HP Innovation Journal Issue 13: Winter 2019 | Page 45

Helping today’s workers connect and collaborate is a key to success and productivity.
Getting the right people will
be the sustaining difference
for companies to succeed.
TALENT SOURCING
Getting the right people will be the sustaining difference
for companies to succeed over time.
Top talent is fiercely fought over. All industries without
exception are facing a shortage of skilled workers, and this
deficit will worsen as more workers reach retirement age.
The “war” to attract emerging digital skill sets is drasti-
cally changing talent sourcing models:
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Recruitment. HR departments are shifting to new talent
sourcing approaches, such as web-based platforms,
crowdsourcing, and online talent marketplaces, for
permanent positions or for contingent labor.
The gig economy is also bringing its own challenges to
HR departments, as these employees require different
information access rights, rewards, and contractual
obligations. Contingent, seasonal, and part-time work-
ers are becoming an increasing share of the workforce.
In the U.S., 34% of the workforce are freelancers. In
Europe, freelancers represented 15% of the active work-
force in 2014.
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Retention. Talented employees are seeking higher
engagement and recognition, empowerment with the
right set of tools and technologies, on-the-job training,
and distinct career paths. IDC research shows that
new human capital management (HCM) solutions are
addressing employee satisfaction and their well-being.
INNOVATION AND TALENT
DEVELOPMENT
Employee training is an important part of career progres-
sion. Employees of all ages and qualifications are brushing
up their skills whenever they can and however they can.
Adaptability is essential for organizations as they navigate
the changes ahead, and individual employees are respon-
sible for acquiring new skills and experiences throughout
their careers.
Organizations are developing their own training programs
and participating in digital cooperatives that advance
digital skills. The goal is not only to bridge the talent gap
and bring innovation, but the opportunity for employers
to better engage with their employees. Training programs
are increasingly using open community platforms, such as
hackerspaces and fab labs for advanced technologies (for
example, Chevron and GE are investing in their own fab
labs), and are partnering with schools and universities to
engage with top talent early.
The ability of companies to drive innovation across their
organization is vital, which places greater emphasis on the
skills, management, and people supporting this process.
According to IDC surveys, organizations prefer to use
internal programs for innovation, particularly through
innovation centers and internal crowdsourcing (often used
by high-profile companies such as Coca Cola, Hyundai,
and Unilever), while customer participation is only used
by a third of companies. Partnerships with startups are
also becoming a common practice for large and well-estab-
lished organizations with a need for speed, disruption, and
diversity thinking in their WorkCulture.
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