Managing talent – is it time to broaden the scope for support employees?
As a recruitment professional I have come across situations where clients have lost good staff due to lack of opportunities or expanded challenges.
It is a clever, forward thinking organisations that take active steps to manage talent in a way that not only supports the operation of the business but allows for personal growth of the individual.
Many Government departments offer internships that expose employees to various roles as part of their training. Why can’t this concept be explored by private enterprise, particularly in relation to support roles?
McKinsey & Co’s ‘The War for Talent’ identified things that companies should consider in managing talented staff. These elements include:
- Exciting work – quite simply, people want interesting, challenging jobs and
they want to feel passionate about their work. A great job is demanding and
stretching and full of requirements that the individual finds interesting and
worthwhile.
- Great company – people want to work for companies that are well managed,
have admirable corporate cultures and values, and great leaders.
Two aspects of culture are critical: a strong emphasis on performance and an
environment that is open and trusting.
- Wealth and reward – people want to make money that is commensurate with
the value they create and with their other options. This is about more than
the tangible value of the money; people want to feel recognised and valued
for their individual contributions.
- Growth and development – people want the company to help them develop
their skills. This is particularly important today, when people realise that their
only real security in the job market is the collection of skills they possess.
Talent management needs to be part of an overall business strategy that widens the scope for employees, manages their career path and exposes them to a wider range of processes; in turn broadening their experience and challenging their intellect and skill level.
