Talent Management: A Strategic Approach

Organizations look to optimize their learning and performance strategy to best address current challenges and drive business success. This strategy includes employee selection, alignment, engagement, development, and retaining employees to assume various roles throughout the organization. If your organization is looking at ways to improve any of these processes as stand alone functions or even within an integrated talent management initiative that leads to an improved performance culture, the Center for Workforce Development has the latest assessment tools and training resources to help you capitalize on the talent and potential of your workforce to improve business results.

Organizational Challenges

Attract and Select Talent Increase Retention and Decrease Turnover Increase the Quality/Accuracy of New Hires Identify Appropriate Training Needs for Technical, Business, and Leadership Skills Gaps Increase Productivity Identify, Manage, Develop, and Retain Talent for Future Leader Roles Lack of Skilled Workforce in the Pipeline Create and Sustain a Performance Culture

High Performance Culture

An organization can create and sustain a high performance culture by internalizing these tools, concepts, and processes:

Job Analysis Use of Competency, Behavior, and Success Indicators Screening/Selection Processes Behavioral–and Competency-based Interviewing Culture Fit, Technical, Aptitude, and Work Style Assessments Leadership and Coaching Skills for Employee Development and Engagement Employee Performance Management Tools

Talent Management P. 2

Job Analysis

The Work Profiling System (WPS) is a tool and process that provides a structured approach to defining:

The Work: identifying the task demands of the job The Worker: determining the abilities and attributes for success The Worker at Work: identifying the competencies that describe on-the-job performance

The Job Analysis is directly linked to the screening/selection process by:

Detailed Job Description Report that captures key attributes/activities of the position Person-Specification Report identifies the most job-relevant characteristics, essential

abilities, skills, and personal attributes of the position and would be needed of the applicant pool

The Leadership Competency Architect Profile identifies the competency set of the position

The Job Analysis links directly to Assessments that identify Competencies required of a position that improve your Screening/Selection process by:

Determining the competency and skill set requirements of existing/new jobs Better identify these competencies and skills present in an applicant pool Identify and use of an assessment tool for applicant screening/selection or of

development/need gaps for existing employees

Competencies

The knowledge, behaviors, and motivations associated with success or failure in the job; the requirements of the job; and the “thing” that someone must demonstrate to be effective in the job.

Provides objectivity by establishing behaviors and motivations that make employees successful

Develops a common language between managers and workers Provides criteria for selection and promotion Provides evidence for evaluation Identifies training and development needs

Talent Management P. 3

Screening/Selection Process

Are built on job-related competencies (legally defensible) Select for both motivational fit and job skills Use past behavior to predict future behavior (performance) Include tailored interview guides that minimize preparation Know that hiring for the right skills is more efficient than developing those skills Assessing the most critical competencies at the time of hire is likely to cost much less than

developing them later

The use of Competency-and Behavioral-based Interview Guides will provide:

Guidelines for effective interviewing Legal considerations when interviewing Behavioral-based interview questions tied to the Job Analysis and essential competencies A rating scale for each competency and an overall rating scale for the candidate

Assessments

It is critical to use an assessment tool that matches the competencies, abilities, and attributes of the applicant to the position to predict performance more accurately. Adopting assessments early on in the recruitment process enables managers to screen and select suitable candidates; consequently reducing the number of interviews and time, as well as providing the information required to prepare for a focused and relevant interview and make stronger hiring decisions. Below is a sample of assessments:

Customer Contact Styles Questionnaire (CCSQ) – identifies the candidate’s abilities, work behaviors, and competencies to predict performance more accurately within the job

Work Style Questionnaire (WSQ) – captures the candidate’s preferred work behaviors as a powerful indicator for job fit/match

Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) – identifies desired attributes and competencies linked to higher-level positions and how the candidate matches up for job/fit match

There are over 1000 assessments (including technical skills requirements) to help with screening/selection process and which can be driven from the Job Analysis for Job/Fit Match

Talent Management P. 4

Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is a key business driver for organizational success. High levels of engagement in domestic and global firms promote retention of talent, foster customer loyalty, and improve organizational performance and stakeholder value. A complex concept, engagement is influenced by many factors – from workplace culture, organizational communication, managerial styles, trust, respect, leadership, and company reputation. For today’s different generations, access to training and career opportunities, work/life balance, and empowerment to make decisions are important.

Engagement is not employee satisfaction: it is much more comprehensive as it includes such factors as importance of the job, clarity of expectations, opportunity for career improvement, provision of regular feedback, and positive working relationships with colleagues and managers. Engaged employees are committed to their organization; have tremendous pride and job ownership; put forth more effort in time and energy; and demonstrate significantly higher levels of performance and productivity than those who are not engaged.

Thus, to foster a culture of engagement, the organization needs to design, measure, and evaluate proactive workplace policies and practices that help attract and retain talent with skills and competencies necessary for growth and sustainability.

Top Trends Lead to Focus on Employee Engagement*

1. Employee-employer relationship evolving/changing to partnerships2. Increased demand for work/life balance3. Human Resource’s greater role in promoting the link between employee performance and its

impact on business goals4. Increasing focus on selective retention for keeping mission-critical talent5. Work intensification as employers increase productivity with fewer employees and

resources6. Acquiring and keeping key talent re-emerging as top issues of concern7. Decline in traditional communication methods and increase in cyber communication8. Needs, wants, and behaviors of the talent pool driving changes in attraction, selection, and

retention practices*Adapted from Society for Human Resource Management (2006); SHRM Special Report 2006 Trends

Talent Management P. 5

Talent Management

Components to drive employee engagement to a higher level:

The Right People in the Right Jobs:People with knowledge, skills, and experience for the position plus the job fit/culture fit criteria are all elements that need to be understood and part of the selection criteria.

Highly Engaged and Supportive Senior Leaders:Senior leaders set the tone for the culture of an organization, in addition to setting the priorities, goals, and objectives for the business, it is imperative that they be fully vested and supportive of any initiative to increase employee engagement. The employee and environment interactions have an impact (positively or negatively) on employee productivity and talent retention.

Skilled Leaders at All levels:Most leaders struggle not with the technical aspects of their jobs but with the fundamental leadership skills that are critical to success in their role. They must be able to take an objective look at their teams and proactively find ways to leverage their existing skills, help them develop new skills, and provide the coaching and support they need to be successful. The best leaders create an environment where people feel they can make a difference and grow and develop. The results are stronger relationships which help bind team members to the group and to the organization. Higher levels of retention, motivation, and engagement are the results of effective coaching and leadership.

Employee Development

Today’s workforce is continually being challenged to take on increasing responsibilities, and these employees are key to helping the organization achieve its strategic goals. All employees need to continuously build skills that will help them grow, stay engaged, ensure their employability, take on new areas of responsibility, and contribute to the success of the organization.

Summary of Benefits

Getting the right person in the right job Consistency, accuracy, and fairness in hiring and promotion Job-relevant assessments to be utilized in the selection process Managers trained in effective interviewing techniques and use of competency-based

interview guides Leadership training on communication, performance improvement, coaching, and employee

development skills The information gathered from the Job Analysis and Competencies Identification are linked

to making hiring decisions, setting clear and realistic expectations, review and align performance, and employee development

Talent Management P. 6

Turnover resulting from poor hiring decisions can be reduced by having a strong job description, improved interviewing skills, guide and process, and use of appropriate assessments

Provides the tools to align individual accountability, engagement, performance, and development to the organization’s business needs and goals

315 Cleveland AvenuePO Box 1609

Columbus, OH 43216-1609614-287-5000

www.cscc.edu/cwd