Global Talent Competitiveness Index: France in the Top 20

The GTCI report is published each year by INSEAD, a French school of management, in collaboration with Portulans Institute, an independent learning and research institute based in the US. This is the 8th edition of this report of comparative analysis measuring how countries and cities foster, attract and retain talents. According to designers, the report provides “a special resource for decisionmakers to understand the global landscape of competitiveness in relation with talents, and develop strategies to boost their competitiveness”. The 2021 report analyses the results of 134 countries and 155 cities in 75 countries from all over the world, using all classes of revenues and levels of development.

The mark of a nation of innovation

Though the leadership of three countries is confirmed (Switzerland, Singapore, the US), France is now ranked 19th in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index analysing the capacities of 134 countries to “attract, produce and retain talents”.

Ranked 24th in 2017 and frozen in 21st position for three years, France now gained two ranks and entered the Top 20. According to the analysis included in the report, this result is mainly due to “its capacity to retain talents on its territory” (12th country worldwide), particularly thanks to the quality-of-life index on its territory (3rd rank worldwide). Noting that “higher positions mean higher revenues”, the INSEAD thinks that France “has the mark of a nation of innovation”. And indicators also show that France is appreciated for the quality of its higher education, and the infrastructures in several fields (particularly information technologies).

A study made in a specific context

More than a simple ranking, this report was realised in full health crisis, and explores “the conclusions drawn from the pandemic, and offers leads to help governments, organisations, companies and individuals to march forward”. According to the authors, “the management of talents is now a critical issue, and their performance is considered as an essential factor of growth and prosperity”.

This is why the issue of a new organisation of work is taken into account as “an opportunity for countries and cities to test new ways of attracting talents, including taking advantage of digital mobility”. For employees too “new parameters appeared: where, when and for who to work?” This is the question addressed by the report before predicting that online work tools that “paved new ways to a better balance between the professional and private life, and to remote work” also created “new gaps between those who could work online and those who had to be physically present at their workplace”. And the authors of the study think that, in such context, “governments are again in the heart of action, and stimulus plans will have a critical impact to build the next labour markets and competitiveness in terms of talents”.