'Leadership Development top HR priority for Indian employers'

Leadership development has become a top priority for HR professionals in India and companies are opening up the opportunities to develop leadership qualities to all levels across organisations, a survey says.

The selection of candidates for leadership development programmes has historically been focused on C-suite executives and high-potential employees, however this is undergoing a drastic change.

According to a survey by Top Employers Institute, leadership development has become a new top priority in the country and this trend indicates a shift towards more ownership of the individual for their own development needs.

"Our survey shows that high-performing organisations are making information on leadership development available to any manager who is interested in further developing his or her skills, something that sets them apart from low-performing organisations," Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink said.

The survey noted that India has a relatively large proportion of millennials in leadership positions and in comparison with other countries, there is a relative high use of analytics within HR in India.

"We are seeing a different approach towards Leadership Development, with more opportunities to develop leadership qualities available to all levels across organisations," Plink said adding that "people develop fastest when they feel responsible for their own progress."

The Leadership Development Report is based on the findings of the Top Employers HR Best Practices Survey, covering a sample size of 600 certified organisations in 99 countries with more than 3,000 employees each.