Talent

Is your talent strategy fit for growth?

Talent is now an integral part of strategic planning, tied to business plans and growth targets. Almost 60% of US CEOs are planning to hire this year. The challenge is in finding and retaining the right mix of people as companies cope with an acute skills mismatch problem: talent shortages amid high unemployment.

This is impacting corporate profitability. Almost a quarter of US CEOs say they were unable to pursue a market opportunity and another fifth state they were unable to innovate effectively because of talent constraints. CEOs are responding in multiple ways, from demanding better information on metrics such as returns on investment in human capital to encouraging global mobility among experienced employees. But recognizing that ad hoc measures won’t go far, some CEOs are investing in seeding and developing the skills they need, including partnering with the public sector in long-term solutions.

Featured talent insights

10Minutes on engaging your pivotal talent In these early days of economic recovery, companies around the world remain committed to getting the most out of smaller workforces. Though productivity rose steadily during the recession, companies may now be paying the price in engagement -- employees' involvement in and commitment to work. After rounds of layoffs and salary freezes, many workers have become stretched and demoralized.
Point of View: Keeping your top talent In a recovering economy employees are more likely than ever to view themselves as free agents, who can easily switch teams. What is your strategy for retaining your top talent?
10Minutes on Transforming HR Reconnecting the HR model to the business at four key inflection points: brand, corporate vision, financial performance, and employee performance, is key to helping an organization grow their bottom line.
Talent Mobility 2020 The year 2020 is only a decade away, yet the way our global workforce is sourced, organized, and managed will change radically by that time. An explosion of activity in emerging markets has contributed to a significant increase in the need for companies to move people and source talent from all around the world. In this next installment of our Managing tomorrow's people series, we explore the issue of future talent mobility in more detail.
10Minutes on managing diversity We convened over 700 business leaders to discuss diversity. The consensus: Companies that effectively manage diversity now will emerge with a competitive advantage when the recovery sets in. Related podcast
Holding on to pivotal employees CEOs are finding the lack of key talent in companies a challenge. To retain key employees, you might have to rethink a few of the popular myths about talent.

Related talent insights

Health reform
Companies will need to re-examine their benefits strategies in the wake of Congress’ passage of the most substantial change to the health system since Medicare. How can agile companies prepare for the major changes coming their way, since the new healthcare bill will affect all employers regardless of size?

View: spring 09 - Bringing new talent on board
Directors play an important role in overseeing company leadership, in developing strategic vision, and in delivering shareholder value, but many believe there are big challenges in building boards with qualified members, especially members with technological or international expertise. Here we take a look at the challenges and offer insights that may help you build the board you need for effective management.

View: spring 09 - Why diversity-why now?
During the current recession, many businesses are focusing on what they see as the basics, and diversity simply is not one of them. But the reality is that diversity and inclusion matter more than ever to future success. Companies are discovering that to best meet their business goals, how they think about a diverse workforce makes a big difference. Why?

Rethinking pivotal talent
Before reflexively introducing across-the-board headcount reductions, it is useful to first identify your "pivotal talent"— those game-changing employees whose performance can make or break your bottom line.