What are the 5 key areas of talent development?

A focus on talent, not skill. As remote and hybrid work is increasingly becoming the norm for many, top talent is no longer limited by geographical boundaries. One of the main challenges faced by talent development professionals is to ensure that employees can devote time to learning and development. McKinsey supports that conclusion and reports that an overly transactional workplace and lack of opportunities for development and promotion are key factors in employee turnover.

If business culture requires a growth mindset in which talent is naturally discovered and fostered, training to support it will become a regular part of the working day. Once you have your company's mission, take the time to list the necessary skills and talents that your employees will need to move toward this goal. However, none of these examples can be successfully applied without the context of well-thought-out talent development strategies. It ensures that the organization has a strong talent base to meet key objectives, supports succession planning, increases employee participation, and even serves as a hiring tool.

Here are seven talent development strategies that can help you identify and foster your employees' skills to create a better workforce. Talent development is generally considered a subset of talent management, which is more broadly concerned with attracting and retaining high-potential employees. Talent development research has shown that the best leaders are those who are committed to developing talent for all employees. Ten years after publishing his research on the war for talent, McKinsey produced a follow-up work in which he re-emphasized the need to make talent a strategic priority.

At every step, decision makers must consider how developing talent in these areas would support the organization's strategic objectives. Talent development initiatives offer employees an opportunity to learn and expand in their areas of interest. Incorporate your measurement plans into your organization's talent development strategies, with specific milestones, metrics and objectives. While many consider talent development efforts to be within the scope of human resources, the participation of the entire company in talent development is necessary to create successful programs.

Rebecca Bobrowski
Rebecca Bobrowski

Unapologetic sushi lover. Hardcore beer specialist. Wannabe food ninja. Lifelong pop culture ninja. Devoted tea geek. Infuriatingly humble reader.