Talent Management Trends and Outlooks Next Year

Hiring and retaining talent is a critical part of most organizations which is often managed by Human Resources. However, these days, recruitment is guided less by finding the appropriate person or people for the job and more by cultural influences within the organization.

Today the demands on talent management and its function are greater than ever, and often enough, organizations face difficult decisions when it comes to cultural change within an organization as it relates to policies and practices.

In many cases, in order to improve the function of a department and its staff, management has to engage in an uncomfortable conversation about their hiring practices. In some circumstances, difference and change within an organization have been ignored, and there is an observed bias when it comes to recruitment. Hiring candidates who are considered compatible with the existing ‘culture’ of the organization is now more important than hiring candidates who can simply perform the job required. This in turn affects performance and ultimately business goals at the higher level.

Recruitment practices have also changed with the advent of technology, but in current circumstances this seems to have the opposite effect of discouraging candidates rather than attracting them. In several cases the application and vetting process for hiring staff and the tools or technologies used to do so can be considered extremely tedious or take a very sterile approach.

As Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO says, “A learner is better than a know it all.” Therefore, talent acquisition must be considered from the point of view that candidates going for the role do so with some confidence that they can indeed learn what is required of them. It is also critical that they enter with an enthusiasm and energy for the job that may have diminished within the internal culture of an organization and its staff over time. This can also be a morale booster.

There is a lot to be said about existing talent acquisition methods, and there are items that currently work and those that can be improved.

Technology, while it has played a key role, has often been used poorly when it comes to attracting talent or vetting talent, but all is not lost!

Artificial intelligence and analysis of data focused on building teams that are focused on specific outcomes will make it easier to align the correct needs for any type of role or team. This means hiring managers can align appropriate talents of a candidate to a position and determine what overall value it may have before making a decision.

Organization culture, while important, is being re-defined as an adaptable skill set not a critical requirement like more measurable skills such as use of applications, tools or strategies.

Diversity is something to be embraced; it saves a company from stagnating. More so, it brings fresh and creative talent to the organization whilst embedding that sense of contribution among existing and new staff alike.