Talent Management Plagued by Confusion, Internal Competition

Talent Tussle: For all the hype about talent management, leaders within companies remain confused about its role in corporate strategy and who is chiefly responsible for its execution. According to Aberdeen Group Inc., 58 percent of human resources executives perceive talent management to be central to overall strategy—a view shared by only 44 percent of non-HR executives. “Confusion over ownership and influence is further compounded” by the fact that company resources typically are allocated to the most pressing issues, such as recruiting the best candidates to apply. An example is that “non-HR executives are 58 percent more likely than HR executives” to recognize when an organization gets flooded with unqualified candidates.

Aberdeen’s report, titled “The Global War for Talent: Getting What You Want Won’t Be Easy,” underscores the need for hiring managers to consult with other key players in mapping out effective talent acquisition. It outlines how companies are struggling with executive-level metrics to measure the effectiveness of their talent management strategies. Again, dichotomies exist between HR executives and those in other areas. For instance, the quality of new hires is cited as the top metric by 63 percent of non-HR execs, compared with 49 percent of HR decision-makers, who say “time to fill” is most important. Only 17 percent of executives outside HR agree.