Special Reports

Hidden talent: How to get the best there is

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Human resources are the most reliable competitive advantage that an organisation can have. Employees are the lifeblood of any organisation. A very well-hired talent is the biggest gun in the organisation.

That is why it is critical to attract and retain the bravest, brightest and most competent high performers. Research has demonstrated that it is where employees are treated very well that is profitable, productive, efficient and effective. A courteous and considerate work environment breeds excellence and loyalty.

Exceptional talent acquisition has to eliminate nepotism, favouritism, incompetence and other organisational transgressions.

A well-hired employee is not an expense but a business investment that will be good for return on investment (ROI). Exceptional job description craftspeople know this dimension of talent acquisition.

People are the pulse of the organisation because they drive the culture which includes the core values, beliefs, norms and values.

CEOs are always repeating the aphorism that people are the most important asset of the organisation. However, in most instances, it is lip service because money dynamics are prioritised and people strategies take second fiddle.

That is why most forward-looking organisations have adapted an Employer of Choice stance. This is a branding dimension. Unfortunately, it is not all about financial remuneration that keeps phenomenal recruits.

Well-trained and coached human resources leaders understand the negative impact of toxic work culture. There are occasions where talent is attracted to organisations that have embedded wellness strategies, flexi hours, career progression methodologies and learning and development moves as consideration for electing an organisation to work for.

This is where the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer and other stakeholder have to engage as a matter of necessity. However, this process is missed. High-performing organisations have learnt to prioritise people’s concerns.

The greatest challenge is when the HR aspect of the firm is not assertive and bold in articulating their professional standpoints. How do recruiters bungle the talent management processes?

While undertaking a unit in Employee Resourcing, I realised the virtue of generating an excellent job description and job specification which are documents that emanate from a thorough job analysis.

If a job description is done very unprofessionally and in a lackadaisical manner, it will attract the whole kit and caboodle. Besides a poor job advert, it is also about mediocre interview skills by the panelist.

This means developing a recruitment strategy, targeting qualified but passive applicants, an applicant tracking system to whittle down the many applicants and great interviewing skills.

How should potential talent position their brand for those prestigious and lucrative jobs? As a career and life coach and leadership catalyst, I always counsel potential employees to invest in career development strategies.

This is where an executive applicant goes through a mock interview so the mind acclimates to the interview environment. During the mock interview, various scenarios are anticipated and played to German machine precision.

My parting shot is CEOs should elect to utilise and the essence of HR leaders. On the other hand, HRs should be more assertive because all this synergy and collaboration is for the health of the organisation. Make your meticulous hunting create luck!

Mr Magoma is a HR, life/career coach, thought leader, motivational speaker and leadership catalyst

E-mail: richardjellican@gmail