Strategic Talent Management: A Comparative Analysis of Hard Vs. Soft Skills

Abstract

The war for talent is an ongoing problem for organizations. This study examined strategic talent management in the workplace. It compared three talent management dimensions including: a) attraction b) selection and c) retention in hard skills and soft skills. The research reviewed the barriers to effective talent management and successful policies. The author conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 human resources (HR) professionals, focusing on strategic talent management dimensions in hard skills and soft skills. Responses from the interviews were coded and details about the differences were summarized. The data from the interviews were evaluated using chi-square analyses to identify statistically significant differences in HR professionals’ perceptions of strategic talent management in hard skills versus soft skills. The research suggested plausible reasons for the significant differences in managers’ perceptions of talent management effectiveness in hard skills and soft skills. These results create a comprehensive framework for organizations to develop strategic talent management guidelines.