Take a look at your latest HR statistics.  Have headhunters been poaching your top talent?

Having the right people in place has always been a critical component to business sustainability success; however, a recovering job market has made it increasingly important to protect the valuable knowledge and required skills to respond to an increasingly dynamic business environment.   To meet growing business sustainability demands and maintain a competitive advantage over the competition, businesses are encouraged to take a hard look at their talent pool.

Our professional consulting practice poses a serious question to all executives: Is ‘sustainable’ talent management a top priority?

A recent article appearing in the Business News Daily suggests that training and development are wasted efforts if they do not lead anywhere.  Based on the University of Iowa study, many training programs actually increase turnover while driving up expenses.

“Most of the training research suggests that investing in employee training and development should help retain employees .  But we found that providing developmental support, such as training opportunities and career mentoring, to employees who do not believe there are attractive career opportunities for them within the company, led to such employees leaving the organization." - Maria Kraimer, associate professor University of Iowa

Where are HR managers finding answers?  Sustainable talent management offers one path, and it has become a business sustainability best practice.  Actions often associated with successful programs include:

•    Link business value and sustainability in all work activities and projects.

•    Challenge each individual to engage in business sustainability programs through their current roles.

•    Create training and development programs aligned with business sustainability improvement.

•    Create job advancement and promotional opportunities through applied sustainability concepts and business improvement.

The ability to plan and take action to address resource demands has long been a defining characteristic of a successful business.  Our sustainability consulting works with businesses to understand the value of the right talent in strengthening their reputation and capturing market share.