Talent management in public authorities

Problem setting. Under the conditions of the intense labour market and fierce competition, talented and highly productive workers, who can learn quickly and adapt to rapid changes in the environment, and possess a range of unique skills, knowledge and competence in a particular field are particularly valuable. It was these employees who led the emergence of the new term “war for talent”, which initiated the formation of a whole direction in approaches to personnel management, namely talent management. Because of this, there is a necessity for a deeper understanding of the essence of the talent and the talented employee, as well as the identification of the talent management process as a separate area not only in the business sphere but also the formation of the concept of talent management for its practical application in public authorities. 

Recent research and publications analysis testified that an important role in the study of the talent management system in general and, in particular, in Ukraine, is played by an analysis of the world experience in this field since there are very few own developments and works. The fundamental bases of talent management are embedded and developed in the research and scientific works of well-known practitioners and researchers, such as M. Armstrong, J. Billberry, L. Jeffrey, S. Zelinskyi, E. Michaels and H. Hendfield-Jones, A. Robertson and G. Abby and others.

Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. Concerning Ukraine, it should be noted that due to the outdated personnel management system existing in domestic organizations, especially in the public sector, this topic is not yet mature enough for a deep study, which, in turn, determines the necessity to research the theoretical aspects of the concept of talent management and to generalize the factors that stipulate the need to implement these processes in Ukraine.

Paper main body. Today, more and more companies are realizing the necessity to reorient HR management to the concept of managing talented employees. Talent is the set of human abilities, inherent in his/her giftedness, skills, knowledge, experience, intelligence, prudence, character and energy, as well as the ability to learn and grow. Talent management is a purposeful activity aimed at creating a system of recruitment, development, use and retention of talented employees capable of achieving the best results in the work.

With the adoption of up-to-date and topical regulations on personnel management in public authorities in Ukraine, there will be very specific chances to create a truly professional, qualified, stable and politically neutral state apparatus.

In this regard, in recent years, there has arisen a necessity in strengthening the strategic role of HRM services in the public administration system, focusing them on organizational and analytical work in personnel management, planning the career of civil servants, forecasting staff development and providing training opportunities.

The public authorities of Ukraine do not currently have a system and strategic foundations for talent management.

In this context, it is important to talk not only about structural changes but about deep transformation, about values and principles of work of a civil servant, about the introduction of effective methods of motivation and complex approach to assessing personnel activity through the usage of quantitative and qualitative methods of assessment at all levels in the system of public authorities.

The introduction of modern practices and technologies of personnel management in the system of public authorities, as well as the creation of separate structural units for the talent management, will improve the personnel management system at public service, ensure an objective process of recruitment and service career, and also strengthen the professional level and its competitiveness in the labour market.

Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. Basing on the above mentioned, it can be noted that the issues outlined in our study require elaboration and solution at the scientific, theoretical and applied levels, and special attention has to be paid to the unification of the conceptual-categorial system, which is necessary for the harmonization of the processes of forming an effective model of talent management in the public authorities of Ukraine.