The Talent Edge 2020 Survey Series produced by Deloitte in conjunction with Forbes surveys HR executives and business leaders from organizations worldwide about the shifting talent priorities at their organization.
Among many cogent points made in the key findings1 from the October 2010 survey are some interesting results related to strategic talent alignment. Of the 334 business leaders and HR executives surveyed, 27% said acquiring and developing talent received the most management attention at their organization (see Figure 1), unchanged from December 2009. However, of the identified “talent concerns”, just 3% indicated the strategic alignment of talent to line of business priorities was high on the list. Instead, more than 2 in 5 executives viewed the global war for talent as their greatest talent concern (see Figure 2).
Figure 1: Which strategic issues currently capture the most management attention at your organization?
Figure 2: What are your organization's most pressing talent concerns today?
This is revealing and represents a lost opportunity for 97% of the surveyed organizations. Instead of their current outward focus on competing better in the global talent marketplace, companies should better assess their current talent capabilities. By strategically aligning their in-house talent to line of business objectives, they can identify talent surpluses and shortfalls which allows a company to better understand what they have today and to plan better what they will need tomorrow. When talent becomes truly strategic, it represents a competitive advantage in the global talent marketplace.
So why is this important? Aligning talent to the business strategy allows the company to enhance performance and achieve its other priorities. An organization’s people, when aligned strategically can become its greatest competitive advantage.
1Talent Edge 2020: Blueprints for the new normal. Accessed on 25 February 2011.
