Talent Management Excellence: Reflections from the Executive Connect

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Remko Verheul’s mantra is Grow Talent! Remko has worked as Chief People Officer at e-commerce/digital companies such as Travix, Albelli, and Happy Horizon over the past ten years. Prior to that, he led global leadership development and talent management at Swarovski. Remko helps individuals and companies thrive with the Grow Talent approach!

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During the Executive Connect, Remko Verheul shared his knowledge and experience in the field of talent management. This session provided the attending executives with the opportunity to delve deeper into strategies, challenges, and key factors for leaders within the digital domain, focusing on excelling in, managing, and retaining talent within their organizations.

Remko began the session with a personal account of his career path, from entrepreneur to HR leader at renowned companies such as Adidas and Swarovski. He described how his international experiences and diverse roles within these multinationals taught him valuable lessons in talent management and leadership development. Remko spoke about his concept jobidentity.com and his role at Swarovski, where he was responsible for leadership development and talent management at a global level. His introduction offered an interesting context for the themes that would be discussed later in his keynote.

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The Practice of Talent Management.

An important discussion point was the discrepancy between the intentions and the reality of talent management in organizations. One participant mentioned, “What I experience in the organization I’m currently in is that they say talent management is very important, but in practice, I see very little being done.” Remko recognized this issue and emphasized the importance of fulfilling promises to reduce the loss of high performers or good employees and retain talent. Verheul stated that losing good people is one of the biggest risks for any organization and that effectively implementing talent management is essential to prevent this. Remko further explained, “It is crucial that organizations not only talk about the importance of talent management but also take actual steps to implement it. This means investing in employee development, creating clear career paths, and ensuring regular feedback and evaluation.”

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How to Bridge Generation Gaps.

The interactive discussion then shifted to the challenges of managing younger generations, such as Gen Z. One participant noted, “Generation Z seems a bit restless to me. They say they want to develop, but what do they concretely want?” Verheul and the other attendees acknowledged that it is important to clarify and adapt to the expectations of this group to harness their potential. He emphasized the importance of clear communication and engagement in shaping a talent management strategy that aligns with the needs of younger generations. “It is essential to engage in conversations with younger employees to understand their specific desires and ambitions,” he added. “This can be achieved through regular one-on-one meetings, surveys, and offering flexible development programs that cater to their individual career needs.”

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The Company Culture as a Foundation.

Remko further discussed his belief that excellent talent management starts with a well-defined strategy rooted in the organization’s culture. He emphasized the importance of clear objectives, measurable results, and a consistent approach to reduce potential turnover. He provided examples of how companies like Happy Horizon have created a culture where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities rather than punishments, which fosters an environment of growth and development within the organization. By doing so, he illustrated that a strong culture not only improves organizational performance but also enhances employee engagement and satisfaction.

One attendee responded by sharing a practical example from his organization: “At my previous assignment, a publicly traded company, talent management was high on the agenda. But as soon as performance lagged, investment in it decreased, leading to disappointment and increased turnover. How do you maintain consistency within the organization when results do not align with the intended objectives?” Remko replied, “This highlights the importance of consistency in talent management. Even during tougher or challenging times, investment in talent management must be maintained. This means not only financial investments but also dedicating time and resources to ensure that employees feel supported and valued.”

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The influence of AI.

As in many areas within the digital domain, AI is increasingly playing a significant role in talent management, from creating training materials to scheduling job interviews. Verheul shared examples of successful AI applications at companies like Zoom and Albelli, where AI tools have significantly enhanced the effectiveness of HR processes. He noted that AI can not only assist in identifying and attracting talent but also in developing and retaining it. Remko highlighted AI’s potential to promote diversity and inclusion by analyzing and optimizing job postings to attract a broader range of candidates. “The use of AI can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of our talent management processes, enabling us to make more objective and inclusive decisions. It can also identify hidden talents within the organization and potentially predict future leaders,” Remko said.

At the end of the session, Remko shared some key lessons from his career. He emphasized the importance of advocating for loyal employees and avoiding a patchwork of approaches in talent management during organizational changes. Remko encouraged the executives present to methodically map out talent and actively work to improve their organization’s talent management strategy. He stressed that giving a voice to talent, especially during organizational changes, is crucial for retaining and engaging valuable employees (high performers). A visitor asked, “How do you give talent a voice during organizational changes?” Remko responded, “Involve them in the process by giving them a role in designing the new organization and processes. This fosters engagement and helps retain talent. At Albelli, we successfully did this by actively involving talent in decision-making regarding mergers and reorganizations. This created a sense of ownership and ensured their expertise was utilized.”

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3 lessons from Remko Verheul’s Keynote on effective talent management:

1. Ensure you methodically map out the talents of your team members. Create a list of key talents within your team and actively engage with them. Repeat this process regularly to maintain a clear understanding of the existing talent.
2. Be open to repositioning underperformers. This may involve assigning them a different role within the organization where they can thrive better, or in some cases, parting ways to maintain overall performance standards.
3. Don’t forget to give attention to loyal employees, the backbone of your organization. It’s important to recognize not only top performers but also those who consistently contribute to the organization’s success.

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One attendee suggested encouraging underperformers to pursue opportunities either within or outside the organization to make room for talent development. Remko agreed with this approach, emphasizing the importance of guiding these employees to roles within the organization where they can add greater value. Additionally, the executives present reflected on the use of AI in HR processes. There was discussion on whether AI will be better at recognizing human potential than an HR manager within three years, and whether AI-driven platforms will render traditional executive search firms obsolete. While opinions varied, it was evident that AI will increasingly play a significant role in talent management.

Remko concluded the session by acknowledging that there is still much work to be done and thanked all attendees for their valuable contributions. “Thank you to everyone for your engagement and participation; it sounds like there’s plenty to discuss over drinks.”

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Looking for more in-depth insights on a topic that interests you? On our website, you’ll find numerous insights that can guide you further. Additionally, we host monthly Executive Connects for organizations and Freelance Connecting Fridays for freelancers. Check out the events page for the upcoming Connect sessions!