The document provides 5 steps for organizations to survive the talent battle: 1) Recognize the value of human capital over tangible assets. 2) Leverage existing employees' institutional knowledge while integrating new perspectives. 3) Acquire new talent to foster growth while ensuring cultural fit. 4) Balance the workforce with a mix of skills, experience, and flexibility aligned with organizational goals. 5) Develop retention strategies focused on engaging and rewarding top performers. Following these steps helps organizations design strategic, balanced workforces that maximize business impact.

1. steps
to survive
the talent
Battle
nick schichtle

2. 2 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
introduction The quality and diversity of talent
can directly impact any organization’s
nick schichtle
efficiency, effectiveness, and profitability—
attributes that are key to succeeding in a
fiercely competitive business world.
As technology advances and the global marketplace continues to expand, the need for quality
talent is increasing. However, organizations are finding it difficult to attract and retain skilled
people, and the shortage of talent is having a significant impact.
You should ask yourself:
• How should I assess my talent demands?
• What is the appropriate balance in my workforce?
• How do I acquire and retain the best people?
• How can I ensure that the impact of talent is positive?
This e-book is made for you to start to find answers to these questions, and to prepare to survive
the Talent Battle.
Read, learn, and enjoy. And if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact
me directly at Nick.Schichtle@kellyservices.com
nick schichtle
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3. 3 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
01
face it: When evaluating corporate
resources, companies tend
sets that are most essential
to how they should structure
Welch advises that to make
the most cost-effective
recognize the to place inflated value their workforce will realize the hiring, promotion, and layoff
value of your
on tangible items such greatest return on their human decisions, businesses need
as computer equipment, capital investment. to identify top talent and
human capital furniture, and other material
But how can you do this?
quantify the value of work
commodities. Cost is often output that can be achieved
considered before value, with an “A” employee versus a
As an example: Jack Welch,
particularly when economic “B” or “C” employee.
former CEO of General
shifts necessitate expense
Electric and author of Analyze your workforce
controls. Yet the difference
Winning, a bestselling primer to uncover gaps in the
between cost and value is a
on common-sense business company’s talent pool, and
critical measure when it comes
management, estimates that misaligned talent in essential
to human capital.
only about 20% of today’s positions. Retention strategies
Organizations with a solid workforce can be considered specifically targeted toward
understanding of the “A” employees, while 70% top performers will help to
employees, positions, and skill fall into the “B” category. ensure that top talent thrives
if a company identifies the type of human capital required to meet their
business objectives, they can then analyze their workforce and develop an
effective workforce plan for sourcing, engaging, and retaining top talent.
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4. 4 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
02
look inside: As organizations evolve,
employees gradually amass
hires. It can take a few
months or even years for a
intentional in aligning talent
with the right institutional
the Benefits valuable knowledge and new person to become a true
asset of the company.
knowledge to key positions,
insight related to what truly where their knowledge can
of history and drives the company. Analysts translate into results.
In today’s fast-paced
experience have postulated that in most
organizations, up to 90%
economy, the only real
You need to assure employees
constant in business is
of the knowledge of a that they have nothing to
change. Employees with solid
company is stored in the fear by sharing knowledge.
institutional knowledge about
heads of its employees. Institutional knowledge
their company can help to
increases the value of both
ensure that corporate goals
Because they have a history an organization and its
and objectives are not lost in
with the organization, they the shuffle of change. people, so foster a culture
may be more invested in the that encourages and rewards
company and more committed But at the same time, knowledge sharing.
to long-term success than new companies should be
top-level executives simply cannot know every business process;
people who work in the day-to-day are to understand the nuances of
a successful company. therefore, the authority to act on institutional
knowledge should not be relegated to senior management alone.
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5. 5 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
03
look outside: Acquisition of new talent—
either contingent or
Culturally, technically, socially
… will they fit and add value?
