How it works

A critical talent plan defines the specialized and concentrated efforts that will be undertaken for those roles deemed to be of the greatest importance to meeting the organization’s strategic objectives. It is a separate plan that is integrated with the annual talent strategy employed to meet the needs of most roles in the organization. It incorporates the "Six (6) Bs" of planning .

looks_oneReview the 6 Bs for a combined upgrading of the existing talent 

The "6 Bs" refer to the range of strategies used to close the talent gaps identified in the strategic workforce plan. They are defined as:

1. Buy - acquiring the talent from outside the organization through active recruitment efforts. This is the most typical tactic for gaining the needed capabilities at scale.
2. Build - developing the capabilities needed inside the organization with learning and development activities. This is a long-term strategy used for augmenting "buy" tactics and developing a critical workforce that has more staying power due to the career development and mobility benefits of this tactic. 
3. Borrow - partnering with outside agencies and individuals to use non-employee resources to fill skill needs either on an ongoing (e.g., contingent contractors and consultants) or short-term (temporary or summer hire/intern) basis. This option is often used as either 1) an ongoing labor cost-savings tactic or 2) a stop-gap measure while building through the other methods.  
4. Bind - building special programs for retaining the critical skills employees with distinct attention, development, mobility, incentives, pay, benefits, etc. This is a commonly used tactic with high potentials ("HIPOs") and executives that can be applied to critical skills employees.
5. Bot - leveraging autonomous (IT) programming to automate repetitive tasks and thus replace existing employees.
6. Bounce - moving lower performing employees out of the organization or to roles better suited to their capabilities.     
   
   

looks_twoDetermine the number of needed employees produced by each element or "B" of the Critical Talent Plan