As an owner of an Executive Search and HR Consulting business my frequent interaction with heads of HR and business owners ultimately deals with the issue of talent management. Not just the acquisition of talent but also the development and retention of talent. In particular how to effectively deal with the realities of the loss of the experience employee base and the lack of experience of the new workforce.
Many of the organizations I deal with are experiencing the departure of knowledgeable employees leaving the workplace (for other positions or retirement) and recruiting from what they believe to be a smaller pool of talented individuals.
This can result in a “war for talent” with organizations actively searching, for what they believe to be desirable individuals, with recruitment bonuses, training and development incentives, and flexibility in the workplace (hours, responsibilities, structure, etc.). Perhaps we should reconsider how and what we recruit for and consider the following:
HR has always been focused on basic talent management—acquiring,developing and retaining talented employees. But, to drive optimal levels of success, talent management must be everyone’s priority and must be defined within the company strategy. Hiring managers must adopt a consistentcriterion for success that is based more on competencies and the ability of the organization to quickly develop the desired knowledge and skills levels. The organizational culture must be clearly understood and be an important part of the recruiting and interviewing process and must