Hitting the Ground Running
ningcontentSurvey Shows Increasing Productivity Top Challenge For New Financial Managers
There is no performance grace period for the president-elect in his first 100 days, nor for new financial managers, who are expected to produce results immediately, a new survey suggests. Nearly one-third (30 percent) of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed cited increasing productivity as the top challenge faced in their first 100 days on the job. Boosting profitability was the second most common response, cited by one in five (20 percent) executives.
The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CFOs across the United States.
CFOs were asked, “Which one of the following was the greatest challenge you faced in your first 100 days in your current position?” Their responses:
| Increasing productivity | 30% | |
| Increasing profitability | 20% | |
| Personnel decisions, such as hiring or staff reductions | 13% | |
| Building rapport with new staff | 13% | |
| Building rapport with your CEO | 8% | |
| None | 9% | |
| Other/don’t know | 7% | |
| Â | 100% |
“New financial managers need to make an immediate impact,” said Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources. “In today’s economy, especially, executives may have less time to prove themselves and are expected to demonstrate tangible results.”
McDonald noted that while just 13 percent of CFOs cited building rapport with staff as their top priority, managers should not overlook this critical step. “A creative and motivated team is essential to enhanced productivity. Corporate leaders need to connect with their employees and understand what motivates them to perform at their highest levels.”
Robert Half Management Resources has more than 150 locations worldwide and offers online job search services at www.roberthalfmr.com.
