The world’s largest companies unanimously believe that the most valuable and expensive asset in the modern world is people – their ideas and skills drive products and companies forward. The right person in the right place delivers more than just a job well done: they create the right environment, build strong, agile teams, and provide exceptional business results.
At its core, a modern international IT company is driven by individuals who create a product. Talent Management serves as the guiding force, organising their efforts to leverage their strengths and foster collaboration within teams for the best result.
In my previous article, I shared my experience with talent management at SOFTSWISS. Today, I want to discuss how exactly the approach to talent management in IT companies has changed and what trends await us.
The Shift to Online Work
If we talk about changes, the most obvious of them is, of course, going online. Although the difference may seem small, it is actually huge. If a manager had previously seen their team every day and observed their work, now people sometimes wouldn’t even turn on their cameras during calls. And this presents a challenge: to continue monitoring how your team is coping, their motivation, and where they need support, and at the same time, not to “tighten the screws” and not to fall into micromanagement and control.
To set meaningful goals for employees, you need to know their current likes and strengths. Likewise, to give high-quality feedback, you need to gather some data on how employees cope with tasks.
At SOFTSWISS, we emphasise regular one-on-one meetings with employees. We use an automated system that provides detailed plans for these interactions to ensure nothing important is overlooked. This system helps us maintain a supportive environment without resorting to excessive oversight.
How Gen Z Shapes the Workforce Paradigm
Another significant shift is the integration of Generation Z into the workforce. While companies have largely figured out how to motivate millennials, Generation Z brings new expectations. They demand less bureaucracy, more flexible work schedules, creative freedom, and refusal of formalities (just watch the video where Gen Z shows their signatures for email; ten years ago, people would have been horrified if someone had written to them like that), and a clear work-life balance. This generation is less likely to tolerate infringements on their boundaries compared to previous generations. Employers need to take this into account when creating new versions of talent management systems.
Future Trends in Talent Management
As for the future of talent management (TM), the rise of self-management will likely transform the relationship between managers and employees. The classic ‘superior-subordinate’ dynamic will shift towards partnership and collaboration. While the term ‘servant leadership’ has been around for a while, it seems poised to take on a more prominent role. The idea that a manager is not ‘the most important and smartest’, but rather one who serves their team by helping it become more successful, prosperous, and strong, will become more prevalent.
With the rapid advancement of technology and innovation, skills such as flexibility, quick learning, and multitasking are becoming increasingly important. Companies will prioritise hiring individuals with these abilities and focus on developing them in current employees. Those who prefer to remain in a narrow specialisation will find fewer opportunities for growth.
One of the changes I hope to see is a shift in how we perceive strengths and weaknesses. There is a tendency to focus on correcting weaknesses through teaching, forcing, or coercing employees to improve. However, an alternative approach is to help employees identify and leverage their strengths to solve tasks. This approach is more challenging than it may seem but requires managers to engage deeply with their teams, often adopting a coaching role. This method allows managers to set goals that align with employees’ values and abilities, potentially unlocking hidden potential.
By adopting these future trends, companies can ensure they remain competitive and continue to harness the full potential of their most valuable resource: their people.