Defined as the comprehensive record that companies keep of the main competencies and skills identified among their employees, the Talent Inventory plays an important role in a highly competitive market that demands quality.
According to Luis Rosas Asenjo, managing partner of Wiseplan Chile, having this information about human capital is crucial, as companies need to achieve their objectives effectively and efficiently, so they need to identify how certain people can help them do so, using their best abilities and skills.
In this regard, he argues that the Talent Inventory is a wonderful tool that allows organizations to map their human resources, showing the different competencies and personal skills they can draw on when needed.
"This information is very useful on several fronts, from the most basic, such as providing a database that will help to improve and refine 'internal mobility', to the most strategic, i.e., how to support the company's development plans with talent," explains the headhunter.
In the case of succession planning and filling key vacancies in a company, the Talent Inventory is an important input for finding the employees best prepared to take on these challenges. Regarding how to use this tool to identify skill gaps and design effective training programs, Luis Rosas Asenjo mentions that, as it is a record that identifies the best skills available within the team of employees, this information must be compared with the results of a company's performance evaluations.
"This cross-referencing will allow us to identify performance gaps, which mainly stem from a lack of preparation or inadequate skills to perform a particular job. Faced with this reality, specific training and development activities can be used as a solution.
Regarding the most effective technological tools for creating and maintaining an up-to-date talent inventory, the Wiseplan Chile expert states that, rather than suggesting a particular software program, the recommendation is to check whether the program has modules that allow simulations of real positions and whether it is equipped with specific evaluation tools that are easy to use and provide detailed reports. In addition, it should be able to integrate with other people management software. Among other positive aspects of the Talent Inventory for organizations are the generation of savings, the promotion of a culture of continuous learning, and the encouragement of new skills development and professional growth.