Talent mapping is a strategic approach utilised by organisations to align a company’s talent or people strategy with its business goals.
Fundamentally, talent mapping enables leaders to understand and proactively build the capabilities of their human asset using data, analytics and implementation. It allows companies and their leaders to make strategic decisions in all areas of talent in both short and long term roles, as well as being able to understand and maximise their existing human assets.
Fundamentally, talent mapping enables leaders to understand and proactively build the capabilities of their human asset using data, analytics and implementation. It allows companies and their leaders to make strategic decisions in all areas of talent in both short and long term roles, as well as being able to understand and maximise their existing human assets.
We’ve collated some ideas on how to effectively implement talent mapping for your organisation below.
Align your talent with your business strategy
To leverage talent mapping as a competitive advantage, your people strategy needs to be aligned with your business strategy.
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Investing in your talent: When you match your investment in talent to your business objectives, you’ll get the right people with the right competencies and behaviours focused on the right initiatives.
Understanding where the gaps are: It’s imperative to understand what capabilities you require and where you require them. What does your business need right now and in the future?
Recognising your employees as key assets: Your people strategy is the business strategy, without them you simply don't have a business. As an HR leader, it’s your responsibility to keep your current humans engaged and motivated - and not take their hard work for granted.
Implementing a strong people strategy will allow your employees to be their best, most productive selves – resulting in a competitive edge.
Implement an agile, people-first talent strategy
An agile, people-first talent management strategy enables your human assets to perform at their best. With this approach, organisations can more effectively address their goals in order to improve business performance in the long run.
There are several ways to execute this strategy for attracting and retaining your top talent:
- Encourage career mobility via continuous learning: Creating a learning culture within your organisation is a useful way to improve performance and innovation. It’s cost effective as you can avoid re-hiring and re-training new employees. In addition, it shows that your employees are valued and you’re genuinely invested in their career development.
- Focus on strengths - A strengths-based culture is a powerful differentiator that helps companies attract top talent. When leaders identify and focus on their employees’ strengths and natural talents, employees are engaged, given a sense of purpose and are provided opportunities for growth.
Overall, establishing a people-first strategy will better empower organisations to have the talent and strengths they need to address both challenges and growth opportunities they may face.
Finding the perfect match between talent and company culture
To obtain the most value, HR leaders need to ensure that the right employee is matched to the right role. At the same time, the employee must have a good cultural fit for the organisation.
In a perfect world, ALL employees would have the skills and knowledge required for the role – and their personality would also weave seamlessly into your company’s cultural values.
But it’s important to note: While an employee who possesses great skills will require less training, their attitude and values are more difficult to change as the cultural fit cannot be ‘trained’.
Each employee is an investment. With a little time and training, an employee who may lack certain abilities – but fits culturally within the organisation – can thrive as a skilled team member. The initial hard work leads to a solid foundation for long term commitment, loyalty, and symbiotic growth. Fundamentally, skills can be taught. Inherent talent cannot.
Adopt talent-based technology to grow your talent
Organisations that adopt talent-based technologies to help them effectively identify, manage and grow talent will succeed in our current era of uncertainty.
With talent becoming a critical resource, it’s crucial for HR leaders to possess real-time data and information. When implementing talent mapping, you must have the right tools and techniques to measure the effectiveness of these processes. It will facilitate faster and more accurate data-driven decision making.
These insights for your employees will enhance productivity and the employee experience to achieve the desired business results.
In summary
In the long run, the true differentiator for organisations is the collective strengths, enthusiasm, and loyalty of its people. As an HR leader, you have the opportunity to shape and lead talent management efforts to reimagine the workplace.
In order to remain purposeful, relevant, and stay ahead of the competition, implementing talent mapping solutions is essential to an organisation’s talent management strategy. This will empower your humans – the key strength that will ultimately help grow your future.
For more information about how Humanico can help with your talent management strategy, get in touch with us below.
