The board’s role in talent management oversight

In the post-pandemic economy, talent management is more critical than ever—and so is director oversight.

Traditionally, directors have focused their talent management efforts on the C-suite, leaving oversight of the broader workforce to senior executives. But the pandemic, investor pressure to advance diversity and inclusion efforts, and the pace of business and digital change have made it critical for boards to provide greater oversight of talent management at multiple levels of the organization.

Steps corporate directors can take as they oversee talent management

Taking a more substantive role in talent management oversight isn’t easy. It requires boards to strike a balance between acting strategically to ensure the company’s strength, without stepping into the role of management. To maintain a healthy oversight balance, directors should be exploring three different levels of leadership in their organization:

  • The C-suite

  • Up-and-comers

  • Middle management

Day-to-day talent development responsibilities, of course, remain with management. But directors can work to ensure their company’s approach to talent supports its long-term objectives. When boards and management teams prioritize investing time and resources in human capital development throughout the organization, they are more likely to win the talent wars while becoming more resilient, agile, and innovative.

Download our paper for a deeper dive into the board’s role in talent management. Within the paper you will find:

  • Sample C-suite readiness chart

  • Talent questions for directors to ask

Contact us

Maria Castañón Moats

Maria Castañón Moats

Leader, Governance Insights Center, PwC US

Paul DeNicola

Paul DeNicola

Principal, Governance Insights Center, PwC US

John  Oleniczak

John Oleniczak

Partner, Governance Insights Center, PwC US

Stephen G. Parker

Stephen G. Parker

Partner, Governance Insights Center, PwC US

Barbara Berlin

Barbara Berlin

Managing Director, Governance Insights Center, PwC US

Matt DiGuiseppe

Matt DiGuiseppe

Managing Director, Governance Insights Center, PwC US

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