Private Equity & Talent Shortages | Private Equity Executive Search Firm

      Private Equity & Talent Shortages

      To become the best in any industry, a company must hire employees who can become leaders. It is an essential phenomenon in most businesses since leaders show other employees how to assist a business in achieving their set targets and goals. Private equity firms are no different, and given the competition existing in the area, each organization should target employees showing signs of leadership.

      Private Equity Executive Search Firm

      Private equity firms focus their attention on securing the services of any potential investor and securing the investment opportunity for them, then charging commissions for work done. In an emerging trend before the COVID 19 pandemic, other institutions would even offer investors a management option allowing them to let their money work for them. In what can be a slippery slope, investors choose which private equity firm they think can achieve their goals and sign contracts with them. If a private equity firm wants to succeed, it had better show an abundance of leadership to the potential investor.

      However, a big question exists, brought about by the recent pandemic. How can private equity firms restore leadership capabilities among employees when facing a staffing challenge themselves? With the COVID 19 pandemic, the economy was severely affected due to business coming to a standstill. Investors were reluctant to invest, meaning most private equity firms had to send their employees home since the revenue generated was not enough to keep them on company books.

      Private equity firms would soon benefit from a boost by the United States government to implement economic recovery via introducing stimulus packages allowing resumption of investments. Due to their influence and understanding of how to navigate complex situations, most investors sought the services of private equity firms to ensure they invested in the right companies and industries. What was shocking was the staffing problem, which would soon result as most laid-off employees preferred to engage in other ventures instead of going back to work.

      A shocking statistic indicated that approximately forty-four percent of unemployed workers were not interested in employment opportunities. Being around investors and learning their craft had paid off for said employees as they had found new moneymaking ventures. It is an alarming figure as it represents nearly half of the population’s such companies had let go. Even more devastating, some companies had to retrench workers performing their duties exceptionally to guarantee their survival in a classic case of employees or the entire business. It created a problematic situation, primarily due to the demand from potential investors who knew the suitable investment would result in a huge payday. However, the employees without proper staff members could not adequately cater to the market demand despite the time being right to assert a leading position among competitors. Leadership was lacking in the labor force, which could hamper investors from returning. 

      Despite a labor shortage existing in the market, there were numerous opportunities there, and some billionaires quickly recognized that fact and sought investment opportunities. According to Forbes valuations, private equity firms were hired by individuals such as Orlando Bravo and Leon Black, who each boasts a net worth of around ten billion dollars. They recognized that economic recovery meant increased demand in almost every industry. Thus, investing at such a time would mean healthy profits with minimal risks due to cushions set by governments. However, they had to analyze what firm to choose as business partners because the firm needed to match their ambitions. Portfolio companies, therefore, are required to survive the shortage of labor and find ways of delivering results to such ambitious personalities in a market where some employees had retired. At the same time, only a third of the population wanted to find active employment.

      Work Experience: The Critical Element to Building (and Benefitting from) Human Capital

      As already established, private equity firms can establish market dominance by adhering to specific recommendations focusing on talent retention. High turnover rates can cause severe imbalance to a company, hampering the likelihood of meeting their targets and clients. The best crop of talent available exhibits leadership among employees.

      Still, even they will have difficulties performing and eventually leave if the organization does not have existing structures to guarantee employee retention. Before a different group comes in and adapts to the organization’s culture and client demands, some other employees have already left, leaving the company permanently in transition periods and never capable of fulfilling its employee’s potential. Private equity firms need structure to provide incentives that prompt employees to stay. They can use feedback from employees that are leaving to learn what aspects of their culture need reshaping and guarantee continuity and employee retention. 

      Recruitment is another aspect capable of causing imbalances to each organization when not done correctly or propelling them to new levels when done properly. Organizations need to understand what they are targeting during recruitments, bringing more leadership on board. Most employees who fit such a criterion will already be working for their competition. They can both poach them and establish a power play that would improve their organization or decide to hire and train someone else for the job, only for them to be poached by their rivals when they are ready. The best talent in every industry will rarely be free, and the only way to acquire their services is by showing them an offer they cannot refuse. It, however, has to be the right fit based on their integration to company policy, culture, and knowledge on how business affairs in private equity are conducted to guarantee a return on investment.

