Talent management

WINNING THE TALENT WARS: Bruce Tulgan; Nicholas Brealey; Distributed by Research Press, P.B. No. 7208, First Floor, Arun House, 2/25, Ansari Road, New Delhi-110002. £11.95.

THIS WELL got-up book bares the truths that all employers need to arm themselves to meet the new challenges while explaining how to manage and compete in the hi-tech, high-speed knowledge-based superfluid economy. The author brings to the table valuable stories of how the most influential corporations are quietly coming up with innovative solutions. "Make your currency special, so you can make a deal that is very difficult to match anywhere else. Based on our research, these are the five non-financial factors of an employment relationship that people care the most about: when they work (schedule); where they work (place); what they do (tasks and responsibilities); who they work with (colleagues and peers); and what they are (or are not) learning on the job.

Tulgan rightly advocates, "hire people for their ability, not for their willingness to conform to the office environment" and let "people design their work environment'' and this would attract the best talent. It is true that the most talented people are no longer willing to sacrifice everything for the job in spite of our offering plenty of relief from the gruelling schedule.

What about unions? "If many of my employees are in the union and subject to collective bargaining agreements, how do I implement the kinds of new economy management, how do I implement the kinds of new economy management practices you advocate? Are unions in fact gaining power or losing power in the new economy? Deal with it, he says.

"Anytime you find yourself saying, there is nothing I can do, stop. What kind of mantra is that? There is always something you can do instead of starting with the collective bargaining agreement and telling yourself you are powerless, always look at the collective bargaining agreement last. In any management situation, you should first and foremost ask yourself what is the most effective action you can take?"

The additional points he advocates are: First those at the lowest end of the skill spectrum will be the most likely casualties in the new economy. Unions can help to mitigate the pain. I surely hope they will play this role because as I have said many times, while markets are efficient, they do have casualties.

Second, there are employers who are hopelessly locked in the feudal mindset and refuse to let go of their rigid employment relationships. In these cases collective bargaining may be the only way to get the employer to abandon its dark ages, apprenticeship approach to employment and more in the direction of the free market.

Third at the highest end of the skill spectrum where some labour organisation is occurring and making headlines, for example, doctors unionising in the face of huge health care organisations, my view is that this kind of collective bargaining is outside the realm of traditional union activity. These are often individuals who have had so much negotiating power on their own in the old economy that in the face of certain developments they must pull together to maintain their princely owner. I think these kinds of organisations are not really unions, but more like cartels. So they are interesting to think about but really a red herring in discussions about the unions per se.

His advocacy is "staff the work, not the jobs" and "pay for performance and nothing else". He however, does not emphasise stock options, which is the rage, as a form of compensation. Train for the mission, not for the haul, is his mantra.

What do the employees need in today's environment? Employees look for enthusiasm, decision making, leadership, personal attributes, flexibility, good communication, mutual trust, and most of all acknowledging the inadequacy of knowledge at the top. A book that should find a place in the personal library of the executive who looks up the ladder.

N. RAMASWAMI

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