Latest news with #talentManagement
Forbes
04-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Why Top Talent Quits Early And How To Keep Employees Longer
Why top talent quits early and how to keep employees longer getty Your star performer just quit. The one who made everything look easy, turned chaos into systems, and held their own in every meeting. You saw it coming weeks ago . The spark seemed to fade, then the extra effort went AWOL. Those game-changing ideas stopped flowing. Now you're back where you started, posting job ads and screening newbies, hoping to find someone half as good. Meanwhile, they're updating their LinkedIn with their new role at a company that gets it. Nearly 40 percent of employees quit within their first year , around 31% within six months . This pattern plays out across every industry. New hires arrive fired up and eager to prove themselves. Six months in, they've mastered the basics and deliver solid work. Month nine hits and they start asking about growth opportunities. By the one year mark, they're gone. Their body might still show up, but their mind left months ago. It costs an average of $1,400 to onboard a new employee, but that's nothing compared to the cost of losing a key team member or making a bad hire. You'll keep paying this price unless you sort the problem out. People don't leave for money. They leave because they stop growing. Stop that happening. Every high performer follows the same trajectory. Months one through six bring rapid growth and constant learning. After that, skills plateau hard unless you actively intervene. Think about learning any skill. The first quarters, you improve fast. The second half of the year, progress slows to a crawl. Without new challenges, boredom sets in. Your employees experience this same pattern, and smart leaders see it coming. 44% of companies do not provide compelling career paths. So build their growth path on day one. Map out quarterly milestones that show exactly where they're headed. New projects at month three. Leadership opportunity at month nine. Strategic work at month fifteen. Show them beyond the first few steps, show them the entire mountain they'll climb. When someone sees their future clearly mapped out, they stop looking elsewhere for it. Skills follow a predictable arc. They rise, peak, then flatten unless you add fresh challenges to restart the growth curve. Design three levels of stretch for each person, starting just outside their comfort zone and making it progressively harder every six months. First level might be improving what already exists. Second level could involve building something entirely new. Third level means teaching others to implement it across departments. Check progress every quarter and adjust accordingly. Too easy? Increase the difficulty. Too hard? Scale it back. Keep them in that sweet spot where learning happens fastest. Grade their progress like you would any other metric, because their growth directly impacts your retention. When people feel challenged but not overwhelmed, they stick around to see what they can accomplish next. Most managers wait until resignation day to ask why someone's leaving. By then, it's too late. The decision was made months ago. But you're better than that. At month 10, schedule a conversation focused entirely on what might tempt them away. Ask: What would make you leave? What opportunity would you jump at? What are you not getting here? Their answers become your retention strategy. If they crave more visibility, put them in front of clients or help them build their personal brand. If they want strategic work, include them in planning sessions. If they dream of leading, start grooming them now. People don't want to leave companies where they're growing. They want to expand their skills, increase their impact, and see a clear path forward. Give them growth, and they'll give you loyalty. Delete the soul-crushing busywork Gallup found 42% of turnover is preventable . The main culprits? Meaningless tasks and unclear expectations that drain the life out of talented people. Your top performers didn't join to format spreadsheets, sit through pointless meetings, or write reports nobody reads. They joined to make an impact. Every hour spent on admin is an hour they question their life choices. Track where your best people spend their time for one week. Circle every task that wastes their unique talents. Then systematically eliminate, automate, or delegate those tasks. Whatever it takes to free them up for real work that they love. When someone spends eighty percent of their time in their zone of genius, the thought of leaving rarely crosses their mind. They're too busy creating value and enjoying the process. Turn managers into growth architects Smart companies treat employment like education, where graduation is celebrated rather than prevented. When star employees leave, hire them back as contractors. Brain drain became brain gain. They got the freedom they craved, you get their expertise when needed, and everyone wins. Rethink how you approach retention. In the long term, make managers responsible for painting such a vivid picture of an employee's future that they can see themselves thriving in it. The psychological contract beats the legal one every time. People stay where they see tomorrow's version of themselves succeeding. Make managers career architects rather than task supervisors. How to stop your best team members leaving within a year The twelve-month cliff exists because human learning follows predictable patterns. Design around the patterns to get the outcome you want. It's your business. Track the learning curve, stack challenges, have the difficult conversations sooner, get your managers on board and rethink exits. Your name is above the door. Stop playing victim to team members when you could be the hero of this process.
