Is Anyone Doing Total Talent? Insights from the Frontline of Workforce Transformation

Total talent brings together permanent and contingent talent management to break down barriers between traditional workforce groups. Done right, it can improve worker visibility and empower organizations to focus on worker value over worker status.

It sounds great on paper, but it can be tough to bring to life. My team recently had the pleasure of facilitating a discussion on the topic — Is Anyone Doing Total Talent? — at an industry event. Total talent is one of those subjects that is discussed and dissected constantly — at industry conferences, in board rooms, and in countless blogs, social posts, and whitepapers. But despite total talent spending so much time in the spotlight, many organizations have very different perspectives on what it means and how it should be implemented.

Is it possible? Is it practical? And more importantly, is anyone doing it? Several leading industry panelists joined us to share their total talent insights and advice.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach

“I don’t think total talent is one size fits all. I think everybody’s got to have their own ideas and decide what’s right for their company; because I don’t think you can take any one company’s playbook and just go replicate it,” shared Allen Chilson, talent acquisition leader, Danaher — a global science and technology innovator that helps customers solve complex challenges and improve quality of life around the world.

There are challenges to bringing parts of global organizations inside a total talent approach — often with each entity having different goals and ways of working. Typically, it’s not a case of flicking a switch but often a slow process of adding modules and programs to build out a unique and interconnected approach, one that is constantly changing and evolving. Organizations must also consider the importance of visibility and bringing internal customers along for the “Total Talent journey.” Total talent can’t just be something that impacts a business positively on a major scale; it’s got to make life easier every day for the people that interact with workforce tools and processes.

Talent challenges have accelerated total talent

“I think the tides have turned a bit, especially with the talent shortage. We’re asking people to do more with less every single day,” said Erin Bruggeman, global sourcing lead, HR services and contingent labor, Cargill — a company that brings food, agricultural, financial and industrial products to people who need them all around the world.

There is power in bringing contingent workers inside a wider workforce view and, for many businesses, this journey has been accelerated by a widespread talent shortage. An approach that focuses on working from the ground up to understand the needs of different groups across the organization will ultimately help deliver value for everyone. It’s also important for organizations to think beyond traditional contingent labor pools to Statement of Work (SOW), independent workers, gig workers, managed services, and more.

Total talent is never done

“Ideally, you’re planning for Total Talent Management globally, but you can then implement it locally and opportunistically. You don’t have to have a ‘big bang’ implementation,” said Gabrielle Durand, EWM Manager, John Deere.

Sometimes total talent is an organic result of existing improvements in talent processes and tools. In many cases, there is no single moment where a company decides to develop total talent, but instead, through investing in technology and integrating different groups of global workers into talent systems, an organization can increase visibility and cohesiveness. The route toward total talent is a “winding path,” and an all-or-nothing approach is unlikely to be successful.

Finding the right partner for the total talent journey is another critical component. Access to a robust technology stack to unlock visibility, not only of workers but of business behaviors, can help make meaningful change possible.

Total talent is not a buzzword. It’s a journey.

We heard again and again throughout the discussion that total talent is a long, complex, and ever-shifting journey. There is no ‘done,’ and that’s okay because it moves and shifts with the needs of an evolving business.

Getting it right takes strong leadership and governance, excellent change management, investment in technology, knowledgeable external partners, and a willingness to tweak and adjust constantly over many years of design and implementation. But this difficult journey unlocks huge rewards in talent visibility, value, and accessibility. In the face of shifting economic and workforce challenges, the benefits of striving toward total talent can’t be overlooked.

Is anyone doing total talent? Absolutely! It’s just that no two journeys are the same.

Are you looking to kickstart your total talent journey? Find out how to shape and support your own epic total talent quest by visiting www.kellyocg.com.

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