Tapping into Fluid Talent | BCG

Many leaders continue to express concern about the impact of “talent shortages” on their ability to execute business strategies and priorities. But as I mentioned in previous posts, organizations often overlook “hidden talent” — internal and external talent that have a desire to take on new opportunities and the skills to perform successfully, but don’t fit traditional selection criteria, such as academic degrees, certifications or aren’t sourced through traditional channels. This article offers tactics for how organizations can gain access to hidden talent. Examples include: Alumni and Workforce Returnee Programs. Return-to-work, or returnship, programs that ease the path back into the workforce for alumni and other experienced workers. Global Talent Sourcing: removing location constraints for job openings and opening hubs near attractive talent pools. Hidden Internal Talent: internal talent mobility programs to better match existing employees with internal project needs and job opportunities, unlocking hidden capacity. Freelancer platforms. And, Corporate Borrowing or Buying—where organizations enter a talent-sharing agreement with each other (something I posted about during the pandemic). The authors discuss three ways companies can identify opportunities for unlocking a “fluid talent advantage.” Figure 3 shows five use cases that represent high-value opportunities for many companies. Where is there an opportunity to integrate some of these tactics into your organization’s talent strategy?