Creating a talent management system

1. Creating a Talent Management System
The broad process of managing human resources within an organization is called Talent
Management. Just as the IT system organizes all the computer related technology within an
organization, a comprehensive Talent Management System manages and integrates all of the
human resource (talent) related components of the business. A well-designed Talent
Management System provides the infrastructure used to optimize the investment in the people. It
is a key component of any successful organization.
What is a Talent Management System?
A talent management system incorporates all the important aspects of building, managing and
equipping the workforce to achieve the strategic mission. The important components of this
talent management system include: selection, on-boarding, performance management, engaging,
developing, career advancement and succession planning.
First Step
The first step in creating an integrated talent management system is understanding and
identifying core competencies that are required for each unique job. Core competencies are the
skills and behaviors required to be effective in the context of that specific job and the
organizational culture. They also reflect the needs driven from the business strategy. The
exercise in determining core competencies is fundamental to the success of the talent
management system from the point of hire through succession planning.
Once we have identified the core competencies required for success, the talent management
system’s objective is to align, engage and develop those core competencies in the job candidates
and internal team members.
Selection
In the stage of selecting and hiring, the manager’s role as a leader is to ensure that he has
thoroughly vetted the candidates against the technical and soft skill requirements required for the
role. In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the job, smart leaders analyze their team’s
strengths and may choose a new hire partially based upon team gaps/composition in meeting
strategic goals. Finally, it is important to incorporate the “fit” candidates have with the values
and expectations of the organizational culture. Tools to guide the interviewing process and
assessment instruments help identify and vet candidates.
On-Boarding
On-boarding, also known as organizational socialization, refers to the mechanism through
which new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviors to become
effective organizational members and insiders. Tactics used in this process include formal
meetings, lectures, videos, printed materials, or computer-based orientations to introduce
newcomers to their new jobs and organizations. Research has demonstrated that these

2. socialization techniques lead to positive outcomes for new employees such as higher job
satisfaction, better job performance, greater organizational commitment, and reduction
in stress and intent to quit. These outcomes are particularly important to an organization looking
to retain a competitive advantage in an increasingly mobile and globalized workforce.
The role of a leader at this stage is to acclimate the new employee as quickly as possible into the
organization or department. We cannot underestimate the importance of clearly depicting the
vision, mission and culture of an organization with new employees. Each organization operates,
like a family, in its own unique way. Additionally, each new employee brings a unique set of
strengths and abilities, knowledge, values and experience that the organization will want to
incorporate as quickly as possible in order to leverage those attributes and increase the
productivity of the organization. It is critical to invest the time upfront with new employees,
ensuring a successful on boarding experience for both the employee and the organization. A
thorough and effective new employee orientation and using assessments to facilitate
communication of the strengths and abilities of new employees are helpful tools in this stage.
Performance Management, Engaging and Developing
The role of a leader at these stages is to ensure that the natural strengths and abilities of each
person are leveraged to the highest potential. A leader’s skill in maximizing talent, both
individually and within the team, predicts success in retention, performance, and organizational
momentum. The leader must have the tools and wisdom to actively identify, utilize and develop
the talents of their people. The core competencies identified in the first step of an integrated
talent management system are used in these later phases to evaluate (performance management)
and develop (skills and career) employees on the team. Properly designed performance
management evaluations, 360° feedback instruments, and an organizational training program
rooted in the pre-determined core competencies are helpful tools at this stage.
Career Advancement and Succession Planning
Finally, the role of a leader in career advancement and succession planning is to align the
potential of individuals with future opportunities that exist within the organization. Most
organizations today are concerned about their leadership bench. The economic downfall,
reduction of the workforce and other high-priority initiatives have stifled leadership development
over the last few years. Organizations are feeling the squeeze in this area and they need to bridge
the gap. A first step is to assess the leadership competencies necessary for future strategic
success against the existing talent potential within the organization. Organizations now need to
allocate resources to develop high potential internal candidates or put aside dollars to recruit
outside the organization where internal gaps exist. Workforce planning tools, assessment tools
and high potential programs will be helpful at this stage.
In summary, high performance organizations are founded upon an integrated and well-managed
talent management system. This system is powered by the core competencies that will fuel
achievement of the strategic mission. Like a thread through fine fabric, a talent management
system weaves crucial core competencies through the selection, on-boarding, performance
management, engagement, development, career advancement and succession planning processes.

3. Invested in appropriately and used consistently, this integrated system clothes an organization
with human resource efficiencies, effectiveness and productivity. The successful implementation
of strategy depends upon an organization’s ability to deploy their Talent Management System
effectively. It is the people that bring strategy to life.