September 2009, Talent Management Practices

Going through good times or bad without a fully engaged and committed team can only spell trouble for an organization. Getting the right people on your bus means that you need to pay close attention to fit and attitude when hiring. Tammy Erickson, a McKinsey award-winning author, points out that subscribing to this philosophy means that a company’s talent management practices must:

• Combine to create a cohesive employee experience.
  Everything from recruiting messages to compensation practices, management philosophies, work flow design, and a various other aspects that affect the every day experience of your employees must feel aligned and reinforcing (in the same way you want everything that touches your customers to reinforce your external brand).
• Help people choose you.
  Personality assessments can help determine what a candidate values, but many candidates will withdraw themselves from consideration voluntarily, if you make it clear what it is like to work in your organization.
• Address change.
  When the reality of your employee experience shifts — either from external pressure or internal strategy — the change must be addressed explicitly, with messaging that acknowledges what is no longer possible and makes clear what is.