The biggest challenges for talent managers in the telecom/ICT sector include defining who constitutes talent, dealing with the unpredictability of skills needs in a changing industry, developing talent potential through both formal and informal learning methods, and maintaining employee commitment in a competitive environment. The telecom/ICT sector has traditionally invested heavily in talent management but now faces skills shortages, an uncertain economic climate, and changing business models, requiring new approaches to attracting, developing and retaining top performers.

1. Biggest challenges for
talent managers in the
telecom / ICT sector
Jon Ingham

2. Introduction: Jon Ingham
• Researcher, writer, speaker, consultant in strategic
people management and development
• Global focus including Middle East (UAE)
• Experience as a Director of HR and Development
• Author of ‘Strategic Human Capital Management:
Creating Value through People’
• Blogger at Strategic-HCM (http://strategic-
hcm.blogspot.com)
• Telecom / ICT experience: BT Global Services, Etisalat
Academy

3. Telecom / ICT sector
• Traditionally makes a high investment in talent
management, particularly in: motivate, develop,
connect, enable
Source: Human Capital Institute
http://strategic-hcm.blogspot.com/2008/08/hci-ibm-integrated-talent-management.html

4. Telecom / ICT sector
• Changing demands Open Internet
Platforms
• Skills shortages
• More difficult economic Integrated Communications
environment
Telephone services
“We’re now in the ultimate paradox of companies having
to tell some of their workers to go while convincing others
to stay, and also having to figure out how to attract others
to come on board, which makes it very dicey.”
Source: Stepstone / The Economist Intelligence Unit, Cold War for Talent
http://strategic-hcm.blogspot.com/2009/03/cold-war-for-talent.html

5. Cold War for Talent
• Recruitment much more focused on top levels, key skills
• Development of existing talent with these key skills even
more important
• Greater need to differentiate high performers & potential
“Even if there are lay-offs in some companies, there will
always be a market for those high-potential people.
Everyone wants to try to get those top people, because
they are the ones driving business success.”
Source: Stepstone / The Economist Intelligence Unit, Cold War for Talent
http://strategic-hcm.blogspot.com/2009/03/cold-war-for-talent.html

6. Challenge #1: Who is talent?
Key people Key roles Pivotal talent

7. Challenge #2: Unpredictability
?

8. Challenge #3: Developing potential
Informal / e- / Traditional
social learning training
On-the-job /
coaching

9. Challenge #4: Maintaining
commitment

10. For more information:
Jon Ingham
Strategic Dynamics
http://www.strategic-hcm.com
http://strategic-hcm.blogspot.com
http://blog.social-advantage.com
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talkinghr
http://www.linkedin.com/in/joningham
http://www.twitter.com/joningham
+44 7904 185 134
jon.ingham@strategic-hcm.com