Companies should create
a cultural questionnaire
the Benefits permanent—can refresh Maybe, but the benefits to evaluate a candidate’s
offered by new talent— organizational values.
of new talent the talent mix and foster
continuous learning and competitive intelligence,
new ways of thinking, proven If competitive talent aligns
growth. The integration
approaches, the energy that well with an organization’s
of new people, ideas,
comes from proving oneself needs and corporate culture,
experiences and successes
when you’re new—usually far the results can impact the
with veteran employees is
outweigh the risks. As far as a company in profound ways.
often overlooked as important
good cultural fit for new hires, Fresh insights and new ways
to the ongoing growth of an
structure interviews to evaluate of thinking can provide
organization and its people.
their organizational beliefs advantage in a constantly
Is there a risk associated with and values, such as quality, changing marketplace.
selecting talent from outside innovation, or defining and
the walls of your organization? achieving goals.
managing talent successfully is a balancing act. existing talent helps
maintain established processes and objectives, but the fluidity and
flexibility of new talent can offer great rewards, particularly when
business and workforce demands change rapidly.
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6. 6 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
04
find the right Retaining and hiring top
talent is important, yet equally
A strategically aligned and
balanced workforce fosters
To accomplish this successfully
you need a holistic
mix: the talent as important is being sure innovation and creativity, as approach, beginning with
that your talent portfolio well as maintaining historic the organization’s mission,
Balancing act is balanced. The pool of and relevant company muscle corporate strategy, and goals,
available talent today is more memory—which directly in order to develop a staffing
diverse than ever, and workers correlate to productivity and strategy that will result in an
have different benefits to offer profitability. appropriate mixture of talent.
in terms of experience, skills,
education, and flexibility.
you can pack your workforce with nothing but ‘a’ players and still
run into problems, if you haven’t balanced your labor pool to put
the right skill set in the right responsibilities at the right time.
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7. 7 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
05
reward the Attracting and hiring a well-
balanced talent pool is the
effectiveness and routinely
replacing low-performing
and attracting “A” players
than trying to “fix” your “C”
Best: retaining foundation of successful employees with high players?
top talent workforce planning, but
those efforts will be wasted
performers. “A” players want
to be surrounded by other Retention efforts come in
without developing solid ”A” players, thus naturally all forms. Compensation
retention strategies. Most creating positive, healthy and benefits alone will not
retention efforts focus on competition which fosters suffice. One size does not
keeping people engaged top performance. Happy fit all when it comes to
and committed, which largely top talent attracts more top employee engagement and
encourages “B” and “C” talent, effectively replicating satisfaction. Simply put, figure
performers to stick around. a stronger, more productive out what is important to your
Real thought should also be workforce. Why not spend most essential people, and
given to assessing workforce more of your time supporting provide it.
gen y and gen x workers are focused on assuming responsibility and
developing skills that will make them marketable to multiple employers.
therefore, providing opportunities for training and development can help
encourage talented younger workers to stay with an organization.
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8. 8 | five steps to survive the talent Battle
conclusion In today’s highly competitive global marketplace,
organizations must make effective workforce decisions.
Shareholder value and corporate success directly correlate
to attracting and retaining quality talent, so having the
right professionals with the right responsibilities is critical.
Companies have long believed people are their most
important asset, but that’s only half of the story—the
wrong people can be a significant liability. If companies
make concerted efforts to design and strategically balance
their workforces appropriately, they position themselves to
deliver the optimal impact to business strategies and their
collective success.
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9. This ebook is extracted from The Impact of Talent:
Strategic Insight on Retaining an Optimal Workforce.
DowNloAD your
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About the Author
Nick Schichtle is Vice President, Americas Product Group, Direct hire
Solutions of kelly Services. he holds a bachelor of Science degree in business
Administration from oregon State university in corvallis, oregon. Specialties:
infrastructure Mapping & Development; creation of Positive, competitive
cultures; Professional & leadership Development; Performance coaching &
Mentorship; team recruitment & Selection; Search training & Development.
About kelly
kelly Services, inc. (NASDAQ: kelyA, kelyb) is a leader in providing workforce solutions.
kelly® offers a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class
staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. Serving clients around the globe,
kelly provides employment to 480,000 employees annually. revenue in 2010 was $5 billion.
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