The Human Bottleneck in Project Delivery: Managing Critical Talent Scarcity in Complex Projects

Abstract

Organizations undertaking complex projects face significant challenges arising from critical talent scarcity, as successful project execution is directly dependent on the availability of skilled and talented human resources. This study examined the relationship between Critical Talent Scarcity (CTS) and Project Delivery Performance (PDP) and investigated the contribution of Talent Management Practices (TMP), Workforce Planning (WFP), Knowledge Sharing (KS), and Project Leadership (PL) toward resolving talent-related constraints on projects. To gather data, 300 project professionals were surveyed using a structured questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale, using a cross-sectional research design within a quantitative approach. Respondents were selected using purposive sampling, aiming to select respondents with relevant project experience. Descriptive analysis was used to gain a better understanding of respondents’ perceptions of the study variables. Results indicated a relatively high perception of critical talent shortage, with a mean score of 3.74 (SD = 0.78) for CTS. TMP recorded a mean of 3.68 (SD = 0.74), while WFP obtained a mean of 3.61 (SD = 0.76). KS showed a mean of 3.77 (SD = 0.71), and PL recorded a mean of 3.82 (SD = 0.69). The project delivery performance perception mean for PDP was 3.86 (SD = 0.67), the highest among all groups. The results highlighted the need for strategic talent management, proactive workforce planning, knowledge sharing, and good project leadership in augmenting project teams facing critical talent shortages. An integrated human-resource approach facilitated an organization’s ability to operate more effectively in managing complex projects.

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