Paper #1

Talent Management to Improve Employee Competence: A Qualitative Study

Irene Samanta and Pavlou Eleni

Abstract: The research investigates two basic techniques in Talent Management, coaching and mentoring, in training marketing employees and how these techniques contribute to the best use of their talents. The research investigates how these skills can be utilized to developing the needed skills in the marketing employees. The study has worked to outline the extent to which talent Management improves competitiveness and how easily it can be taken up as a practice by the employees themselves. Qualitative method was employed to examine the mentors across three European companies using depth interviews. The research indicated that the training is a more integral entity and should be part of the training plan devised based on individual training needs assessment. Furthermore, new employees can be introduced with greater ease into the workplace when a coach or a mentor is in place. Finally, individuals who have themselves chosen their coach or mentor have a better professional outlook.

Keywords: Talent Management; Mentoring; Coaching; Employee Competence; Qualitative Study.