In the contemporary scenario, the ‘war for talent’ has led companies to prioritize talent management (TM) strategies to enhance long-term competitiveness. Retaining and developing high-potential talent has become essential, as investments solely in recruitment have proven ineffective over time. Therefore, professional potential assessment has proven crucial to support TM strategies, since it directly impacts the areas of Development, Succession and Retention. However, no precise formula exists for assessing individual potential, as it involves multiple dimensions and variables, often shaped by company needs influenced by expert’s experience, but with risks of individual biases and human limitations.
Objectives
This study aims to address professional potential assessment problem as a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) issue, given the multiple attributes involved. Therefore, it proposes a framework solution, applies the solution in a case study and defines TM strategies.
Method
The methodology was divided into three main points: (1) problem modelling, which included meetings with specialists and a Systematic Literature Review (SLR); (2) solution definition, indicating the AHP-ELECTRE-TRI as a suitable approach; and (3) application in a case study involving data from 84 team leaders of a multinational company in the industrial sector.
Result
The solution identifies the professional potential of team leaders through three classes defined in the solution definition stage. Therefore, the results support talent management strategies based on professional potential point of view.
Conclusion
This study proposes an accurate solution for evaluating professional potential and support talent management strategies. Furthermore, it contributes to filling the literature gap of outranking-based classification/sorting multicriteria approach for potential assessment. Future research could involve applying additional methods and expanding the number of specialists involved in the assessment, from different regions and countries.
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