Rolls-Royce jets off with 2024 Talent Management Award

Rolls-Royce captivated the Personnel Today Awards judges with its shift to a skills-based talent management model, which they described as ‘shaping industry standards’. Here we profile the winner and shortlisted companies in the 2024 Talent Management Award category. 

WINNER

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce, renowned for its quality in aerospace, power, and defence, employs over 44,000 colleagues worldwide. Recognising the need to adapt to a rapidly changing world, Rolls-Royce embarked on a major transformation in 2022 to overhaul its talent management strategy. With a focus on future needs, the company shifted from a traditional, role-based approach to a dynamic, skills-based system aimed at aligning talent with the demands of its enterprise strategy.

The transformation involved breaking down jobs into smaller projects and thoroughly mapping skills across the organisation using Workday Skills Cloud. Rolls-Royce introduced a ‘skills to work’ mindset, allowing talent to move freely within the business, thereby increasing flexibility and engagement. The new system has significantly expanded opportunities and has increased employee engagement, particularly among underrepresented groups.

A key achievement was the creation of the Engineering, Technology, and Safety capability function, which ensures that critical skills are available across the enterprise. This initiative has resolved skills gaps, reduced external hiring costs, and boosted internal mobility. The company’s skills-based approach has received recognition from industry leaders and is influencing broader discussions on workforce readiness and education reforms. Rolls-Royce’s journey towards becoming a holistic, skills-based organisation has laid a strong foundation for future growth and adaptability.

RUNNERS-UP

Informa in partnership with Talupp

Informa, an international events and academic knowledge group, faced challenges with an outdated talent management system, the 9-Box-Grid, which was cumbersome and only applied to the top 5% of employees. In response, it partnered with Talupp in April 2023 to develop the 4 Career Stages Framework, a dynamic and inclusive model tailored to all employees. This new framework categorises employees into four stages—Thrive, Enable, Stretch, and Shift—based on their engagement and career progression.

The framework was first implemented in Informa Connect, targeting 1,200 colleagues. It involved co-design workshops and integration with existing HR processes, supported by practical development projects. The new approach allows employees to take ownership of their careers, request career conversations at any time, and engage in more meaningful discussions with their managers.

The framework’s success led to its rapid adoption across the entire company, enhancing internal mobility, retention, and engagement. Informa has seen significant benefits, including clearer career aspirations for employees, better-equipped managers, and potential cost savings of up to £5 million. The project has been recognised internally, with the Head of Talent, Leadership & Inclusion, Petra Edwards, receiving an award for her role in its successful implementation.

Lloyds Banking Group

Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) is undergoing a major transformation in its talent management approach to better support its 60,000-plus colleagues in helping the UK prosper. To move away from the outdated 9-box-grid, one-size-fits-all approach, Lloyds introduced Prescient@LBG, a strategic, inclusive, and transparent talent management framework.

Prescient was launched after rapid prototyping and piloting with senior executives, leading to the development of a bespoke digital platform by January 2024. The Prescient Executive programme offers personalised insights, one-to-one coaching, and co-created talent snapshots, giving employees a voice in talent discussions. The programme prioritises psychological safety and data privacy, ensuring colleagues feel in control of their development.

The benefits of Prescient include culturally anchored insights, consistent calibration of talent, and enriched HR activities. The data-driven approach helps shape local talent development and offers long-term ROI through regular progress tracking. Following the success of Prescient Executive, LBG plans to extend the programme to its scale leaders and broader colleague base.

Sharon Doherty, chief people and places officer, highlighted the value of having an in-house service to maintain confidentiality and provide ongoing insights. She praised the depth and effectiveness of the Prescient proposition, noting that it has already proven cost-effective and insightful, particularly in succession planning for LBG’s senior executives.

Vero HR

Vero HR, founded in 2005 by chief executive officer Mike Kealey and director Shirley Kealey, offers a personalised approach to HR consultancy and outsourcing. With 40 employees and 140 clients, Vero HR provides a range of HR services across the UK and internationally. The company, built on over 30 years of HR experience, understands the critical role of talent management and development in fostering employee engagement and business success.

Recognising that employees thrive when they have clear progression opportunities, Vero HR’s leadership introduced a formal career development process in 2022. This involves dedicated annual meetings between employees and their managers, separate from regular one-to-one sessions. These discussions focus solely on the employee’s career aspirations and how the business can support them in achieving their goals.

Employees complete a digital career development review form before the meeting, guiding the conversation towards identifying growth opportunities, training needs, and possible career changes, including lateral moves across departments. This approach ensures that the company’s people plan aligns with its growth strategy.

The process has proven effective, with 17 out of 40 employees receiving at least one promotion in the past two years, and many being promoted multiple times. This has significantly increased motivation and employee retention, demonstrating the success of Vero HR’s focus on career development.

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