Employee Lifecycle, Careers & Talent

Welcome to the first ‘Employee Lifecycle, Careers & Talent’ newsletter. My aim is to continue the conversation about ensuring that employees are supported during the full employee lifecycle: from the early stages of talent acquisition, through learning and development, career path alignment with changes to business requirements, to outplacement / exit.

I don’t have all the answers to how we best support employees throughout the entire life cycle, but I bring a 360 view of some of the key stages: talent acquisition, change & transformation, and exit / redundancy.  I have experienced the perspectives of the executive search professional and the talent acquisition partner, I have supported applicants and hiring managers, and supported employees through business change and redundancy. I also have experience of my own role being made redundant.

Working with leaders and early career entrants alike, in HR and other business functions, I have developed an understanding of both linear and non-linear career paths and how we can support individuals to enjoy their work, develop and deliver great performance for their organisations.

One element that I would love to see developing further is the concept of an open conversation early in the employee lifecycle (and regularly throughout) about careers and progression within the organisation, as well as plans for the next stage of an employee’s career, when they decide to leave. It might seem strange talking about what an employee might do after exiting the business, but it’s a healthy conversation that is realistic and can support retention, high performance and ultimately help people leave if they are not happy in their role, or it’s no longer a good fit.  The bestselling guide ‘The Alliance: Managing Talent in the Networked Age’ by Hoffman, Casnocha & Yeh, explains more: https://amzn.eu/d/j9Sh4oB

I personally encourage everyone to think about their values and drivers, and be open about them. Ask the interviewer questions that are important to you and answer their questions honestly – and be honest to yourself, as well as the organisation. This way, we’ll find ourselves in careers we enjoy, working with people we respect and doing great things together.

“…we’ll find ourselves in careers we enjoy, working with people we respect and doing great things together.”