Recruiters sometimes miss the trees when they are looking into the forest. In order to be the best at their profession, recruiters know they need an inventory of the skills for each position within the company. In addition, exceptional recruiters place significant importance on defining exactly which experiences and what personality types will be the best fit for their organization.
The trick is finding the people who have this unique set of attributes, skills and abilities on their resume. Most often, recruiters look outside the company, overlooking an opportunity for recruiting from a very cost effective source…right within their own business.
Organizations hire and work to keep good people—employees who have already proven their value to the company and their managers. Managers work double time to keep platinum performers happy, and they know the resume these employees are creating. But does HR?
HR needs to know the skills and abilities of internal talent
Tasked with organizational oversight, building the right team, filling openings with the best talent, and keeping those platinum performers happy is a monumental task. On a daily basis, the recruiters and HR professionals aren’t always aware of the skills and abilities internal employees are building and developing. It may be because the organization is so big, because the quiet ones often get overlooked, or because a manager is trying to keep his ‘best kept secret’ out of the mainstream. Whatever the reason, it’s critical that HR and especially recruiters know the skills and abilities of internal talent. Not only do your premium performers want to be recognized, they want to be challenged with new opportunities. When those opportunities arise, it’s up to HR to maximize on the company’s investment and give internal folks the opportunity to excel.
But who has time to read every employee’s personnel file to check up on their performance evaluations, recognitions, rewards, training and certifications? Fortunately, this time-intensive task is no longer necessary. Technology, once again, has an effective solution: succession planning software. A study published by the Aberdeen Group in 2006 stated that 87% of Best in Class companies are implementing succession planning programs and 60% of those companies are using technology.
Technology has an effective solution
Succession planning enables businesses to retain skilled talent, reduces vulnerability to talent shortages, generates larger pools of promotable employees for all key areas, and improves the link between performance management and employee development. Utilizing this technology, businesses can leverage performance management to deliver better business results.
Instead of just planning to replace someone, succession software can help you address not only your current needs but direct your attention to future needs as well. Some models actually create a vision of the skills and competencies required to support strategic plans for as many as 5 years out. HR can use this information to align their recruiting and succession planning efforts more closely with the overall strategic goals of the company.
Changing strategies to track market conditions is a must in today’s business world. A responsive Human Resources function will be prepared to quickly respond with staffing and human capital management systems that are flexible in a dynamic economic environment. Succession planning software is an effective tool, designed to empower businesses with time-saving tools by producing information critical to success just-in-time, with accuracy and definitive information.