News: Performance Management
Lack of communication and management information 'hampering talent development'
30 August 2008
A failure to reap the bottom-line benefits of talent and performance management initiatives is causing many firms to lose out, according to a new survey by Hewitt Associates.
The human resources (HR) consultancy's latest study, entitled Building the Talented Organisation, is compiled from information supplied by over 240 enterprises, ranging from small firms to global conglomerates with multi-million pound revenues.
While 83 per cent of respondents said "a lack of time" prevents managers from developing and managing talent effectively, 60 per cent suggested their superiors do not have the necessary skills to do so.
In a further outcome underlining the pertinence of management training, 55 per cent of interviewees said they had not seen their firm's talent management policies reflected in decisions made by senior leaders.
Hewitt's report on the study states: "Inconsistent approaches, a lack of quality management information and poor communication are all hampering our ability to embed talent management.
"Executives and the HR function now need to shift their focus towards aligning the wider workforce, working with leaders at all levels to embed the talent strategy."
One respondent to the survey emphasised that line managers in particular "don't know what they are meant to be doing" when it comes to performance management.
Hewitt concludes that "proactively coaching" line managers would help to overcome this obstacle.
