How do you fix talent gaps in your organization?

Talent Management starts with a strong desire and passion to advance high-potential and high-performance individuals' career progression goals. It involves being upfront, present, and honest about where they are in their growth and development journey.

In the fast-evolving landscape of the tech industry, People & Organization Partners stand out as key players in bridging the gap between human resources and business strategy. Also, Effective career path planning is a cornerstone of robust talent management strategies. POD Partners can be at the forefront of developing and implementing career path planning. We can work closely with employees and managers to ensure that career pathways are not only clear and attainable but also aligned with the needs of our department, thereby fostering a culture of continuous growth and development.

Talent first organisations are always great to work for as they don't just prepare you for your current role but they also keep you aligned and on track with your growth path and set you up for success. 1. Ensuring there is a buddy program where new joiners have an existing team member to help them navigate and settle in to the new role 2. Having a coach/mentor - while working at LinkedIn we were given access to anyone in the organisation (business/wider team) where they could teach, guide, brainstorm and help you problem solve to reach the next level of your goals. It also created a safe space to vent and share any stumbling blocks and learning from experience 3. Keep training/up-skilling/learning - whether it is self learning or other

Do a skills map for your team and align it to business goals, find where the gaps in skillsets in each team are and devise a hiring plan based on the same (this could be something as basic as a language requirement all the way to a niche technical skill needed for the next phrase of a project). Also explore the market conditions and trends, understand what are the skills in high demand and what industries they are aligned to so, you have insights and a market map. Further explore if you need the skills for a limited time or long term so you can decide on a part time or full time role and groom the rest of the team with training/learning opportunities and make growth more coherent.

Something to remember here is that it's easy when fixing talent gaps to focus only on what you need. But hiring is always much more effective and successful when it is framed with the candidate in mind. Don't just hire as if you are trying to tick a checklist of things you would like the candidate to have. Hire by explaining the immense value the candidate's skills will bring and how they will be the solution to your talent gap.

While external hires can bring fresh perspectives and skills, a balanced approach that combines internal talent development with strategic external recruitment is often the most effective way to address talent gaps comprehensively. It ensures a blend of institutional knowledge and new expertise, ultimately strengthening the organization's long-term capabilities.

Two more ways to fix talent gaps in your company: See what kind of new jobs other companies are rolling out. For example, if you run a consulting firm and your competitor is hiring instructional designers, take note. Also, poach skilled talent from lower-paying sectors. For example, hire a proposal manager or key accounts manager from the construction industry. You get good value for money.