines and fast pace, reflect the importance of teams investing effort and commitment to create the ideal environment for high performance. This is the foundation of inclusion, identifying and nurturing the values and behaviours that allow everyone to show up at their best as a project team to achieve project success.' APM's 'Pathway to Leadership series: Celebrating diversity in project teams', will take place on Wednesday, 30th July 18:30-19:30 GST, and is free to attend. Panelists include Ciaran Sloan, Senior Project manager at CSQ; Marwa Soliman, Conscious Leadership Consultant; Mishiel Ayub, Project Manager and Assistive Technology Specialist at The Butterfly and Chris Dimal, Communications Associate, The Butterfly. The Butterfly is a social enterprise for empowering People of Determination in the Middle East, both in the facets of family and work. About Association for Project Management (APM) The Association for Project Management (APM) is the only chartered membership organisation for the project profession in the world. As an educational charity, APM is committed to developing and promoting the value of project management in order to deliver improved project outcomes for the benefit of society. APM launched its regional network in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2025. This launch provides a platform for project professionals in the UAE to connect, learn, and advance their skills within the field. The APM UAE Network aims to foster a community of practice, offering networking opportunities, professional development, and insights into the latest project management trends.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sweco acquires consultancies within circular economy and data driven solutions in Luxembourg
STOCKHOLM, July 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweco has signed agreements to acquire PROgroup and +ImpaKT, both of which are based in Luxembourg and specialise in consultancy services in the project management of sustainability and circular economy projects, as well as data-driven expertise. The acquisitions will add around 40 specialists to Sweco's existing team of 110 experts in Luxembourg and thereby enhance Sweco's already strong capabilities in the Benelux region. "We extend a warm welcome to our new colleagues from PROgroup and +ImpaKT as they join the Sweco team of thousands of engineers, architects and other experts in Belgium and Luxembourg. They are bringing niche, data-driven skills in organisational transformation and the circular economy, both of which are areas where we have identified strong market demand in terms of advising clients on how to meet the EU Green Deal sustainability goals. This further sharpens Sweco's position as the leading architecture and engineering consultancy in Europe," says Erwin Malcorps, Business Area President of Sweco in Belgium and Luxembourg. PROgroup's proven expertise in defining, managing and executing projects perfectly complements Sweco's deep technical know-how, thereby enabling the delivery of truly integrated project management services. By leveraging a multidisciplinary team, PROgroup provides end-to-end support for sustainable real estate and urban development projects – from early-stage feasibility and design all the way through to construction – firmly grounded in circular economy principles. This integrated approach ensures innovative, financially sound and environmentally responsible solutions that align with the challenges of tomorrow's built environment. +ImpaKT S.A. is a circular economy consultancy that helps businesses and public-sector actors develop data-driven sustainability strategies. The firm works with EU-supported initiatives for developing digital tools and standards that enhance data sharing and transparency for circular economy practices across industries (like CIRPASS and Onto-DESIDE). They address the accelerating need for circular business models and regulatory compliance – particularly in terms of EU-wide digital product passports, ESG reporting and supply chain transparency. In 2024, the companies reported a combined turnover of EUR 5.1 million, while Sweco bv/srl, with its registered office in Brussels, posted a turnover of approximately EUR 350 million. The companies are being consolidated into Sweco immediately. These acquisitions align with Sweco's acquisition strategy to grow the business by adding key skills that complement Sweco's 22,000 experts, and it will expand the Group's market position as Europe's leading architecture and engineering consultancy. Press photos: Getty images, free use Erwin Malcorps, Sweco Belgium & Luxembourg, free use, please credit Tobias Regell For additional information, please contact:Anna E Olsson, Head of Press, Sweco Group, +4670 557 33 26, This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: Press release GettyImages-1185752032 Erwin Malcorps Sweco Belgium President View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
26-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Case For Moving Capability Building From HR To PMO
