The pandemic has brought its share of upheavals, not least in the way people relate to work. At a time when many business sectors are still suffering from a skills shortage, companies have every interest in implementing a talent management policy. Indeed, talent management helps to retain and engage the workforce, while remaining sufficiently agile in the face of an uncertain environment.
In this article, we explain what is meant by "talent management", why industrial companies should take an interest in this subject, and finally, how to implement this strategy.
Talent management is about attracting, retaining and engaging employees. It's a strategy that goes far beyond recruitment issues alone.
Before going any further, let's look at the term that will interest us most: a talent.
Talent" is the term used to describe an employee who is both competent in his or her work and has the potential to develop in interesting ways. For example, someone who is an expert in his or her field, and who has demonstrated a certain " soft skills" (increasingly valued in recruitment). There is no precise definition of talent, as each company values different know-how and interpersonal skills depending on its sector of activity.
In short,talent is a key resource that companies do not want to lose. That being said, we understand that managing this talent is a real strategic issue.
However, talent management is not simply a matter of identifying the most promising employees. The company must create an environment conducive to the development of each individual's potential, notably through ongoing training. Talent management is therefore not only about the present, but also (and above all) about the future! By being fully aware of their talents and the ways in which they can evolve, companies are better equipped in a fast-changing environment.
All organizations are affected by talent management. In the rest of this article, we'll focus on the case of industrial companies, where the stakes are perhaps even higher.
If you're wondering how talent management can impact a manufacturing company, we'd like to answer with a figure: 67%. This is the percentage of business leaders in the manufacturing industry who say they will have difficulty recruiting in 2022 (source: INSEE ). This is the first time in over 30 years that this figure has been so high.
Added to this is the problem of skills shortage which gets worse every year. In industry, certain key positions require a high level of technical know-how, which recruiters are struggling to find. In fact, the market weighs in favor of employees, with more job offers than applications.
Finally, it's worth remembering that the industrial sector suffers from a poor image, and is struggling to appeal to the younger generation.
Faced with these difficulties, industrial companies have every interest in focusing on talent management, for at least three reasons:
Talent management involves a thorough understanding of the skills and abilities required to perform each job. A company that is fully aware of the skills it has at its disposal is more likely to cope with a work stoppage or retirement.
Talent management is also about employer branding. Indeed, the latter is closely linked to the monitoring of each employee's career path. Talent management helps to ensure that employees can make the most of their careers within the company.
This third reason is closely linked to the previous one. Motivation and loyalty are not just a question of the pay slip. Employees who feel valued and are offered career development are less likely to leave the company than those who do not.
In 2022, talent management is therefore essential for industrial companies that want to remain competitive. But how to implement it?
Implementing a talent management strategy doesn't happen overnight. Let's take a look at what you need to pay attention to.
As mentioned above, every company has its own definition of talent. It's up to you to define yours: what are the most relevant skills and attitudes for each job?
It's also an opportunity to identify whether these talents are already present in the company.
Attracting talent obviously means communicating what you're looking for. In particular, you need to write an attractive job offer that reflects reality. You should also offer an appropriate and competitive remuneration package. Finally, keep in mind that employer branding can be an important decision-making factor for candidates.
According to a Hay Group study, 22% of new recruits leave the company after 45 days! This figure drops drastically when the company takes special care of new arrivals.
It's often easier to develop the skills of your current employees than to hire new talent. That said, even new arrivals can benefit from skills upgrading if it is in line with their professional project and the company's strategy. (Read more on this subject: Moving from GPEC to GEPP in 2022)
To be effective, a talent management strategy must be based on quantified measurements. In industry, it's a good idea to define metrics for assessing production line performance. In addition, regular dialogue with employees enables you to identify those to whom you could entrust additional responsibilities.
An effective talent management strategy goes hand in hand with an excellent understanding of the skills within teams. In particular, this helps managers to position operators in the most interesting positions, while facilitating the career follow-up of their teams.
Talent management is a long-term strategy. It is important to establish regular dialogue between operational teams, managers and top management to ensure that key skills remain with the company. Involving employees in the transmission of knowledge is a good way of achieving this.
A talent management strategy requires a global vision of the skills present in the company. This is often a source of difficulty, especially for managers who lack visibility. Investing in a skills tracking tool helps solve this problem.
Mercateam provides an accurate mapping of the talents present in the company, as well as the talents that will be lacking in the future, in line with the evolution of the business. To find out more, ask us for a demo.
