How Forward-Thinking Organisations are Investing in Emerging Talent

Want a bigger bang for your buck? Then emerging talent is where you'll find it, and with good reason. When it comes to aptitude, experience is expensive. So it's not surprising that forward-thinking organisations are leaning toward investing in today's younger generation. 

Emerging talent represents those with recent education and a lustrous degree in hand––a blank canvas, if you will. Today, forward-thinking organisations are paying attention to such candidates, helping them plan their desired path, set concrete goals, and providing the tools and resources to help achieve those goals. With the intention that unlocking their potential and motivation to succeed will cultivate sustainable growth and drive their organisation forward. 

Forward-thinking: 6 Ways to Prepare Your Rising Stars for Success 

One. Sink or Swim 

Forward-thinking organisations take the time to dedicate a mentor. It's a common misconception that throwing a new employee in the deep end is character building. On the contrary, it makes for lazy talent management. 

Emerging talent is precisely that, emerging––they are upcoming, and while they may have a degree in their required field, they are yet to gain real-world knowledge and hands-on experience to put it to practice. So how can you throw them in the deep end and expect them to swim? 

As an employer, give them the confidence to ask questions and seek support while they find their feet. Providing them with a mentor allows them someone to whom they can share ideas and turn for advice, cultivating personal and professional growth. 

Two. Investment Through Development

Allowing emerging talent to attain certification validates their progression and motivates them to continue along their chosen career path. In addition, forward-thinking organisations deliver training courses like those supplied by MetaPM to build upon skill development. Such investment not only works to create an employee's credibility and professional standing but serves as a win for the organisation itself. 

Three. Versatility to Explore Where They Work 

Post-pandemic, forward-thinking companies are increasingly lending themselves to the possibility of remote work potential, a key driver for emerging talent. You're probably wondering how they can be so over-fastidious. After all, they're fresh, so what do they bring to the table? There's innovation, agility and reduced costs, to name a few. 

Covid-19 saw a shift in how the younger generation thinks about work and how it fits into their lives––promoting a work-to-live mentality and making flexibility a top priority when seeking employment postgraduate. 

Although, the success of gearing emerging talent toward a hybrid working model depends mainly on available support. If established correctly, having flexible working hours and a remote working policy improves employee well-being and gives your organisation a competitive advantage in retaining your newfound talent. 

Four. Build confidence with meaningful work 

Nothing triggers an exit interview greater than a day of work that is mind-numbingly tedious. After having just spent the best part of the last three years at University, the last thing they want to be doing is stuffing envelopes. So naturally, employees, even those that are fresh-faced, want to do challenging work that stimulates their minds and contributes to projects in meaningful ways. Don't set them up with mindless tasks. They are keen, wanted this job, and worked hard to get it. Allow them the opportunity to show you what they can do. 

Five. Feedback in Action 

Feedback is most powerful in action, not at the six-monthly summative review. Today, emerging talents are performance-driven. Therefore, they seek timely, action-orientated feedback, which allows them to revise and improve their workability—keeping them relevant and on the path to success. 

Six. Workplace Culture Matters to Emerging Talent 

Workplace culture and emerging talent are inextricably linked, making it a solid recruiting tool. More than any other generation, today's talent are looking for an organisation they can align with, a cultural fit per se, one that represents who they are, personally and professionally. Get it right, and it can facilitate an environment that helps employees flourish and drive peak performance. 

Learning today, leading tomorrow 

Today's emerging talent are essentially tomorrow's leaders. Fluent in technology with a value for engagement and flexibility––they are where the value lies if a business is looking to maintain growth in the years ahead. 

So where to from here? Seek out that fresh face. Maybe you've already procured the ideal candidate. Nurture their talent. Have a conversation, and offer relevant feedback––they want to know that your investment in their career path aligns with theirs. 

Utilising courses such as those provided by MetaPM, can help to up-skill and advance their careers, ultimately promoting longevity within your organisation. 

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MetaPM is constantly seeking emerging talent. Are you ready to drive meaningful change for some of Australia’s best businesses? Become a MetaPM consultant and join our dynamic network of project professionals.