Peter Beven, CEO of iEC Professional and a leader at the intersection of education, technology innovation and organizational transformation. This may upset some human resources HR leaders, but I believe that for too long, capability building has been miscategorized as an HR function. Because of this, it often ends up sitting quietly in the corner of the organization, far from the action. It gets packaged as employee retention, training plans, learning management system (LMS) completions—training programs that tick boxes but don't shift performance. But here's the uncomfortable truth I have come to realize: In project-based organizations where execution speed, delivery performance and adaptability are everything, this model of HR-run capability building isn't just outdated—it may be holding you back. Shifting From HR To PMO If capability is the engine of delivery, why isn't it embedded where delivery actually happens—the project management office (PMO)? My underlying rationale for this argument is that HR is designed for consistency, whereas the PMO is designed for performance. This isn't a dig at HR. HR plays a vital role in managing workforce systems, policies and employee life cycle processes that support organizational stability, compliance and culture. But let's be honest: HR is geared for consistency and control. It's designed to support the employee life cycle, not the delivery life cycle. The PMO, on the other hand, is designed for movement, for execution, for impact. It works at the sharp edge of strategy: turning ambition into reality through coordinated delivery. It sees firsthand where the capability bottlenecks are, which tools are underutilized and which teams are underperforming. Capability As Both A Delivery And A Development Issue Projects fail when skills don't match the work to be done. In complex project environments, this issue can become even more profound. In my experience, many missed milestones and blown budgets come down to one thing: The team didn't have the right capability at the right time. And yet we still treat capability building as something separate from delivery. Teams wait for annual training plans, generic courses or slow approval processes. Meanwhile, the work keeps moving. I believe capability building needs to be in the hands of the PMO because they are already embedded in project planning, performance tracking, milestone reviews and delivery risk management. PMO typically finds out, faster and more clearly than HR, where capability gaps are emerging and what's needed to close them. Shifting capability building from HR to PMO may not work for everyone, but I highly recommend it if your organization is heavily tech-centric or has high digital maturity. I have found through working with my own company that embedding capability building into the PMO of a project-based organization can lead to teams being more agile, responsive and equipped with the vital skills needed for productivity transformation—particularly in increasingly complex environments. This can help you consistently deliver projects and services on time, on budget and with outcomes that matter. Five Steps To Make The Shift For Project-Based Organizations 1. Reframe capability as a delivery asset. Stop talking about training plans and start talking about delivery enablement. Position capability as a lever for delivery excellence and not as an HR 'initiative.' 2. Relocate or co-locate the capability function. Move the capability function into the PMO. Create a dual operating model where the PMO drives delivery-focused capability while HR supports foundational and enterprise-wide needs. 3. Measure what matters. Put performance over participation: Adopt a capability measurement model that links skill growth to project performance and productivity metrics, including timelines, quality, cost and customer outcomes. 4. Build just-in-time, embedded learning infrastructure. Replace generic training with project-embedded, microcredential learning that is aligned to priority competencies. Build content libraries, enable expert coaching and create systems that deliver learning in the flow of work. 5. Build a competency-based workforce. Redesign your jobs based on the skills needed for each role, and align all roles, skills and development to clearly defined capabilities. Utilizing AI For Just-In-Time Capability Building AI can be one of the biggest enablers for shifting capability-building duties from HR to PMO. Forget the narrative of self-styled gurus that say AI is just the copilot to jobs; it can do so much more. It stands to totally transform jobs, not just at the periphery but across the board. For example, earlier this year, Moderna announced its move to merge technology and HR into a single function under the CIO office to align with changes brought on by AI technology. This is just one of the latest signs that artificial intelligence is bringing big changes to the workforce. Here are several ways you can utilize AI to help your PMO deliver in capability building: • Use project delivery analytics for real-time capability gap detection. • Develop and deliver role-specific expert learning content, on demand and derived from industry best practices. • Verify and validate skills in all training and by all providers. • Enable dynamic skills mapping and personalized learning-pathway generation, especially for capability uplift. • Embed AI coaching within project management tools. • Use project metrics and performance data to drive learning. • Implement workforce capability forecasting and delivery-readiness simulation. Final Thoughts Let's be clear: This shift may ruffle feathers. Traditional HR and L&D leaders may see this as a land grab. It's not. It's about recognizing that transformational capability building shouldn't be managed as a support function anymore—not when delivery is on the line. This is a call to elevate capability, not sideline HR. I believe the future is collaborative, but it's also urgent. In project-based environments, capability should be owned by those closest to the work, the performance and the results. This shift is about repositioning capability as a strategic, embedded and responsive engine of delivery excellence. And that requires bold change. The PMO has evolved from a governance body to a strategic powerhouse. It's time to go further and make it the beating heart of organizational capability. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
CNA
19-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
In a sector grappling with manpower constraints, mechanical and electrical engineering company DLE M&E shows how investing in employees' career health can drive long-term business success.
