The recent and ongoing global pandemic has created an interesting opportunity. As businesses around the country were forced to lay off or furlough many of their employees, there is now a number of A-level talent that may be considering new opportunities. These are individuals who would otherwise be happy and well-compensated in their existing positions.
Companies are beginning to re-hire, and these high performing individuals will be highly sought after. Keep in mind that these could very well be employees that were previously working for you, but may now be entertaining positions within new companies. It will be critical that you make calculated moves that can help you retain these individuals, as well as bolster your staff with other A-level talents that may have recently reentered the job market.
If you have not already been thinking about top-grading your talent, you should be. Now is the perfect time for you to take account of your existing team and ask yourself: Are these the right individuals to help the company accomplish our strategic goals? Where are there gaps in the company’s skillsets? How do you want the company to grow in the short and long term? You will then want to perform a talent review.
But remember: performance is not the only factor that should be evaluated at this time. You also need to be considering whether your employees are actively contributing to a positive company culture. Do they encourage their colleagues and help them perform at a higher level? Are they team players whose values align with those of the company? If not, you might need to consider replacing them with individuals who are a better fit for the team you are growing.
When evaluating your staff and considering how you can best grow and top-grade your talent, an important consideration is someone’s potential. Sure, someone may be doing well in their current position, but will they be able to grow within the company and take on more responsibility? A-level talent will, and B- and C-level talent may be able to, given the right encouragement and direction. Of course, it will also be critical that these individuals are open to receiving guidance and are actively involved in developing their skills and growing in the company.
There are many factors to consider and lots of variables at play. Luckily, this is the perfect time for you to be working on this exercise. With the right level of talent evaluation and proactive recruiting efforts, you can help ensure that your team comes out of this pandemic even stronger than it was before.
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