What’s Trending In Talent Development?

We need talent to survive. We all know that. What you might not know is how to attract, develop and retain the top talent. That’s where XYZ University comes in.

We need talent to survive. We all know that. What you might not know is how to attract, develop and retain the top talent. That’s where XYZ University comes in.

There’s a talent war currently happening and even if you can get the talent you need, keeping it looks different than it did even a few years ago.

One of the best ways to ensure your company has the right talent and a solid foundation for retention, is to develop talent from within. You know what you need and many times you know which employees are best equipped to provide those needs to you. At the same time, your employees are looking for development opportunities and growth; why not encourage that to happen with you? Here’s how:

GIVE CLEAR FEEDBACK

The next generation of employees love feedback, and they are willing to act on it. But for feedback to be effective, it needs to be clear. When you work with young talent within your organization, giving feedback can help them grow and develop both professionally and in a way that helps them fit in with and understand company culture. When giving feedback, don’t be afraid to get specific. Giving actionable suggestions will help your employees know which direction they need to grow to succeed.

Investing in effective two-way communication with your talented young employees will keep them motivated to develop their talent and will help you build loyalty with them.

FACILITATE SPONSORSHIP

Connecting experienced employees with employees who have potential is a win-win. This scenario helps you develop talent and helps to ensure you won’t lose the expertise of retiring baby boomers. Sponsorship is not mentorship. While mentors advise, think about a sponsor more like a talent scout who works to remove obstacles that might be holding young talent back. Sponsors help protégés establish the necessary connections to mentors or other key people within the organization who can help them grow their talents and become leaders.

Facilitating a sponsorship program will not only help you develop young talent, it will help make your leaders better leaders. Protégés become resources to leaders by sharing their unique talents and creating a support network that allows leaders to be more effective.

Ready or not, a talent shift is coming. The workforce is changing and how you develop the next generation of employees’ talent is changing, too. To ensure your organization doesn’t suffer from a talent shortage, it’s time to not only focus on recruiting the best talent out there, but also focus on how you can best develop that talent from within.