Talent management is key to workplace well-being .
Talent management is the set of strategies and actions that allow an organization to attract, incorporate and retain the most qualified workers . The notion also refers to the procedures that enable the professional development of existing human resources so that they deploy their potential in the company.
It should be noted that the idea of management refers to the direction or administration of an initiative, an activity or an entity. Talent , meanwhile, is associated with aptitude and skill; The term also identifies the individual who is skilled or suitable for a certain occupation.
Therefore, talent management consists of what a company does to add qualified and competent employees and so that those who already make up the workforce are motivated, committed and adding value .
Origin of the concept
The concept of talent management emerged in the late 1990s . The person who coined it was the American David Watkins , CEO of Softscape . In an article he published in 1998 , Watkins considered that a talent is an individual who makes positive contributions to the productivity and performance of an organization . In this framework, he highlighted the importance of working on his integration into the company and his progress.
The notion soon gained popularity in the corporate sphere. In 2001 , for example, Beth Axelrod , Helen Handfield-Jones , and Ed Michaels published a book focused on how companies compete with each other and vie for top talent.
A job analysis is essential for talent management.
Features of talent management
Talent management is based on the assumption that workers are the key to a company's success . When employees are trained and committed to the organizational culture, there is teamwork and positive leadership , the company is able to function efficiently and is more likely to achieve its goals.
Starting from this premise, organizations have to invest time, effort and money to acquire talent and, in turn, to maintain and develop those who are already part of the firm. This requires strategic HR planning and coordinated work between different areas.
Talent acquisition demands an attractive compensation and benefits system. Offering a career plan is also often valued.
For the development of skills, coaching and mentoring are frequent alternatives. In any case, an analysis of training needs is required to know precisely which are the most convenient teaching methodologies. Strengthening hard skills ( technical skills ) and soft skills ( soft skills ) is essential to gain competitiveness.
When it comes to employee retention, it is essential to maintain work motivation . It is important to establish continuous feedback to know their needs and interests.
Companies must go beyond complying with labor legislation: they have to provide benefits or advantages to increase employee well-being. One option is to enable remote work or teleworking , either a few days a week or permanently. At the same time, they can provide time flexibility . This way, workers can make their work obligations compatible with their personal lives.
Organizational development requires good talent management.
The stages
Different stages can be identified in talent management. These are successive steps that must be carried out within the framework of a comprehensive strategy.
- Recruitment : First of all, the company must be clear about what kind of talents it needs. To do this, you must analyze your current organization chart and detect strengths and weaknesses. Based on this information, you have to proceed to search for talent through job portals, social networks and other resources. With the talents already identified, it is time to attract them to complete the recruitment.
- Development : Once the hiring is made, the company has to integrate the new talents into its structure and develop them to take advantage of their potential . In this context, the entity must also be willing to adapt to talents.
- Retention : For the organization, having trained and motivated talents continue to be part of the workforce is essential since rotation is costly and has an impact on both productivity and quality. Building a favorable work environment can be achieved with bonuses, training proposals and other alternatives that contribute to employee engagement .
Advantages of talent management
Good talent management brings numerous benefits to an organization. Given the importance of human resources, talent management results in an increase in productivity and efficiency .
As we already indicated, talent management helps maintain motivation, reducing turnover and, consequently, company costs. Another aspect to consider is that good talent management contributes to enhancing the company's image precisely due to its human resources policy.
Common mistakes
Specialists point out certain mistakes that companies frequently make in talent management. One of them is poor communication : the company and talents must communicate permanently and fluidly to adjust details, resolve doubts and resolve possible conflicts.
Other failures are linked to time management . Speeding up the recruiting and hiring process too much can lead to poor decisions. However, if the selection and onboarding process (integration of new employees) extends too long, impatience appears and friction arises.
Creating the best possible staff also requires the periodic development of a performance evaluation to know what needs to be optimized. On the other hand, it is impossible to predict when a talent will leave: this is why succession planning should always be carried out.