“Talent Management” Debate

One of the biggest challenges facing companies all over the world is building and sustaining a strong talent pipeline. There is considerable debate within businesses about what constitutes “talent” and how it should be managed. It was to discuss these issues that some of the country’s leading HR professionals – representing a variety of industries, from financial services and technology to legal sector and NHS – joined RSG’s thought-leadership debate over dinner at Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill, in Mayfair, London.

As the diners sat down to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of this famous restaurant, with its arts and crafts movement-inspired interior and Italian-gothic façade, its exquisite food and wine, David Mason, Global COO Resourcing at RBS, opened the debate on Talent Management. Sharing his experience at RBS, David highlighted key challenges for the bank in undergoing a significant cultural change – a huge leadership and engagement challenge. These issues struck a chord across the table, and a lively debate ensued. Some of major challenges discussed included:

• Effective talent management; understanding people’s ambitions and capabilities combined with organisational needs
• The importance of diversity as part of talent agenda, especially managing and attracting female talent;
• Importance of employer branding and inspirational leadership in talent attraction strategies
• Appropriate balance between contractor population and permanent staff and the best way to maximise the return on internal workforce
• The challenges of managing and retaining global talent and “top 250 global fast track” or “top 100 fast track talents” programmes
• The long term skills gap and how to tackle youth employment
As the dinner drew to a close it was apparent that, despite a diverse range of organisations participating in the debate, most businesses face similar talent management challenges to which there are no easy answers or quick fixes.

We are now in the process of publishing a White Paper focusing on the issues debated during the dinner. If you are interested in receiving it, please subscribe to the blog by emailing us at marketing@rsg-plc.com
If you are an existing subscriber, please indicate your interest by emailing us at marketing@rsg-plc.com

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