Talent

Management
Framework

A simple definition of Talent Management is:

The systematic attraction, identification, development,

engagement/retention and deployment of those individuals who are
of particular value to the organisation, either in view of their ‘high
potential’ for the future or because they are fulfilling
business/operation- critical roles.’ (CIPD)

Whereas workforce planning is about the identification of needs,

talent management and succession planning are about the
development of individuals and the wider workforce, in order to be
able to meet those identified needs.

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Introduction
The Talent Management Framework provides managers with a structured approach to developing staff
potential and retaining talent within the Council. Talent management is about developing staff to meet
both organisational and individual needs. It acts as a fundamental part of the workforce planning
process. Introducing a talent management framework that incorporates our workforce planning and
succession planning processes will enable the organisation to adopt a clear and transparent approach to
retaining, recruiting and developing our talent. It will also support progress against the Council’s key
priority of having a workforce that reflects the community.

The framework is for use across the organisation, and it is intended to create an inclusive approach
rather than focusing on small numbers.

This document provides managers with seven core principles to consider in relation to developing talent
and achieving the organisation’s vision and values for our workforce. An example of action being taken is
the new ‘Navigate Initiative’ that seeks to address the need to improve progression within Council,
essentially ‘growing our own’. This looks to identify who our talented staff are and creates clear
development opportunities.

The diverse nature of our business and our workforce helps to determine our approach to talent
management. It is important that we adopt an inclusive approach, enabling all staff to have the
opportunity to identify their skills, knowledge, abilities and potential through the PDR process.

Management should utilise this information to inform their service plans, team plans and people
management. The Talent Management Framework sets out to:
 Act as a tool towards ensuring we continue to have a high performance workforce
 encourage a learning organisation
 add value to the ‘employer of choice’ and branding agenda
 contribute to diversity management

Having an effective approach to talent management leads us to focus on the cultivation and
development of our workforce. It is important to acknowledge that in the past there have been local
talent management initiatives e.g. trainee schemes, implemented. However, this framework sets out to
ensure that there is a consistent approach whilst ensuring that relevant local schemes continue.

The benefits and outcomes of implementing a systematic approach to talent management are as
follows:
 Enable us to identify the skills and competencies required to support our strategic plans and
cultivate high performing employees
 Enable us to develop our employees to progress within the organisation
 Identify and develop our future leaders
 Increase employee engagement and retain key talent

To achieve this goal the framework focuses on four main elements:

 Learning and Development available for all staff
 Leadership and Management Development
 Talent Pools ( ‘Navigate’)
 Recruiting Talent

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The common theme throughout this framework is that managers need to engage in:
 workforce planning - analysis of current workforce to identifying future sills and competencies
required to deliver services
 succession planning – having plans in place to meet future workforce demands, ensure
continuity
 PDR process – individual performance management tool, used to formally identify potential and
talent, and to develop employees.

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Talent Management Framework (TMF) Model

Workforce
Planning

Talent
Talent Pools Learning and
(Navigate)
Management Development

Employee
Engagement

This model depicts the elements vital to successfully managing talent with the organisation.

Managing our Talent

Learning and Development
All staff within the Council should have in place an individual Personal Development Plan as a result of
their annual performance development review (PDR).

The PDR process is the tool managers need to use to identify learning and development needs using a
clear and transparent process. These should be identified through review of objectives, outcomes and
career planning.

To aid the learning and development discussion managers should use the following, aligning the
discussion to both the job requirements and the individual’s personal attributes:

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Must have Functional- what the individual needs to be effective, productive and
efficient

Added value Capability- what individuals need to maximise their contribution, able
to take on new responsibilities and new tasks

Developmental Developing potential, what individuals needs to make a sustained

training contribution

When exploring the possible learning and development interventions managers should consider a
variety of approaches to learning e.g. using of some of the following: job rotation, secondment,
coaching, mentoring, job enrichment, shadowing and training programmes, including e learning.

Leadership & Management Development

It is essential that our managers are equipped with the right skills, knowledge and behaviours to fulfil
their responsibilities. The Council’s Leadership & Management Framework sets out how managers are
monitored using the core values and associated behaviours to measure performance and address
development needs.
As stated in 2.1 all staff should have a personal development plan. For managers this should include
specific interventions to increase management performance. A key part of a manager’s development
plan should also show that there is an integrated approach i.e. learning and development linked to
business strategies and priorities.

Once identified, our potential leaders can be nominated for Navigate. However this is not an exclusive
approach even if managers are not part of Navigate, elements can still be utilised, aiding consistency of
development.

Navigate initiative
As part of the Council’s commitment to managing our talent the Navigate initiative has been developed.
Through introducing a series of talent pools at varying levels within the organisation Navigate is
designed to recognise and develop the talent of the future. It forms part of the longer term vision to
ensure we have a workforce of talented employees throughout the Council.

There are 3 distinct pools:

I. Emerging Talent ( scale 6 to PO2)

II. Management Development (PO3-PO6)
III. Leadership Development (LP07 and above)

Talent pools will be populated by staff who have been identified as having potential and talent. Initial
application is through the PDR process and then subject to a selection criteria and ratification through
Directorate Management Teams and the Council’s People Board.

The numbers for entry onto Navigate are limited therefore a robust selection process is in place.
The Navigate initiative is an approach that uses a range of learning interventions, essentially based on a
non-qualification route to progression, gaining experience through shadowing, project work, coaching

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and soft skills training that is matched to your individual learning and development plan which is tailored
specifically to your needs and were possible realistic career aspirations. . Although Navigate can assist
with career development it will be each individual member of staff’s responsibility to apply for any
internal job opportunities that are advertised

For further details about Navigate, see [insert link].

