Just this week, I’ve come back from an L&D conference where the theme revolved around talent — how do we attract it, how do we develop it and how do we retain it. But I left that event asking a question that very few want to address: how do we make room for it?
When I say very few, I actually believe a lot of us ask this question regularly; albeit quietly in order to create a successful business you need the right people in the right places doing jobs they enjoy and are being paid the market rate to do. Unfortunately this creates a few challenges along the way. It’s not just about attracting and retaining new talent; it’s actually about moving a whole load of people on. ‘Clearing out the dead wood’ is one of the biggest challenges that many of our clients are facing.
I’ve spoken to a number of HR directors and CEOs who want to know how to entice individuals or groups of people to leave without having to make them redundant.
My first response is to ask why and, in general, the answer relates to the challenge I posed above. They need to shift non-performers that aren’t considered the ‘talent’ or are perceived as ‘blockers’ for the business. They want people that are more innovative and in touch with the demands of customers. People who can manage the ambiguous world of work and people who will do it cheaper than some of the more senior staff. The challenge with these people is that they don’t hang around unless they feel the company can move at their speed. Organisations, therefore, need to make room for them.
As CEOs, MDs or HR professionals, I believe that we need to do two things. We must make sure good people feel their career belongs in our company and we should ensure that there’s a plan in place to help other people realise their future might belong elsewhere.
I feel that the solution for both challenges is the same. Create the pathways that allow people control over their careers and make sure managers are having regular career conversations with their staff about what’s right for them and their future.
By having those processes in place we will help people realise that maybe their future lies elsewhere. That’s not to say that their careers are over but, instead, reinforces the message that their skillset and motivations may be more fruitful in another place. This is not fantasy but something that I have seen work on many occasions.
Nick Goldberg is managing director, UK & Ireland at Lee Hecht Harrison