Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/73199
Workforce Leadership software-as-a-service (SaaS), versus a hosted solution. "Vendors have determined they can serve clients better by moving to a configurable model that can be easily updated with additional features and functions on a timely, routine basis," she says. While this represents a significant change for companies accustomed to highly customized learning technology solutions, the SaaS model is "playing well" with clients, Franci notes, chalking it up to a lower total cost of ownership, better overall support, and a technology that stays current with the market. Industry Specificity Although most observers believe that talent management best practices are essentially the same no matter the industry, others assert that specific industry variances do exist. Ambrose, for instance, points out that learning in a manufacturing environment tends to focus on people doing the same things with precision, whereas in services businesses such as retail, learning needs are more unpredictable, requiring more agile learning strategies. Since very few classic industrial-age manufacturing organisations are left in 2012—the global economy having become increasingly service-oriented—Ambrose says that companies must employ learning strategies that are more flexible, responsive, and creative. "This requires a type of learning that is not based on traditional 'butt in seat' knowledge transfer," he adds. "Technology- enablement is the only way to transform the learning experience into something that is dynamic, engaging, and alive." Constance sees very few differences in best practices across industries, though he concedes that the emphasis on talent management within organisations varies. "In retailing, the 'talent' that really drives up the top and bottom lines is often the best store managers, so the focus is on roles beyond the executive levels," he says, whereas in multinational manufacturing, best practices "might be applied to the more traditional 'top 100' [employees]." The different approaches resonate with Barenholz, who agrees that retail requires a different learning focus than manufacturing. "David Beckham might be a great talent, but he probably wouldn't be much use at a small club—playing in the third league of professional football [soccer] in the U.S.," he says. "There are key business drivers and issues that are of prime importance in different industry sectors. Skills such as creativity may be much more important in some industry sectors, such as media, than in construction, where cost containment is king. The talent management processes will need to reflect these differences." Another factor warranting different talent management processes is an industry's business cycle. Barenholz points out that industries such as mining, oil and gas, and utilities, for instance, have long business cycles insisting on a talent management plan that anticipates future issues such as a potential skills shortage. In services businesses, on the other hand, the cycles are much shorter, compelling companies to be more reactive and nimble in planning their talent priorities. Nevertheless, Barenholz argues that certain best practices transcend all these competing priorities. "The key principles are pretty much the same regardless of the industry sector; the differences are more like nuances than major issues," he says. "The use of goals, cascaded objectives, performance reviews, and core competences—such as leadership, communication, problem solving, and analytical skills—are transportable [across industry sectors]. In many industries, in fact, the cross-fertilisation of skills and experiences across business units is actively encouraged, since it facilitates new ways of thinking, thereby driving continuous improvement and increased competitive advantage for the business." Although talent challenges vary by industry, Marchant maintains that a purely industry-focussed model on talent management has shortcomings. "Great talent management is 'people-shaped', not process driven," he says. "Even within an industry, there should be enormous differences in the way talent is managed." The big point: "Culturally-focussed talent management is a much better determinant of success than one that is industry-focussed." Above all, observers say that great talent management is all about execution. Although the various technological enhancements are something to be prized, weighed, and watched, there is no such thing as a silver bullet solving all challenges. "Innovation in talent management does not come from adopting the latest fad," says Franci. "The hard truth is that innovation in talent management comes from solid execution across a broad range of factors that have been proven to drive high performance—not from merely adopting the latest technology." Such innovation is the result, she adds, of strong linkages that are established between business and individual objectives, the building of managerial capability to provide coaching and feedback, the provision of meaningful rewards, and the development of an environment of trust, opportunity, and accountability. "At the end of the day," Franci says, "elegance, simplicity, and focus will always win out." SPRING 2012 | www.hroglobal.com [33]