Role of HR Consulting in Talent Acquisition and Management

In today’s scenario, talent acquisition and management has emerged as a key strategic process in an organization.

Though there is a better availability of workforce in the market than ever before, yet the challenge to acquire the right talent still persists for any organization, worldwide. This is essential to achieve the strategic objectives and ensure long term success of an organization. Thus, enhanced corporate competitiveness and globalization has transformed the regular process of human resource recruitment into talent acquisition.

Moreover, the work of an organization these days does not end with hiring of the right talent into the organization. There is a wide spectrum of activities like career management, leadership development, talent planning, etc. which are constantly buzzing in the HR departments of organizations. Such activities fall into the realm of talent management.

Talent management is all the more essential to keep up with the future needs of the organization. Otherwise, if the organization does not focus on talent management within itself then it will have to resort to the process of recruitment every time the need for appropriate talent arises.

Hence, we can say that talent management is all about nurturing and guiding the talent in your organization in alignment to the strategic and long run goals of the organization. It is the succeeding step to talent acquisition.

An organization generally avails the services of an HR Consulting Firm to provide with a cost-effective and quick, yet high quality, talent acquisition and management process.

An HR Consulting Firm efficiently and effectively contributes towards recruiting the best and the most appropriate person for the organization with the allocation of minimal resources and within a short period of time. Also, HR Consulting Firm provides the right analysis, strategies, and plans for the management of talent in an organization.

As far as talent acquisition is concerned, an HR Consulting Firm maintains a highly effective research team which keeps a detailed track of the requirements of both the organization as well as the candidate.

It may be possible that an HR firm may specialize in certain industries or sectors as far as acquisition of talent is involved. This helps the HR Firm in maintaining high standards of success in meeting the talent demands in particular industries by employing in depth knowledge and research in those industries.

The Firm conducts behavioral interviews with the prospective candidate to obtain a comprehensive analysis of the leadership, team-building, decision-making and problem solving skills of the candidate.

Also, the candidate is thoroughly assessed for his attitude towards working in a team, response to change management and reaction towards the cultural climate of the prospective organization.

Such analysis helps the organization in not only recruiting a candidate with right educational and professional experience, but also one with the required attitude and flexibility to be a part of the organization.

The HR Consulting Firm undertakes following steps for talent acquisition process in an organization:

• Comprehend the business strategy of the organization

• Assess the talent availability within the organization

• Discuss the talent requirements of the organization with the management

• Analyze the gap areas between availability and requirement

• Build strategies and plans to meet these gap areas

• Measure the success of the implemented plans

As discussed above, talent management basically works in creating a pool of talent within the organization which helps in achieving the strategic objectives of the organization in the long run. This requires the HR Firm to work on the present set of employees of the organization and polish them so as to align their talent with the strategic objectives of the organization. Talent management process also requires an HR Firm to:

• Analyze the talent strategy and succession planning of organization

• Develop a talent plan as required for strategic long run success of organization

• Review talent in the organization

• Plan various tools and techniques to develop talent within the organization

An HR Firm may opt following methods for talent management process:

• Carry out performance management

• Develop career management plans

• Benchmarking talent activities

• Leadership development programs

• Team building exercises

• Action learning programs

• Interactive workshops

• Individual development guidance and coaching

• 360 degree feedback

Thus, an HR Consulting Firm helps an organization in aligning the business objectives and strategies with the talent strategy and planning of the organization.