The solution to the talent shortage may lie in World War II

The difficulty of attracting and retaining qualified professionals has become one of the biggest global challenges for companies in every sector. Several factors contribute to this scenario, including population aging, the growing demand for digital skills and changes in workers’ expectations.

ManpowerGroup’s “Global Talent Shortage 2023” report indicates that 77% of companies worldwide are having difficulty filling positions with skilled professionals — the highest percentage recorded in the last 17 years. This shortage has profound impacts on organizations’ productivity, innovation and competitiveness.

The talent shortage affects a wide range of sectors, from technology, manufacturing and healthcare to services and education. According to the World Economic Forum, the deficit of qualified workers in the fields of data science, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence could create a gap of 85 million professionals by 2030, resulting in a loss of up to US$ 8.5 trillion in annual revenues.

In addition, studies show that 41% of workers worldwide are considering leaving their jobs in search of better conditions, especially regarding flexibility and work-life balance.

In this context, many companies are reassessing their attraction and retention strategies, offering more robust benefits packages, competitive salaries, career development programs and more flexible work environments.

However, even these initiatives struggle to make up for the high demand for specialized talent. In a world where technology advances faster than professionals can be trained, how can companies deal with this shortage without sacrificing productivity and competitiveness?

One solution may lie in proven practices that date back to an equally challenging historical period: “Training Within Industry” (TWI).

During World War II, the United States faced a crisis caused by a shortage of skilled labor, since many workers were serving on the battlefield. To meet this challenge, the government created the TWI program, focused on rapidly training workers with no previous experience to perform crucial roles in the war industry. TWI was based on three pillars: “Job Instruction”, “Job Methods” and “Job Relations”.

The goal was simple but effective: to ensure that supervisors could teach in a clear, efficient and standardized way, while fostering an environment of collaboration. As a result, TWI managed to train hundreds of thousands of new workers quickly, keeping production high even amid a shortage of talent.

It was this focus on standardization, continuous improvement and worker engagement that, years later, helped Japanese companies boost their productivity during the post-war reconstruction effort. TWI practices were incorporated into the Toyota Production System, becoming the foundation of what we know today as “Lean Management”.

The success of TWI, both in the USA and in Japan, was due to its power to simplify and systematize skills development. “Job Instruction” taught supervisors to pass on knowledge precisely and efficiently, ensuring that new employees could learn quickly. “Job Methods” standardized processes, allowing any worker to follow a clear script to perform their tasks efficiently. “Job Relations”, in turn, focused on developing good communication and collaboration practices, increasing engagement and talent retention.

In times of a global shortage of qualified talent, TWI can be a strategic response for today’s companies. Instead of relying exclusively on specialized professionals, organizations can adopt these practices to develop talent internally, building a skilled workforce in less time and with greater involvement. The program can be adapted to today’s reality, in which technical skills are complex and market demands change rapidly.

Just as it helped transform industry during World War II and in the post-war period, TWI can offer today’s companies an effective approach to tackling the challenges of attracting and retaining talent, promoting not only productivity but also a culture of continuous improvement.