Why should you integrate learning with talent management?

In the present economic condition, private sector companies are banking heavily on their talent management practices to stay competitive. These practices comprise everything,including taking care of individual performance, as well as the performance of an organization’s entire workforce, finding out and analyzing skills, knowledge, and competence, undertaking succession planning, and managing various enterprise-level collaboration tools.

According to Talent Management Factbook of Bersin & Associates, organizations boasting of mature and integrated talent management strategies have comparatively low turnover, have seen less downsizing during the financial downtown, and most importantly, have reported about 26 percent higher revenue per employee than those lacking any integrated strategy related to talent management.  

The current popularity of the global talent management landscape hinges on several factors, including tough economic condition with more interest in cost reduction, keeping high-end customer service and performance, and having less focus on hiring and more on evaluating, developing, and retaining the present talent pool of an organization.

Until very recently, several elements that form “talent management” are generally considered in isolation, or—at least—in small groups. It’s reflected in a survey report that reveals that one of the formidable challenges to HR function is different functional silos. Although most of the organizations begin from a certain point where a major number of talent processes are available in the silo, it is important to monitor an employee through the entire employment lifecycle in order to manage talent efficiently. This is where the importance of integrating various talent management systems and processes comes into play. When these systems and processes are properly integrated, the talent pool of an organization can be effective fully. 

Nowadays, technologies enable companies to perform a coherent, collaborative, and coordinated system, including everything—right from recruitment and selection to induction to continuous learning, skills, and knowledge, skills gap analysis, succession planning to individuals’ exit interviews. 

The companies having adopted a serious and systematic strategy to monitor and evaluate their talent pool are found to be enjoying tangible benefits from their integrated talent management. Besides, these companies are gaining the ability to find out and address various skills gaps through the blended learning; get involved in and support informal learning through monitoring social networking; finding out and developing future leaders; and retaining high-end talent by providing them with various scopes for career development.

No doubt, the present talent management landscape is basking in the glory of growing significance. With the rising war for talent, the growing challenge to cater to three different generations in the workplace, and changing skills requirements, talent management has become an important aspect of any organization’s rising glory. And this is precisely where organizations are giving more preference to the employees having HR certifications. 

Certified talent management professionals not only stay abreast of the changing market landscape but are also found to be better able to address different talent- and HR-related challenges cropping in the workplace. Given this, in addition to organizations, HR professionals are now giving HR certifications a serious thought. 

2017 is, therefore, expected to see a significant increase in the number of certified HR professionals.