“Employee engagement, talent management, social recruitment” are but a few examples of HR ‘buzzwords’ − all of which claim to be the ‘next big thing’ in managing people. No one would blame an HR professional if his/her first reaction, to ‘people sustainability’ would be to discard this as yet another HR ‘buzzword’.

The case for people

sustainability

People sustainability is about ensuring that HR initiatives support an organisation to represent an “opportunity of a lifetime”. Sustainable HR initiatives include assessing all phases of the employees’ lifecycle – recruitment, on-boarding, talent development, off-boarding. It includes assessing how well all aspects are inter-linked. The speed at which some organisations are expected to grow also calls for sustainable HR measures. Organisations want employees to discover the right path, connect with talented people to learn from them and maximise personal and collective potential and sharpen their skill-set to become distinctive. When it’s time for them to leave, an organisation needs to identify ways it can acquire value from that relationship, keeping in mind that past employees will leave an impact somewhere else in the marketplace.

The case for sustainability lies in the ability to think and plan for the long-term and seeing the bigger picture for the future success of the organisation. It is about focusing on developing the next wave of technical experts or the next wave of leaders who have the skills the organisation requires, such as being excellent at building relationships or key at creating value for clients and in the broader marketplace. It is about making the investment in our people today with the challenging thought that the organisation may not see the return on this investment for years to come.

Considering the extent of time invested in dealing with our day-to-day exigencies, longer-term planning and thinking often take a backseat. This needs to change if we want our sustainability strategy to work − it requires time, resources, dedication and patience but when done properly, the payoff is more than worth it for both the organisation and the individuals and can be seen in improved motivation and morale as well as decreased absenteeism and turnover.

People sustainability measures

Depending on the size of an organisation, the HR team may want to consider identifying some sustainability measures that can be rolled out across the whole staff complement and other measures which can be targeted at those specific employees who show strong potential. This targeted approach is not only more efficient for the HR team but also gives the organisation a clear way forward in terms of succession planning. Measures for the wider organisation include creating a work environment and team spirit that supports the well being of staff members and instilling a set of corporate values that your members of staff can believe in.

Investment in ongoing development is another key measure – this can include tailored training programmes, one-to-one coaching and detailed development plans that should be regularly maintained and monitored to ensure that the staff member is progressing and developing adequately. When implementing talent programmes, measures need to be complemented with attractive career offerings and opportunities.

The types of measures an organisation chooses to adopt will vary depending on the size of organisation, the resources available, turnover rates and the market in which the organisation operates. The key to success, as with many HR initiatives, is to work closely with key stakeholders and top management in the organisation to ensure that measures adopted are closely aligned to the overall business strategy.

People sustainability – what more is there to learn about this concept?

The sustainability phenomenon brings along a myriad of benefits – both tangible and intangible. Market awareness can be raised if sustainability measures adopted by an organisation are promoted during recruitment campaigns, for instance. An entity may benefit from popularity gained within the market for being distinctive, for implementing people sustainability measures – an element which the new generation is definitely interested in. For the time being this may give an organisation a competitive edge − over the next few years this will become the norm.

Join PwC’s team at the FHRD National Annual HR conference organised by FHRD on 5th October to find out more about how you can use the concepts of sustainability to attract and retain your talent.

Ms Mamo is a manager in the Human Capital unit of PwC Malta. Over the years she has provided guidance and assistance in the design and development of many of PwC’s current HC structures, including recruitment and student programmes, performance coaching and development, retention and learning and education. Ms Mamo’s current responsibilities mainly revolve around implementing the talent management programmes at PwC, as well as being one of the firm’s key business skills trainers. During this session, Ms Mamo will be assisted by senior members of PwC’s Academy team of trainers.

This is one of the workshops offered at the 2012 National Annual HR Conferenc,e which is being held on 5 October 2012 at the Corinthia San Gorg Hotel in St Julian’s. For more information contact James Gatt on 2137 0685 or [email protected]