Entrepreneurial Blog

Talent management is distinct from human resource management.  Human resource management focuses on the whole of the HR activities of the firm; job analysis, job design, planning, recruitment, hiring, orientating, training, developing, compensating, benefits, safety and health, and labor unions.  Talent management focuses on obtaining and managing human resources.

Three features of a talent management strategy that an organization should consider implementing in order to be considered by Fortune Magazine as a ‘Best Place to Work” organization would be comprehensive internet medium for job seekers, employee development programs tailored to employee needs, and an environment structured to satisfy employee’s needs.  The organization should truly care about its employees.

The organization should have in place an internet portal for job seekers.  Job seekers should have access to accurate, informed, and detailed job descriptions, the job seeker could opt in for specific jobs to be pushed to them and the job seeker could complete the job application online.  There should also be in place self screening and self test for job seeker to complete online prior to submittal of application.  The organization should also provide specific feedback to the job seeker not just we will contact you if you are a fit for our organization.   The organization will always treat every job seeker with respect and keep them informed as the process progresses and provide feedback if the applicant is not eligible to progress.

The organization should also develop training programs to enhance their employees’ skills and abilities.  These training programs should include identifying employee’s skills, interest, and knowledge and helping the employees expand these as well as helping them to find their best fit within the organization.  The organization would also develop learning and growing programs to help employee’s master their jobs by providing specific job training, leadership training, communication training, one-on-one coaching, and group/team development programs.

The organization should also have an environment structured to satisfy the needs of their employees; this could encompass job sharing, flex time, telecommuting, onsite day care, pleasantly decorated office areas, break room, cafeteria, to fun time breaks.  Depending on the motivations and needs of the employees the working environment should cater to their employees.  This environment would also include the firm listening to their employees and the employees’ should feel that the organization cares about them.

Supervisor’s use one of two theories; theory x and theory y.  From The book Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management by Edwin C. Leonard and Raymond L. Hilgert:

“Theory X: The assumption that most employees dislike work, avoid responsibility, and must be coerced to work hard.

Theory Y: The assumption that most employees enjoy work, seek responsibility, and can self-direct.”

I am very much a proponent of Theory Y.  I believe that most employees enjoy their work, most employees seek responsibility, and most employees can self-direct.  I am happiest with I enjoy my work, can complete my job functions efficiently and effectively, seek more responsibility and am able to self direct.  I am an optimistic person.  I look to the good in everything, including employees, coworkers, and customers.  I have optimistic expectations, I believe that my employees will enjoy their jobs and seek responsibility.  I broaden the scope and importance of each job.  It is a good idea to have job rotation, multi-tasking, and job enrichment

The book Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management by Leonard & Hilgert talks about 4 Motivational Principles as Applied to Supervision.

The book describes personality as “the complex mix of knowledge, attitudes, and attributes that distinguishes one person from all others.”  The primary determinants of personality are physiological (biological) factors, early childhood influences, environmental (situational) factors, and cultural (societal) values.  The physiological (biological) factors are the makeup of the person.  The person’s race, age, gender, weight, height, and physical attributes are their biological makeup.  The early childhood influences are how they were raised, how much attention they received, and encouragement from parents.  Their environmental (situational) factors are experiences that they are confronted with through life; education, home, employment, and income.  Their cultural (societal) factors are their values for accomplishments, equal opportunity, and competition.  All of these make up each person’s personality.

This book also talks about having a positive mental attitude.  When employees think positively about themselves they tend to also think positively about issues around them.  If you are polite, courteous, and respectful to yourself and others then you will have a Positive Mental Attitude.  This behavior is also infectious; as in the driver your let into your lane will do the same for someone else down the line.  This also works in the opposite as in if you are rude and not courteous to a slow driver then that driver will also be rude to you and others.  Always pave a positive mental attitude when dealing with you customers, your employees, your suppliers, and any other stakeholder in your venture.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was created by Abraham H Maslow in that human behavior is to satisfy the hierarchy of needs.  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory states that a person is motivated by needs that they have prioritized in such a way that the lower needs will be satisfied before any higher-order needs could be achieved.  The orders of the needs are the physiological needs, the safety needs, the belonging needs, the esteem needs, and the self-fulfillment needs.

The book Supervision: Concepts and Practices of Management by Edwin C. Leonard and Raymond L. Hilgert says that the employees must have adequate working conditions, management policies, and money; this is Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory.

This book also goes on to discuss other theories; expectancy theory and equity theory.  The expectancy theory is how the employee perceives relationships, performance and rewards.  If an employee believes that their performance will improve and they will be rewarded then they will put forth the effort.  Employees also strive for equality and fairness in the workplace.