Zawya
22-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
NBK hosted Harvard Club of Kuwait members at the bank's headquarters
Al-Ablani: The visit embodies our belief in the importance of knowledge exchange with alumni of one of the most venerable universities in the world. NBK is constantly keen on developing human capital within its institutional partnerships. The visit is a valuable opportunity for the alumni to connect with the bank's leadership and exchange ideas on future challenges and opportunities. The alumni explored the Talent Management's programs that aim to develop national competencies. National Bank of Kuwait hosted the members of Harvard Club of Kuwait at the bank's headquarters and were received by Mr. Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer. The aim of the visit was to introduce the club members with clear visions of the bank's strategic focus on concepts like innovation, financial fraud awareness and its role in talent and leadership development in the banking sector. The visit consisted of a comprehensive program tailored to provide a rich and interactive experience for Harvard alumni, starting with a tour at NBK facilities in which they explored its latest technologies and strong infrastructure that supports its developed banking operations, followed by a specialized session presented by experts at NBK on financial fraud awareness and protection methods. Moreover, the Talent Management gave a detailed outlook of its programs that aim to develop and upskill future national talents so as they become capable of continuing NBK's longstanding success. This visit came as a valuable opportunity for Kuwait's Harvard alumni to directly interact and connect with NBK's leaderships, which enabled them to exchange ideas and gain perspective on the bank's future strategies and plans, in addition to exploring the best methods applied in the banking industry and building bridges and enriching their professional network. On this occasion, Mr. Emad Al-Ablani, Group Chief Human Resources Officer commented: 'We are pleased to welcome the members of Harvard Club of Kuwait, as this visit embodies NBK's strong belief in the importance of exchanging knowledge with an elite group of Kuwaiti alumni of the most venerable universities in the world.' Al-Ablani added: 'This visit enriches the scope of discussions and brings new horizons for collaboration, as it enables Harvard alumni to closely explore the dynamics of the banking sector in Kuwait and understand the incorporation of innovation and technology in the day-to-day operations. Moreover, this visit is a valuable opportunity for the alumni to connect with NBK's leaderships and gain from their experiences, as well as exchange ideas about future opportunities and challenges.' In his statements, he also emphasized that NBK is constantly keen on developing human capital within its institutional partnerships, and it pays special attention to attract and upskill the best young national talents through comprehensive training programs as per its commitments towards society and professional development. In light of its belief in their effective role in society, Al-Ablani indicated that NBK often organizes annual activities and initiatives, especially in the field of education. It should be noted that Harvard Club of Kuwait is the official club that brings together Harvard alumni in Kuwait, and it operates under the umbrella of Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) for educational and social purposes. It aims to build relationships among Harvard alumni to help them flourish personally and professionally, provide a platform to exchange knowledge and experiences, encourage life-long learning, intellectual enrichment, professional growth, and social interaction through forums of continuing education and development, and collaborate with other entities within Kuwait for events and programs that serve the local community.
