Brain Drain and the Talent Depletion in Pakistani SMEs

Pakistan, unfortunately, is among the few countries worldwide that have been under consistent
leadership and political crises. Still, everyone knows this country s talent in the local and global
industries is unmatched. Our youth offers immense potential, and the struggling young professionals
educate and evolve themselves as they prepare for a more brutal future.
Unlike other countries, Pakistan witnessed bouts of economic development; instead, the graph
should have been consistent. During the stressful times we are facing currently, we have faced
significant brain drain as well. From skilled labour to executive professionals, those with leadership
positions left the country for a more suitable and promising future.
In documents, a brain drain is a mere number that keeps on increasing; in reality, the consequences
of these talented people leaving Pakistan will strategically affect our economic activity, educational
drain, knowledge transfer interruption, and innovation and growth stagnancy.
Along these lines, SMEs in Pakistan are now facing an upfront risk and challenges to find the best
resources for their companies. Shortage of talent means compromise on several aspects when
companies are hiring. These compromises affect the service delivery, restrict growth, make
achieving full business potential tough, and slow down the fulfilment of company goals and
objectives.
Growing companies in Pakistan are left with two significant choices: either invest in building their
high-achieving teams or compromise and hire people on an if and when needed basis. It will make
sense if the latter cannot complete its objectives, let alone the mission and vision, which are
supposed to drive the company s growth trajectories.
Every business hopes and strives to become the next Nestle, Apple, Rolls Royce, etc. They cannot
achieve that with teams missing synergy, collective motivation, and the drive to go beyond
mediocrity. Companies that focus on building a team of several teams with a singular mission to
achieve excellence can beat the competition anytime.
Acquiring professional recruitment services are one way to ensure a growing company finds its
missing talent. The recruitment industry originated in the 2007-8 recession. Companies could not
sustain their hiring practices, so industry experts collaborated and devised executive search
strategies to minimize the risks of wrong hiring, mismatch of cultures, and transparency in
negotiations, leading to long-term commitments and maximizing retention rates.
Pakistani SMEs also need to set up high-achieving teams with individuals with the right skills, talent,
and motivation to achieve more than the ordinary. RFS HR Consultancy, a UAE-based recruitment
firm and a thought leader in the industry, offers complex and effective executive search solutions
that maps the candidate market, analyse the best fits, shortlist through a robust process, and on
board the finalized candidate with complete transparency, and clarity among all the stakeholders
combined.
Recruitment firms offer more security than any reference-based hire since the recruiter maps the
industry talent and understands the candidates potential and the employers needs. While making
sure the candidate complies with all the employer s preferences. Professionals recruited from this
procedure are less likely to leave as they are already in line with the companys future, and the
employers get the missing talent on which they can depend for their long-term journey.