When labour is in high demand, it can be hard to recruit and keep talent

By Christian Kowalski, Partner

A HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN FRANCE I WORKED WITH RECOGNISED A LONGTERM PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT HAVE A STRONG TALENT PIPELINE WITHIN THEIR ORGANISATION. WHEN IT CAME TIME TO FILL OPEN POSITIONS, THEY DID NOT HAVE A RELIABLE METHOD TO IDENTIFY INTERNAL TALENT.

MEANWHILE, THEIR EMPLOYEES DID NOT STAY WITH THE ORGANISATION IN PART BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SEE A CAREER PATH.

THE PROGRAM ASKED ME TO HELP THEM TACKLE THIS PROBLEM FROM SEVERAL ANGLES. IN PARTICULAR, THEY WANTED HELP IN FIVE AREAS.

FIRST, THEY WANTED TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL INTERNAL CANDIDATES TO REPLACE MEMBERS ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

SECOND, THEY WANTED TO HELP DEVELOP ALL MANAGERS THROUGHOUT THE ORGANISATION TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.

THIRDLY, THEY WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE EMPLOYED AT THE ORGANISATION THAT THEY CAN GROW A CAREER WITHOUT LEAVING THE PROGRAM.

FOURTH, THEY WANTED TO CREATE AN INTERNAL SCHOOL TO DEVELOP POTENTIAL LEADERS, WHICH WOULD HELP THEIR HR TEAM WITH STRATEGIC WORKFORCE PLANNING.

FINALLY, THEY WANTED TO DESIGN A “TALENT MAP” SO THEY COULD SYSTEMATICALLY IDENTIFY INTERNAL EMPLOYEES FOR PROMOTIONS.

WITH THIS STRATEGIC PLAN MAPPED OUT, I BEGAN WITH RESEARCH. I DOVE DEEP INTO THE HOUSING PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR AND WHO MADE DECISIONS.

THEN, I USED THE MERCURI URVAL AND ANALYSIS TOOLS TO GET A MORE REALISTIC PICTURE OF THE CHALLENGES THE ORGANISATION FACED. THE HOUSING PROGRAM IS BASED IN A REGION OF FRANCE THAT IS NOT VERY ATTRACTIVE TO YOUNG TALENT. ON TOP OF THAT, THIS PROJECT OCCURRED DURING A PERIOD WHEN LABOUR WAS IN HIGH DEMAND, SO ALL TYPES OF ORGANISATIONS STRUGGLED TO HIRE FOR OPEN POSITIONS. THESE TWO CHALLENGES MADE IT THAT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE HOUSING PROGRAM TO PROVE ITSELF AS AN ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYER.

WITH THIS ANALYSIS, I PARTNERED WITH THE PROGRAM TO TACKLE THEIR STRATEGY STEP BY STEP. IN PARTICULAR, I ASSISTED WITH CREATING A TALENT MAP OF THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYEES. THIS INCLUDED USING MU TOOLS TO ASSESS THE EMPLOYEES. THEN I PRESENTED MY FINDINGS ON EACH INDIVIDUAL THROUGH A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH LEADERSHIP.

Old browser

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Global

When labour is in high demand, it can be hard to recruit and keep talent

By Christian Kowalski, Partner