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
7 Key Factors For Distinguishing Between Performance And Potential
Developing potential Getty Images Understanding the difference between what someone does now (performance) and what they could do in the future (potential) is essential for effective succession planning, leadership development, and long-term organizational success. In today's fast-evolving business environment, the ability to distinguish between performance and potential is not just a talent management nuance—it's a strategic imperative to boost company performance and innovation. Yet many organizations still confuse the two, promoting high performers who may not be suited for leadership roles while overlooking the quiet potential of others who could thrive with the right support and development. It's tempting to assume that the employee who consistently exceeds KPIs or delivers exceptional results is the best candidate for advancement. But performance is only part of the equation. It reflects someone's ability to succeed in their current role. Potential, on the other hand, is about the capacity to grow into more complex, ambiguous, and future-oriented challenges. Research from the Corporate Executive Board (CEB, now part of Gartner) found that only about 15% of high performers are also high potentials (CEB, 2013). This gap reveals the risk of relying too heavily on performance for promotion decisions. Promoting the wrong people can result in disengagement, leadership failure, and attrition. 2. Performance Is Retrospective, Potential Is Forward-Looking Performance assessments are backward-looking. They reward what has already been achieved under familiar conditions. Potential is forward-looking: it evaluates how someone might handle future ambiguity, complexity, and scale. In leadership roles, skills like adaptability, influence, and strategic thinking often matter more than operational excellence. Recognizing potential means identifying those with learning agility, emotional intelligence, and the drive to grow. Research from the Harvard Business Review (Ready, Conger, & Hill, 2010) explains that companies with strong high potential programs look for individuals who can move from being a 'value creator' to a 'game-changer' and outline the key factors for this. 3. Focusing On Performance And Not Potential Stalls Innovation Focusing only on quantifiable performance outcomes may stifle employees' willingness to be curious, experiment and take risks. This insight comes from a recent organizational study examining the unintended effects of performance measurement systems within corporate cultures. The authors found that when employees are overly evaluated based on short‑term, numeric targets, they tend to: Stick to safe, predictable tasks instead of taking creative risks. Avoid experimentation that might undermine performance scores. Become less resilient to failure—a core driver of breakthrough innovation. By distinguishing and rewarding potential, organizations open the door to broader and more diverse thinking —strengthening innovation and long-term competitiveness. 4. Performance And Potential Are Rewarded Differently Because performance and potential serve different purposes, they should be rewarded differently. • High performers should be rewarded for current contributions. This often includes short-term incentives, such as bonuses, public recognition, salary increases, and fast-track promotions within technical tracks. • High potentials, by contrast, need longer-term investments to retain them and realize the value of the investment in developing them. These may include deferred compensation, equity grants, accelerated development pathways, executive mentoring, or international assignments that stretch capabilities and build loyalty. Retaining high potentials requires differentiation in both recognition and opportunity. They are often more motivated by learning, growth, and long-term career prospects than by financial incentives alone. Designing dual reward systems—that honor achievement while investing in future capability—is essential for talent sustainability. 5. Tools And Frameworks Help Spot Potential Accurately Unlike performance, which is usually measured with data, potential can feel subjective. But structured frameworks—like Korn Ferry's Seven Signposts of Leadership Potential or the classic 9-box grid—help leaders assess traits such as curiosity, drive, and capacity for complexity. These tools also prompt richer conversations about tailored development and retention strategies that inform talent planning reviews and succession planning strategies. 6. Not Everyone Should Be A Leader—And That's Okay Great individual contributors don't always make good leaders Getty Images Some high performers are best rewarded as deep experts or individual contributors. They thrive without needing to move up the hierarchy. Others with potential may not shine in their current roles but flourish in stretch assignments. By distinguishing the two, organizations can match opportunity with capability and aspiration—ensuring better fit and higher engagement. 7. Managers Must Be Trained To Spot And Support Both Many managers instinctively reward loyalty or performance, but overlook developmental traits like resilience or systems thinking. Organizations must equip leaders to challenge their assumptions, understand a range of talent signals, and invest differently in different kinds of talent. When reviewing their talent, they need to be objective and expansive in their thinking with clear consistent frameworks for evaluation. The Benefits Of Evaluating Both Performance And Potential Performance and potential are both critical, but they serve different ends. Talent reviews and succession planning initiatives need to incorporate both. Recognizing the distinction allows organizations to reward and develop people more fairly and strategically. Organizations need to have a framework to outline and distinguish between performance and potential and there needs to be a common understanding and alignment on what each of these definitions means in practice. By training leaders to recognize how to evaluate and assess their people effectively, organizations get better talent outcomes. High performers sustain the present. High potentials secure the future. By aligning short-term rewards with achievement and long-term incentives with promise, organizations can retain critical talent, promote wisely, and build a more diverse, innovative and future-ready leadership bench.
