For many organizations today, the importance of managing talent is no longer an abstraction – it’s an all too pressing reality. Even in the current economy, business leaders are searching for solutions that can help them continue to attract, retain, and engage key talent in an increasingly competitive environment. But though it can be tempting to jump right in and start fi xing things, it’s essential to first develop a foundation of facts that can help you put the right elements together in a winning combination.
The convergence of new technologies and cultural evolution now makes possible an emerging superior approach – one that can provide specific insights into the drivers of engagement and help continually refi ne that insight through ongoing two-way communication. We call this approach “Talent Dialogue.”
Talent Dialogue Explained
Using the Talent Dialogue approach, an employer establishes a systematic, ongoing dialogue with its employees to better understand their views and expectations about the employment experience. Unlike point-intime employee engagement surveys that offer little opportunity for interaction, you use a variety of tools with Talent Dialogue, including social media platforms as well as more traditional forums such as interviews, focus groups, and surveys, to facilitate two-way conversation and enlist employees’ active involvement in shaping the organization’s talent management strategies. A thorough Talent Dialogue can provide companies with a competitive advantage in Employee Engagement by understanding employee preferences, wants, and needs; by creating an organizational culture of engagement; and by enhancing the return on investments in talent.
The phenomenal growth of online social networks is altering the way people communicate, share ideas, and disseminate information. This enhanced world of connectivity is also rapidly blurring the lines between professional and private lives. And while the openness of these new communications tools creates great opportunities, they can cause ethical dilemmas for individuals and present many challenges for businesses that can leave brands exposed and vulnerable. Deloitte LLP’s 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey shows that there is great reputational risk associated with social networking as 74% of employed Americans surveyed believe it is easy to damage a brand’s reputation via sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
“With the explosive growth of online social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, rapidly blurring the lines between professional and private lives, these virtual communities have increased the potential of reputational risk for many organizations and their brands,” says Sharon Allen, chairman of the board at Deloitte.
She explains that executives have to be “mindful of the implications of this connected world and to elevate the discussion about the risks associated with it to the highest levels of leadership.”
According to the Deloitte’s 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey, 60% of business executives thought they have a right to know how workers profile themselves and their organizations on social networks, with 30% admitting to informally monitoring social networking sites.
The phenomenal growth of online social networks is altering the way people communicate, share ideas, and disseminate information. This enhanced world of connectivity is also rapidly blurring the lines between professional and private lives. And while the openness of these new communications tools creates great opportunities, they can cause ethical dilemmas for individuals and present many challenges for businesses that can leave brands exposed and vulnerable. Deloitte LLP’s 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey shows that there is great reputational risk associated with social networking as 74% of employed Americans surveyed believe it is easy to damage a brand’s reputation via sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
“With the explosive growth of online social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, rapidly blurring the lines between professional and private lives, these virtual communities have increased the potential of reputational risk for many organizations and their brands,” says Sharon Allen, chairman of the board at Deloitte.
She explains that executives have to be “mindful of the implications of this connected world and to elevate the discussion about the risks associated with it to the highest levels of leadership.”
According to the Deloitte’s 2009 Ethics & Workplace Survey, 60% of business executives thought they have a right to know how workers profile themselves and their organizations on social networks, with 30% admitting to informally monitoring social networking sites.
