Areas of expertise (AOE) 7: Integrated Talent Management
“Builds an organization’s culture, engagement, capability, and capacity through the implementation and integration of talent acquisition, employee development, retention, and deployment processes, and ensures that these processes are aligned to organizational goals” (ASTD, 2013) -- in short, integrated talent management ensures organizations have the right people, with the right skills, in the right jobs, at the right time -- this means thinking about human resources, organizational development, talent development, more to bring a company's goals and missions forward to enhance their products, services, and output. Key knowledge areas or AOEs for section 7 include:

• Key components of talent management systems
• Workforce planning and talent acquisition approaches
• Career development theories and approaches
• Individual and organizational assessment tools
• Talent management analytics
• New and emerging talent management software solutions
• Approaches to maximize workplace diversity
• Legal and ethical issues related to integrated talent management

READ: 10 Ways to Build a Culture of Continuous Learning by Joanne Wells via ATD

Books read and referenced for AOE #7:

• What Works in Talent Development: Starting a Talent Development Program by Elaine Biech (2018)
• Employee Training & Development, 7th Ed. by Raymond Noe (2017)
• ASTD Handbook: The Definitive Reference for Training & Development, 2nd Ed. Edited by Elaine Biech (2014)
• Training and Development for Dummies by Elaine Biech (2015)

7.1. Key Components of Talent Management Systems

Talent Management Systems: What systems and processes organize how talent is managed within your organization? What are some critical factors and components that should be part of the talent management system? How can talent development professionals help to overcome some of the “mystery” in managing employees/talent? (AOE 7. Integrated Talent Management; 7.1. Key Components of Talent Management Systems)

Talent Management (Noe, 2017, p. 26): defines it as “the systematic, planned, and strategic effort by a company to use bundles of human resource management practices, including acquiring and assessing employees, learning and development, performance management, and compensation to attract, retain, develop, and motivate highly skilled employees and managers”; due to changes and evolution of our working roles, occupational trends, and needs within our jobs, there are needs for developing skills, obtaining knowledge, and apply concepts within our career journeys - shifts in emerging technologies, generational differences, leadership development, etc. 

READ: Building a Talent Development Structure via ATD Research (November, 2015)

This report organizes talent development into 15 primary functions and 24 secondary functions

 ARCHIVED: Building a Talent Development Structure Without Borders Webcast via ATD (2015)

Learning Objectives: 

• Describe two approaches to workforce planning and talent acquisition
• Outline performance management elements necessary for successful talent management 
• Define the types of learning opportunities available for employee development
• Identify viable succession plan actions
• Explain the role of compensation and rewards in talent management
• Relate organizational strength to engagement and retention strategy

Workforce Planning & Talent Acquisition Approaches: to ensure organizations have the human capability and capacity to meet strategic challenges you need to plan for and acquire the right talent. Here are the two approaches:

1. Targeted and Reactive: Conduct a gap analysis and determine the root cause or why the gap exists, select a potential talent solution, consider the costs to develop internal talent or acquire external talent -- get buy in for the solution and implement the solution, i.e. recruitment to attract the right talent and new professionals.
2. A Talent Shortage Lens: planning ahead to be proactive by these steps:
   1. Clarify the business drivers, strategies and talent needed to support both
   2. Research current and future labor markets (internal and external) for the talent supply and demand 
   3. Model future workforce scenarios to provide input for strategies aligned in the talent pool and business
   4. Outline expected talent gaps beyond the obvious (e.g. skills or numbers) with critical insights on how to close these gaps
   5. Develop a comprehensive, holistic, and measurable workforce plan to close the gaps before they limit the organizations’ ability to execute the business strategy

Performance Management: through strategy and process you will establish integrated expectations, developing capabilities, and ways to improve performance (e.g. retirements, new hires, emerging technologies, or new strategic directions) will have TD professionals management performance by:

• Clarifying responsibilities
• Establishing accountability for goals, standards, and expectations
• Providing learning opportunities and building capabilities
• Providing resources and required support for TD
• Developing action plans
• Reviewing progress
• Providing feedback and coaching
• Taking corrective action when necessary

Employee Development: leverages formal and informal learning opportunities to ensure that professionals have the right skills for their current jobs and are developing skills and knowledge for future career opportunities and industry needs; 70-75% of work-related learning happens informally outside a classroom or a course, including coaching, reading, mentoring, self-study, social media or internet surfing. 

Other ways you can think about training and education programs:

• Internal or External Training
• On-The-Job Training
• Self-Development and Self-Study
• Online Learning
• Job Rotation

Leader and Manager Programs: this is often part of succession planning for managerial and supervisory training; part of an integrated talent management program; this may include mentoring programs (or sponsorship); action learning (potential leaders study their own actions and experience to improve performance); and coaching programs. The most effective development program support these three key tenets: 

• Each person is responsible for his or her own development
• Executives are responsible for guiding & supporting the development of their employees
• The organization is responsible for providing opportunities for the growth of all

Succession Planning: Two key questions regarding talent management:

1. Do we have qualified people ready to fill key positions now and grow the business in the next 3-5 years (short-term emphasis)?
2. Will we have enough qualified candidates ready in 5-10 years to fill key positions (long-term emphasis)?

Succession planning is...