The UKG Workforce Institute Weigh-In for February 2024: What’s one way that organizations can successfully mine for talent internally?
“Talent is often hidden. It may not show up due to the nature of the job, the person might not recognize it in themselves, and/or some talented people may do poorly at some new challenge at first, only displaying their capabilities much later on. One way to uncover hidden talent is to find out what the employee does outside of work. If someone tutors kids, organizes community events, or plays 3D chess, that might give you clues into abilities you were unaware of. Ask managers to get to know their employees and bring up the question of hobbies in the talent-review process.” — David Creelman, CEO, Creelman Research
“Start small by asking employees what areas of the business they are interested in. If we are ‘digging’ for skills, the question becomes are the people who intend to dig trained and able to recognize skills that may go unseen? Enable managers to search for the skills they are looking for with training and development, build quality relationships that go beyond the work, and work with the employee to determine if their interests align with the long-term business needs.” — Chas Fields, co-host, The People Purpose Podcast
“They can adopt talent-intelligence technology, which uses deep learning to define roles and use internal company data as well as external, local, and global data to provide decision makers with complete visibility into the skills of their existing workforce and the training and hiring required to keep pace with industry developments. These platforms break down an employee’s profile and history into skills and suggest how the company might redeploy those skills in a different area.” — Alexandra Levit, co-author, “Deep Talent”
“Make internal mobility a priority. Internal mobility includes promotions, lateral moves, transfers, and even occasionally taking a step back. Tell employees what it takes to make a move during orientation and onboarding. Managers should know an employee’s career goals and encourage them to apply for openings. And, if an employee isn’t ready, managers can coach and mentor employees for their next step. Organizations have a pipeline of talented people working for them right now. Take advantage of it by promoting internal mobility.” — Sharlyn Lauby, author, HR Bartender blog
“The best way I’ve found for organizations to mine internal talent is to regularly ask their employees about their experience and interests beyond their current roles. Perhaps there is someone taking courses in an area where the company has openings or there is someone yearning to take on more challenges that could be added to a special project. If you do not ask your employees, you’ll never know! Consider creating a brief survey that goes out quarterly — or making it part of your 1:1 process — and make sure there is a central repository for this information that can be accessed by leaders in need and monitored by your HR. This will ensure that your internal talent doesn’t go to waste by not being engaged for more opportunities within the organization!” — Sarah Morgan, vice president of people operations, Level Agency
“Vertical-development strategies are instrumental in the process of internally mining for talent. Vertical development is a concept centered on nurturing employees’ skills, knowledge, and leadership abilities for higher-level roles, going beyond a traditional career ladder by formally identifying high-potential individuals and offering growth opportunities such as mentoring, training, challenging assignments, and leadership programs. Methods to mine for internal talent using vertical-development strategies include implementing official mentoring programs that pair high-potential employees with experienced mentors within the organization to facilitate skill transfer and knowledge sharing. Another approach is assigning high-potential employees to cross-functional projects or task forces, allowing them to collaborate with colleagues from different departments, which broadens their skill set and organizational understanding. Additionally, organizations can develop tailored leadership programs encompassing workshops, coaching, and experiential learning opportunities for high-potential individuals, preparing them for future leadership roles within the company. These strategies enable organizations to openly and actively identify and nurture talent from within, ensuring a skilled and motivated workforce prepared for critical roles in the future.” — Laurie Ruettimann, host, Punk Rock HR podcast
“Regularly communicate job openings, projects, or development opportunities within the organization. Utilize internal communication channels such as company newsletters, intranet, or dedicated platforms to make employees aware of available positions.” — Dan Schawbel, managing partner, Workplace Intelligence
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How to Mine for Internal Talent: UKG Workforce Institute Weigh-In
