Learning and

Development

CHAPTER 16

Promoting talent and career development

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHAPTER

To explain what is involved in developing talent and careers in organisations, and to explore the contribution made by these processes to building organisational commitment and capacity for the future.

KEY THEMES

• Careers in changing times

• The rise of talent management

• Strategic integration of talent and career management

• Supporting self-managed development

• Talent and career management: the L&D agenda

KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Two main drivers for improving employees’ access to career routes: – to attract, develop and retain more ‘talent’ – to gain a more engaged, flexibly skilled and adaptive workforce.

• Most organisations are now offering their employees improved opportunities for skills development, career progression and associated inducements.

• There are significantly more opportunities for non-managerial employees in Britain to gain access to satisfying work and enhanced skills but relatively few of these are fully

satisfied with their career opportunities at work.

• The main responsibility for operating career management systems lies with middle managers and HR staff.

• They may be unable or unwilling to cope with increasing pressures of change without better training, reward and reorganisation of stressful workloads.

INTEGRATING CAREER MANAGEMENT INTO WIDER PEOPLE MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

Source: Z. King (2004) London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, p.28. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher

TALENT MANAGEMENT: SOME DEFINITIONS

Talent

Those who can make a difference to organisational performance, either through their immediate contribution or by demonstrating the highest levels of potential (Tansley et al, 2007)

Talent management

The systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement or retention and deployment of those with high potential who are of particular value to an organisation (Tansley et al, 2007)

High potentials

‘HIPOs’ – high performers earmarked for promotion (Brittain, 2007)

Key talent

Those with business-specific technical knowledge or skills (Brittain, 2007)

INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL IN KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE FIRMS (Kinnie et al, 2006)

Created by type of interaction between:

Human capital The knowledge, skills and experience of staff

Social capital Knowledge embedded in relationships

Structural capital Physical structures and work organisation

Organisational capital Processes and technologies

Client capital Knowledge of and ability to leverage client relationships

Network capital Knowledge of and ability to leverage network relationships

– which are directly shaped by HR practices:Resourcing, job and work design, training and development, pay and reward, performance management, involvement

Local government talent management: ACHIEVING STRATEGIC INTEGRATION

The employer brand‘The place to be, the place to work’

The workforce strategy• Organisational development • Leadership development • Skill development • Recruitment and retention • Pay and rewards

Effective talent management• Providing access to the best talent • Promoting careers • Skills development and employee engagement

ACHIEVING AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH TO TALENT AND CAREER MANAGEMENT (King, 2004)

• Draw from and develop the widest possible pool of talent and ability.

• Reconcile individual and organisational objectives for the development of skills and abilities over time.

• Engage employees with their work

• Promote self-responsibility, initiative and adaptability.

• Accommodate and support employees’ domestic obligations.