Corporate Executive Board Finds Midsized Companies View Manager Development as Critical to Engagement, Focus and Growth, but Nearly Half Lack Formal Programs

ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- The Corporate Executive Board (CEB) (NYSE: EXBD), a leading research and advisory services company, today announced findings that indicate midsized companies see manager development as a critical focus area to address in order to drive employee engagement, organizational focus and ultimately strategic growth.  However, nearly half of the companies that participated in the research lacked a formal manager training program.  In response to market need, CEB's HR Leadership Council is offering the Manager Training Portal, an online resource designed to increase the fundamental management skills of front-line and middle managers and improve company-wide productivity.

CEB's HR Leadership Council surveyed more than 400 HR professionals at midsized organizations to determine their top priorities for 2010-11. Respondents indicated that a variety of business-critical issues are directly connected to the training level of managers, but cited inadequate financial and personnel resources as major roadblocks to developing formal, effective training programs. Other major roadblocks include the complex training design process and lack of support.

"The Manager Training Portal was developed to address current and emerging concerns we are seeing in the marketplace," said Mark Clauss, senior director, CEB HR Leadership Council.  "We wanted to provide resources that would help midsized companies overcome barriers to growth, using a vehicle that is easily accessible and convenient to adopt. With hundreds of enterprise-quality resources available in one place, the Manager Training Portal makes increasing productivity and effectiveness affordable for a segment of the market that was previously overlooked."

The Manager Training Portal is a customizable resource that allows companies to select courses that best suit their needs and deliver content directly to their managers.  It contains HR Leadership Council's most impactful training content, and includes a variety of learning formats and pre-formatted tools to help managers quickly implement what they have learned.

Midsized organizations that adopt the Manager Training Portal will benefit from trackable course completion and progress reporting, and access to more than 150 actionable tools, templates and online courses that address critical management development areas. The resources are grouped into four topical bundles:

1. Performance reviews and formal feedback;
2. Coaching and mentoring;
3. Transitioning to new roles; and
4. Communication and change management.

To purchase a Manager Training Portal bundle or learn more about the HR Leadership Council, please visit http://www.exbd.com/midsized-organizations/HRLC-Manager-Training

About The Corporate Executive Board

The Corporate Executive Board Company drives faster, more effective decision making among the world's leading executives and business professionals. As the premier, network-based knowledge resource, The Corporate Executive Board provides customers with the authoritative and timely guidance needed to excel in their roles, take decisive action and improve company performance. Powered by an executive network that spans over 50 countries and represents approximately 85% of the world's Fortune 500 companies, The Corporate Executive Board offers unique research insights along with an integrated suite of exclusive tools and resources that enable the world's most successful organizations to deliver superior business outcomes. For more information, visit www.exbd.com.

SOURCE Corporate Executive Board