SMEs' battle for talent not always a losing one

SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) losing the war for talent has been a common lament. Often, they struggle to compete with large multinational enterprises with the financial and brand prowess to invest in sophisticated tools and systems to acquire and retain the best and brightest.

However, being small isn't always a disadvantage. Indeed, being smaller and simpler in set-up could afford SMEs greater agility and flexibility - qualities often undermined by the bureaucracies of large organisations. And such responsiveness is becoming more prized than ever, in view of the disruptions to workforce driven by digital technology and changing talent demographics.

Further, the lean resourcing model of SMEs can make them fertile learning grounds for employees who seek deeper hands-on learning and exposure to different parts of the business and a family-like culture. With structured training programmes and advancement opportunities in place, SMEs may indeed have a unique employer value proposition.