Companies urged to put engineers on the board

SMF believes that to increase the competitiveness of the UK economy more directors with the knowledge of how products are imagined, designed, made and work are needed in UK boardrooms. This, it says, would help drive organisations forward, maximising innovation and the opportunities of new markets while controlling and mitigating the inherent risks in rapid growth businesses. SMF undertook a survey among HR directors to establish the level of awareness within the HR community of the suitability of engineers to fulfil these important roles. Results show that, while 86% surveyed said they were open-minded about employing directors with non-financial or legal backgrounds, fewer than two thirds believe that engineers have the skills and attributes necessary to move onto boards. SMF President, David Falzani said: "Our research shows a discrepancy between perception and recruitment reality. Over 250,000 engineers are employed in the UK, contributing to the economic strength of the nation and it is essential that organisations understand the benefits they can derive from having an engineer among its management team. "Historically, engineers have not been seen as a natural choice to be members of boards of blue chip organisations," Falzani went on. "Conventional wisdom means candidates tend to come from financial and legal disciplines. However, HR directors are discovering that once engineers possess the requisite legal, financial, and marketing training, they have a breadth of skills that can be used to help organisations grow faster and more reliably." SMF has produced a booklet for HR directors encouraging them to seek more information on the role of professional engineers in the corporate world. Within the booklet is a skills matrix to assist in the assessment of an organisation's needs and how a business-qualified, professional engineer can enhance the board. Copies of the booklet are downloadable from www.smf.org.uk.