Workplace Development and Talent Management

Melissa Brown is director of training and development at the Center for Workplace Development at Harvard University. She is the instructor of OBHR E-105 Workplace Development and Talent Management.

Melissa Brown

The title of your new Extension School course is Workplace Development and Talent Management. How would you define each of those concepts?

To me, workplace development involves designing and implementing the various learning and organizational development systems and processes that need to be in place for companies or organizations to be successful. Talent management is a critical element of workplace development. A fairly common definition of talent management is the identification, development, and management of talent in an organization or, more plainly put, identifying and developing the types of employees that will most effectively enable the organization to meet or exceed its goals and objectives.

Why do you think these concepts have entered the workplace vocabulary at this point in time?

I think these concepts have become more prevalent lately because the old adage "our people are our most important resource," as cynically as some people may react to it, is a truism. Top tier companies do differentiate themselves by the quality of their staff. Companies can initially have a technology advantage, for example, but nowadays, those gaps can be closed fairly quickly. Highly skilled and engaged staff are often the only key competitive advantage for a company. There are many examples in the retail or airline industry that support this premise. Without formally putting in a plug for a particular company, I personally will choose flying on an airline like Jet Blue or Southwest before their competitors. The ticket prices are usually similar to their competitors but the staff actually make flying fun again!

What is the difference, if any, between talent development and career development?

The main difference between the two is that talent management typically has an institution-wide focus and career development has an individual focus. Effective employee development and career management processes (i.e., performance management discussions, career coaching, clarity regarding the employee and the manager’s roles in terms of career development, etc.) need to be solidly in place first at a local level before an institution can credibly focus on the individual.

Do you think that for-profit and nonprofit institutions approach the issue of workplace development and talent management in the same way, or are there subtle differences?

I think that the approaches are pretty similar—there’s generally a "right way" to go about this type of work. There will always be cultural differences from organization to organization (for-profit or nonprofit) to bear in mind, different financial capabilities to support these efforts, etc. At the risk of making a gross generalization, I’d say that the for-profit sector has been focusing on talent management more specifically and for a longer period of time, perhaps due to the need to make money for shareholders, etc. Nonprofit institutions are in a bit of a catch-up mode, but both types of institutions can be equally proficient and successful in designing and implementing workplace development and talent management systems.

From your perspective as director of training and development in Harvard’s Center for Workplace development, what changes do you foresee in this area for Harvard University?

I foresee significant initiatives for Harvard in this area, today and in the future. The university conducted its first-ever staff engagement survey in 2006 and one of the top three themes that emerged across the university was a desire for improved career mobility and development. We are blessed as an institution to have so many employees who are committed to Harvard and choose to work here for the majority of their careers. Many of these individuals stated in the survey that they feel "stuck" in their jobs. We have a responsibility as an employer to respond to that feedback and improve our current career development processes. A university response plan has been created and there will be a great deal of activity in the realm of career development over the next 18 months. In addition, at an institutional level the university’s expansion into Allston is a textbook case for workforce planning and talent management. We have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us as we plan a new campus and determine what is the work of the future, and what roles need to be added or revised, at all levels (entry-level workers to executives) to continue our preeminence in higher education. Talent management and workplace development are clearly going to play a key role in ensuring the success of that endeavor. We in the Center for Workplace Development are already involved with the Allston Development Group on a variety of levels.

What steps is your office taking to make Harvard employees more aware of ways to develop their talent?

I could provide a laundry list of initiatives that we have been working on for several years. For example, our office offers skills training applications, adult worker education, competency-based professional and career development courses, and leadership development programs. We also provide internal consulting services to managers to address individual and/or organizational effectiveness. We’re creating a stronger web presence on our HR intranet that will provide specific tools to individuals to assess their current skills and strengths and assist them in determining what might be the "next step" for them in their career at Harvard. These are just a few of the exciting initiatives we are spearheading that we believe will change the face of the employment experience at Harvard and ensure Harvard continues to be a premier institution and employer of choice.

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