If it is your New Year resolution to start a more strategic approach to talent management, let yourself be inspired by a list of possible programs and actions summed up by a world-renowned consultant in the field of human resources and current professor of management at San Francisco State University John Sullivan on ere.net.
1. Increase workforce productivity
Many talent management programs focus only on measuring engagement but do not monitor productivity. Look for barriers to productivity growth and eliminate them.
2. Strengthen workforce innovation
Talent management programs should focus not only on a few corporate departments but on increasing innovation in all areas of your business. Hire innovators purposefully and look for ways to keep them.
3. Reward good people management
Most managers do not pay enough attention to talent management because this activity is not measured and rewarded. It is therefore appropriate to introduce evaluation and rewarding managers based on how they manage their people.
4. Find and replace bad managers
Most organizations have no programs to identify weak managers in their ranks. This is, however, fundamentally wrong because nobody else but managers have major impact on recruitment, retention, productivity and development of employees.
5. Express talent management measurements in money terms
The language of business and thus also the language of the leadership of your company is obvious - it is money. It is therefore not enough to express turnover or engagement in percentages or the length of hiring new people in days. Work with your CFO and begin by how much it all will cost the company.
6. Calculate the risks of poor talent management.
7. Emphasize the need to prepare for the upcoming leadership gap.
8. Accelerate internal career placement through proactive talent placements.
9. Enhance internal sharing of best practices.
10. Customize the program to maintain current talent needs.
11. Boost internal programs for recommending talents.
12. Strengthen your external employer brand.
13. Enjoy the full potential of social media in talent management.
14. Boost your programs for graduates.
15. Enhance non-financial incentive programs.
For other strategic tips see John Sullivan's article here.
-kk-