      Recruitment and its subsequent results can also be improved by overhauling the private equity recruitment strategy now that data-led approaches are possible. Data-driven approaches appear to be the latest revolution to including technology in workplaces. Data allows planning and subsequent recruitment because it allows a review of performance and the prediction of how an employee will possibly perform. An overhaul of prior recruitment systems replacing them with data-driven methods allows the human resource team to analyze key person indicators using modern software and determine which employee to recruit and who to avoid. Data also shows employees performing in an organization and who can be trusted with leadership positions as a reward for their effort. Such methods allow company resources to be utilized appropriately with minimal wastage as the private equity firm jostles for better positions in the market. Employees who underperform can also be motivated or retrained to ensure better performance. 

      Teamwork is another essential aspect of the process to create leaders because working together is vital to fulfilling responsibilities at any institution. Teamwork involves developing an organizational culture that welcomes people taking responsibility and innovating creative but workable solutions to investment challenges. Teamwork enhances leadership because employees feel part of the project and cannot entertain any circumstance that leads to failure. Therefore, any private equity firm leader should be approachable and themselves a team player because the values they show in the firm will rub off on employees. If they come across as arrogant and self-entitled, the employees will fear approaching them as they might be criticized. Teamwork is required in analyzing good investment opportunities for potential clients, and its absence can lead to a high turnover rate in the institution. It is easier to motivate a team because leaders emerge to salvage the situation, something that is vital to a private equity firm experiencing success.

      Finally, the portfolio company’s success can be boosted by leaders of each private equity firm understanding the demographic and culture in the institution’s area of jurisdiction. During investment, it is prudent to advise the investor on the cultural expectations, especially if the investment is in another area different from the area of operations. Culture can be a considerable impediment to business success as it influences the reception an institution receives in the current market. It is, therefore, more beneficial for an organization to conduct market research and understand what elements of culture to prepare for and advise the leadership for planning purposes. A leader can make a decision that could otherwise be suicidal to the portfolio company’s reputation due to disregarding their culture. If a private equity firm wants to succeed, it had better show an abundance of leadership to the potential investor. That can be done by highlighting an understanding of the culture on the ground they want to invest. 

      Economic recovery is the plan in most regions globally as the COID 19 pandemic had wreaked havoc on significant economies. That leaves private equity firms with an abundance of clients who cannot be allowed to spot any sign of weakness in their leadership structure and even among employees. They need to ensure leadership remains even at the company’s lowest level by implementing numerous recruitment and employee retention policies to guarantee success. There might be a shortage currently experienced on the staff looking to get back into private equity firms. Still, the problems should be managed as fast as possible since plenty of investors is waiting on private equity firms for solutions on their institutions. After all, if a private equity firm wants to succeed, it had better show an abundance of leadership to the potential investor.

      Cowen Partners Privat Equity Executive Search Firm

      At Cowen Partners, our executive recruiters are exceptionally skilled at delivering in-demand candidates, no matter the need and across all industries. Backed by a proven executive recruiting process, we have been the partner of choice for startups, corporations, small businesses, non-profits, and more, meeting unique and critical recruitment needs across the entire C-suite, including CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CMOs, CIOs, CTOs, CHROs, VPs, directors, and several other leadership roles. 

      With our executive recruiters, you get senior partner-led searches, due diligence-run networking, meticulous candidate vetting, and so much more, all geared towards one goal — placing the very best talent as soon as possible, all while ensuring a seamless fit with your company culture, your big-picture objectives, and other factors. Plus, we have one of the highest candidate retention rates in the industry while consistently delivering world-class talent faster than the competition. 

      That’s how Cowen Partners has become a leading executive search firm nationwide, and it’s why our executive recruiters have a reputation for excellence and success.

      Contact us to see why we are continually ranked as one of the best executive search firms around and why we have so many repeat and long-term clients, as well as referrals.

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