In 2019, a cost engineer at DLE M&E made an unexpected request – he wanted to move beyond his desk-bound role to gain hands-on experience working on projects on site. 'We granted his request,' said the company's director, Mrs Sarah Tham. After being redeployed as a project engineer, the employee took on more responsibilities and now oversees site works as a project manager. For Mrs Tham, his career progression reflects a broader belief at DLE M&E. 'By having open and honest conversations with staff about their goals and supporting them in achieving those goals, they experience greater job satisfaction and are more likely to stay with us longer,' she said. This openness underpins the 45-year-old mechanical and electrical engineering firm's commitment to upskilling its 350-strong workforce. To date, eight employees have completed reskilling through Workforce Singapore (WSG) initiatives, including Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs) for Sustainability Professionals and workshops to improve human resource competency. Given the construction sector's long hours and demanding work culture, DLE M&E sees job rotation and multiskilling as key to sustaining motivation and productivity. This emphasis on employee development strengthens their career health and helps the company remain competitive. In response to growing environmental, social and governance (ESG) expectations from clients, DLE M&E pursued EcoVadis accreditation – a widely recognised assessment of corporate sustainability – and sent employees for external ESG training. 'The clients see that we are ESG-ready, which opens up many business opportunities for us,' Mrs Tham said. 'WHEN NEW TOOLS ARE INTRODUCED, MANAGEMENT MUST BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THAT CHANGE, SO STAFF DON'T FEEL THEY ARE LEFT TO GO THROUGH THE CHALLENGING PARTS THEMSELVES.' RESKILLING WITH PURPOSE DLE M&E undertakes projects involving the installation of mechanical and electrical systems, such as retrofitting works for multinational clients. In 2017, with support from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the company began training its drafters in building information modelling – a 3D digital platform that is now required for all construction projects with a gross floor area of above 5,000 sq m. Today, its drafting team is proficient in the platform, giving the company a competitive edge when bidding for tenders. This capability was developed primarily through training conducted by BCA Academy and supported by WSG through a CCP to build competency in building information modelling. Beyond technical proficiency, the company encourages self-discovery and career planning. Selected employees have attended workshops such as Career Aspiration Navigator, which uses profiling tools to assess their readiness for change, communication styles, preferred learning methods and skills gaps. 'The course aims to align the employer with what employees hope to achieve in their careers,' said Mrs Tham. Employees also gain a clearer understanding of their strengths and developmental areas, which supports more meaningful career conversations. DEVELOPING TALENT FROM WITHIN HR and office manager Karen Wong is among the DLE M&E employees who have been reskilled through WSG programmes. Encouraged by her line manager to deepen her understanding of ESG practices, she enrolled in the CCP for Sustainability Professionals. As part of this programme, she attended a short course on sustainability projects. After gaining a better grasp of ESG principles and their practical application, Ms Wong now leads sustainability efforts in the office, addresses ESG-related queries from clients and helps bring sustainable practices into the company's daily operations. 'The CCP programme strengthened my knowledge in sustainability and ESG, and helped me grow personally and adapt to new challenges,' she said. 'I feel more confident in meeting client needs and proud to be aligned with the industry's future direction.' Her experience highlights the potential of mid-career reskilling to meet both individual aspirations and evolving business needs. While some employees may be uncertain about the need to reskill, the company sees career development as a shared responsibility. 'We are interested in their career health and we are intentional about making them better,' Mrs Tham added. 'CAREER HEALTH ISN'T JUST ABOUT MOVING UP. IT'S ALSO ABOUT GROWING PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, WITH THE ENERGY AND MINDSET TO REACH YOUR GOALS AND CARE FOR YOUR LONG-TERM WELL-BEING.' REDESIGNING ROLES FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH To improve efficiency and future readiness, DLE M&E is also tapping on the Support for Job Redesign under Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG-JR). BDO Consultants, one of the pre-approved consultants appointed under PSG-JR, will be shadowing selected employees to analyse job scopes and identify areas for improvement. Through this process, the company aims to digitalise certain manual workflows – enhancing both efficiency and productivity. Once the redesigned processes are in place, tailored training maps will be developed to equip employees with the necessary skills. Design engineers at DLE M&E reviewing 3D plans using building information modelling software – a digital tool now essential for large-scale construction projects in Singapore. As part of this effort, the company expects to send impacted employees for reskilling, primarily through the CCP for Built Environment Professionals. Mrs Tham said the company is taking a long-term view of both business needs and employee development. 'The staff are also looking at how the company develops them as individuals and professionals,' she added. This focus on long-term growth reflects broader workforce trends. 'With the retirement age being extended, we are all going to work longer,' said Mrs Tham, 'We have to ensure that our people don't burn out and that their career health is sustained.' Job redesign, she added, supports long-term engagement and helps align roles with employees' evolving needs and strengths. SEE HOW CAREER HEALTH DRIVES BUSINESS RESULTS Whether it is reskilling for new demands or redesigning roles to stay competitive, these companies are investing in their people and seeing real returns. Scroll down to explore how others are integrating career health into their strategy – or turn to the Career Health Playbook for Business Growth for tools, tips and strategies to future-proof your workforce.
