Managers of tomorrow - A case study of how Talent Management is performed within the public sector in Sweden

Abstract

Organisations of today are facing high pressure to identify critical competences in order to handle future challenges, due to demographic changes and competition of talent. In order to face these challenges and keep critical competences it is important to direct focus on the relatively new concept of Talent Management. This new concept of Talent Management can work as a tool for organisations to identify and develop employees with critical competences in order for the organisation to meet future demands. How Talent Management is performed within the public sector is still an unexplored area. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the field of Talent Management in a public sector context. This study aims at exploring why an organisation within the public sector in Sweden performs Talent Management. The aim is also to increase the understanding of how this process is performed within the organisation. Further aim is also on individuals’ role within the Talent Management program. In order to answer the research questions a qualitative approach was necessary, in this explorative and descriptive case study research. Data was primarily collected through fourteen semi-structured interviews and corporate documents. The interviews have been performed with individuals on different levels within the organisation’s and all of these individuals are connected to the Talent Management program, and they have different roles within the program. Talent Management can be used as a tool when identify critical competences needed for the future. Furthermore, identifying employees that have the interest and ability to fill these critical positions can function as a way for organisations to proactively identify and develop managers of tomorrow by the use of a talent pool. The findings indicate the importance of feedback in order to keep developing individuals. Feedback and follow-up meetings can function as a way to motivate employees and to ensure they stay within the organization. In this way the organisation can gain advantage of the talent pool.