European firms are encountering a management and talent crisis due to a preoccupation with personnel change and structural reorganisation, according to new findings from global executive network and consultancy Corporate Executive Board.

The report shows that changes to senior personnel has failed to deliver business growth targets with only 16% exceeding key performance objectives, while 82% are pessimistic about beating their key targets and a quarter of high-performing employees indicate that they plan to leave in the next year.