Publications

Talent management has been high on the agenda of HR professionals in the UK over the past few years. This high level of interest is reflected in a number of recent case study based research reports describing a wide range of organisational practice. This paper draws on published research and also on the considerable practical experience of IES in supporting organisations in their own talent management strategies.

This report explores the career aspirations, attitudes and job search behaviours of senior managers from under-represented groups, such as women, those with a long-term health condition or disability, and those from ethnic minorities. The study aims to help the DWP target such under-represented groups more effectively with information about senior posts.

Does the way people are treated at work make a difference to the performance of the organisations that employ them? Are there returns to investment in human capital in a similar way to investments in physical capital? These seem straightforward enough questions but they have generated huge amounts of debate. Against this background, this study takes into account concerns from both academics and practitioners, and provides a convincing argument that the investments firms make in their workforce make a difference.

This paper considers the nature of career development within employing organisations and its implications for the role of employers in offering career support to employed adults. Although based on research evidence and practical experience from the UK, recent research for Cedefop indicates that the issues explored here also seem likely to be of relevance to other European countries.This paper is based on an input to the Guidance for Workforce Development Conference, held by CEDEFOP in Thessaloniki, 2007.

Succession planning is one part of ensuring that an organisation can meet its future needs for people. ‘Talent management’ is now a common umbrella term for the attraction, retention and development of people with potential. Succession planning certainly comes under that umbrella. In some organisations succession planning and talent management focus only on senior leadership, while others choose to apply the same concepts and processes to broader groups of jobs and people.

Is your organisation losing its key people? Do you know why, and what might have persuaded them to stay? Are you confident that you can identify your key people and explain what makes them key? Do you know what motivates them, and why they might be looking elsewhere for job satisfaction? This paper aims to help you answer these questions and profiles different kinds of key people, for a practical and strategic approach.

This paper examines some of the issues involved in the effective career management of knowledge workers and specialists. We use the term 'knowledge workers' here for employees with professional or functional expertise necessary to delivery the products or services of the organisation, or to support the effective running of the organisation. We will often use the term 'specialist' to describe a person whose contribution to the business lies in doing high level professional or technical work themselves, rather than through managing other people who deliver this work. 'Specialists' in this sense are often at 'managerial levels' in the organisation but not in jobs which involve a lot of format management responsibilities.

The aim of this study was to gain a clear view of the most common career paths for HR professionals and to understand how these were changing as new roles and structures appeared. It also aimed to gather views about the most successful routes to top HR positions and uncover the career aspirations of people management professionals.

This paper presents the findings of an IES study examining the various ways in which major employers offer a specialist career support service to their employees. The project collected information in a number of ways. Fifteen major employing organisations sent written responses to an email survey and an additional nine case study organisations participated through in-depth discussions. Twenty seven interviews were conducted with employers, representatives from public career services, professional bodies, training providers for career professionals in higher education and in the private sector, practising career coaches and occupational psychologists.

This report presents the results from an audit of corporate graduate recruitment websites and 40 interviews in ten case-study organisations. The research examines whether graduate recruitment is meeting UK business needs and whether selection practices may discriminate against graduates from non-traditional backgrounds. It has key messages for employers, universities and careers advisors.