Recruiting talent
Managers should consider the following as part of the planning stage of the recruitment process to
ensure we attract the best talent. It should be noted that People Board have stated their commitment to
recruiting internally wherever appropriate and possible.

Internal recruitment
 Decide on the mechanism for filling the post
 Assess how this fits in with the workforce plan
 Assess whether filling this role will meet future demands in terms of succession planning
 Ensure that there is a varied job description at the right grade
 Check what skills, knowledge and behaviours are required for the role

External recruitment
 What is our brand as an organisation or as a service, and how are we viewed?
 What does Tower Hamlets have to offer? – reward incentives, job satisfaction
 WFTRC – political priority that our workforce should reflect the local community
 Current labour market trends
 Ensure that there is a varied job description at the right grade
 What expertise needed in the role

When recruiting, managers need to consider the different levels of attraction on offer from an external
and internal recruitment perspective. The majority of external applicants will look to the business and
what the organisation has to offer, whereas internal applicants look to the directorate and service.

Seven Core Principles to ensure that talent is

successfully managed
The Seven Core Principles to be adopted to embed talent management within the Council for managers
are as follows:

1: It starts with the organisation’s strategy. Talent pipelines should support this. What are the skills and
capabilities you require in individuals to support the strategy? What are the necessary leadership
qualities required? Through the PDR process create a progressive route to development. What do you
need to think about in terms of succession planning that aligns to the current workforce? Does this
achieve short term and long term results? Base this on where the service is currently and where it needs
to be.

2: Recruit for now and for the future. People requirements will vary based on the strategic needs of the
Council. As a manager you need to look at current talent and whether there is the potential to recruit
internally or provide an opportunity before going to the external recruitment market. You should have a
clear picture of the types of skills and abilities the job requires.

3: Recognise talent management as a core business process with an impact on overall service provision.
As managers you are accountable for talent management, just as you are for team performance and
operational success. To drive talent management into the culture of your service, integrate it with
critical processes like selection, performance management and workforce planning. At an individual
level, ensure staff are receiving their PDR.
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4: Make talent management a part of the culture. This correlates to 3 above. The internal talent
conversation should be ongoing among DMT’s. It is important that talent management is a specific topic
on a DMT agenda on at least a quarterly basis. In sustainable talent management processes,
development comes from a variety of sources— e.g. coaching, project work, mentoring, training
programmes.

With the application of each type of intervention, there needs to be clarity about what development the
individual should be getting. There should be frequent conversations about the development
experience, as well as providing feedback to the individual about progress, allowing the individual to
make adjustments to their learning and accelerate growth. It also helps the organisation learn more
about the potential leadership talent.

5: Evaluate activity and performance - is it making a difference? Knowing what will create success now
and in the future and focusing resources on those areas creates sustainability. Put performance
measures in place to assess the return on the resources you are committing to development.

6: Identify, develop, and promote “high-potential” talent. The Navigate initiative has been
implemented to do just this. High performers in their current roles do not necessarily have high
potential to move to the next level. However, those with high potential are, by definition, almost
universally high performers in their current role. Sustainable talent management systems identify the
difference. High potential performers have the capability to continue to take on larger, more complex
levels of responsibility and often do it quickly. High potential employees are often voracious learners.
They take on new tasks and are able to master them quickly. In addition to capability, high potential
performers are engaged on an emotional and rational level with the organisation. They aspire to rise
into and succeed in more senior, critical positions. They want to be leaders.

7: Address talent gaps with aggressive internal development. Managers should not default to external
recruitment when a vacancy occurs. There are times when an infusion of outside talent can provide new
skills and drive innovation. However, developing internal talent is an important aspect. Sometimes,
promoting internally can feel risky e.g. you may feel that no-one is completely ready. However, internal
talent with potential could feasibly have a shorter learning curve than external recruits. The internal
candidate already knows the Council, the culture, and the services provided, and have internal networks
that can support a more rapid path to success.

The application of these seven principles doesn’t need to be complex. The easier it is for leaders to
engage in talent management, the more likely it is to succeed. Keeping a clear focus on talent will allow
the Council to build a high performing workforce that ensures we continue to thrive in a changing
environment.

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Monitoring
Corporate Governance - People Board
The People Board has a responsibility for aim of overseeing key aspects of people management including
the People Strategy and implementation of associated plans.

Directorate Governance
Directorate Management Teams will be responsible for ensuring that workforce and succession planning
is an integral part of service planning. Information gathered through service plans will inform DMT’s of
any skills/ development gaps that require addressing.

Line Managers
A fundamental part of the manager’s role is to carry out workforce planning as part of service delivery. A
key element of this is to ensure succession planning is part of the process.

Managers have a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing talent. Managers should consider how to
manage talent by following the seven core principles through the following key processes:
 PDR
 One to ones
 Team planning
 Workforce planning and succession planning
 Communication
 Performance management

Individuals
The role of staff is very much an ‘active’ rather than ‘passive’ one. It is for staff to identify their own
learning and development needs in discussion with their line manager and to take responsibility for
developing themselves and their careers.

Potential outcomes
As an organisation we need to ensure we are able to capture data to ensure we can measure our
success, for Talent Management success is defined as:
 Overall reduction in external recruitment
 Performance targets of progression against our equality targets as set out in the WFTRC
quarterly returns
 Progression and retention of staff within ‘Navigate’
 General improvement in retention of staff
 Improved staff survey results regarding commitment to and impact of staff development.