The Importance of Nurturing New Talent

Any good leader knows that organisations need talent to succeed in this ever-changing world of work. But once you have that talent, how do you retain it? And how can you ensure that those people driving business success are thriving?

The key is to nurture your talent from the moment they join your organisation. After all, bringing out the best in your people contributes to business growth, enhanced company culture, and employee retention.

Here’s how to nurture new talent for success – now and into the future.

Foster a positive company culture

With the increase in hybrid working, employees are benefitting from increased autonomy and flexibility, along with an enhanced work-life balance. Yet the Adecco Group’s Resetting Normal study revealed that workers are feeling more disconnected than ever. While 74% of workers say it’s important that managers promote and nurture team morale and a good working culture, only 48% say their managers meet or exceed expectations in this area.

It is up to leaders to reconnect the disconnect and foster a positive culture throughout the company. And it’s still possible to achieve this with fluctuating working patterns. Make sure new hires are introduced to colleagues and provided with the relevant training and equipment to get them started. Set up regular one-to-one and team meetings – always virtual-ready – so new talent has a chance to voice any issues, collaborate with others, and build working relationships early on. And don’t underestimate new talent – avoid micromanaging and allow them the autonomy to do great work.

Create a mentorship programme

Mentoring new talent sets them up for success, giving them a solid foundation to develop in their role. But this needs to go beyond assigning a colleague to new hires for their first few weeks of onboarding. While that is certainly helpful, mentoring should be a continuous process. Team new talent up with a mentor that guides and inspires them throughout their career journey. Making this an integral part of the workplace will encourage collaboration, expand their skillsets, and give them confidence to take risks.

Mentoring new talent long-term benefits the organisation, too. You will build a workforce that’s aligned with the organisation’s values and mission, improve employee retention, attract more great talent, and foster a supportive, collaborative company culture.

Invest in professional development

The Resetting Normal study revealed that just 37% of non-managers feel their employer is investing enough in their skills development. This has led to 60% of workers upskilling or reskilling themselves. If you’re not investing in your people’s professional development, you’ll lose out. A major element in nurturing new talent is ensuring they are challenged and motivated, with a clear vision of how they can progress in their company. This means identifying existing skills they can hone, as well as areas where they can gain new knowledge.

Rather than simply sending employees for training and courses for the sake of it, there should be a holistic approach. Not everyone will have the same goals or learn at the same pace. Meet regularly with each employee to find out how they want to grow professionally. Then you can create a plan together that aligns with both the company’s and their needs.

Once a course or training session has been completed, check in to find out what worked and what didn’t, and what the next steps should be. When your people see you are genuinely invested in their growth, this will boost job satisfaction and ensure they remain motivated beyond the onboarding stage.

Show appreciation & renumerate fairly

When people do great work, they deserve to feel appreciated. And if they don’t get that appreciation, they’re likely to head to another company. Simply giving praise goes a long way. You can make a point of recognising wins during a meeting or send out a team email. Celebrate achievements with informal gatherings and reach out to individuals who are going above and beyond. Just knowing that their work is being noticed makes the difference between employee demotivation and satisfaction.

But, while showing appreciation is certainly important, salary and benefits must be competitive. After all, this is valuable new talent that could easily go elsewhere if your renumeration package is lacking. As well as offering attractive salary and benefits, you can also think outside the box. This could include stock options and shares after a certain amount of time, extra holidays, wellness programmes, and flexible working. In doing so, your great people will be more likely to remain with you, meaning you maintain that competitive edge.