Keywords

Introduction

The development of talent is becoming more and more crucial in the context of international work. More and more managers share the belief that “talent management is the topic of the future” (Enaux and Henrich 2011). In addition, companies are increasingly organizing their activities globally, in order to use international competitive advantages, for example, and to counter the shortage of skilled workers. International talent development is therefore one of the most important core areas of human resources management. The special challenges in the area of responsibility lie in the increased complexity since employees from different cultures are to be considered with a variety of values, attitudes, and ways of working when conducting staff development activities.

In order for international talents to decide on a particular company and see the future prospects of that employer, it is necessary to accordingly align corporate and managerial culture with the talent management processes in an appealing manner. “This includes a personnel policy that implements building blocks such as equal opportunities, appreciation of cultural differences and openness in communication” (Stuber 2009). This contribution will provide you with extensive information on what is meant by international talent development, how classification in the entire talent management process takes place, and how this relevant area of responsibility can be successfully implemented in practice.

“Discover your talents and put yourself into practice!” This slogan has become the motto of modern life. However, a look into the world of work reveals that very few people really know about their talents and skills and use them purposefully. The ability to self-reflect in order to assess one’s strengths and weaknesses should be learned early in life. This ability to self-reflect decisively allows you to optimally form your own path in life and work. The personal talent development is partly the responsibility of each individual. On the other hand, companies are responsible for creating the best possible working conditions so that employees can develop optimally within their means. In the process, it is important to focus observations not only on the past and present. When evaluating a colleague (for all terms that concern people in the text, the selected formulation refers to both sexes) with respect to his or her potential, future perspectives in particular should be taken into account. It is important to give employees the opportunity to obtain the relevant skills and competence by taking on new tasks. “Growing into” new tasks or even “growing out of oneself” is only possible if individual potential is identified and promoted and if colleagues are given the required confidence for handling pending tasks.

This publication addresses all decision-makers and responsible persons, on both operational and strategic levels, desiring to ensure the competitive edge and future of their company or organization through directed encouragement of staff and talent. It should be emphasized that successful talent management should be the formal responsibility of not only the human resources management but also management and the board of directors.

What Are International Talents?

About the Concept of Talent

As a thematic introduction, a clarification should be made here to explain what the term “talent” means. The term was used in ancient times, first as a unit of weight and later as a means of payment. Today the word talent , which is derived from the Latin “talentum,” refers to people with special skills and capabilities. Thom and Nesemann (2011, p. 25) define talent as “(…) all employees who have a high potential for perception of complex tasks and are in the process of developing a high potential.” In the publication titled “The War for Talent” (Michaels et al. 2001), talent is defined as follows: “In the most general sence, talent is the sum of a person`s abilities – his or her instrinsic gift, skills, knowledge, experience, intelligence, judgement, attitude, character and drive. It also includes his or her ability to learn and grow.” In the professional debate, there are different opinions about how crucial the level of training for talent development is. The fact of the matter is that outstandingly gifted people can also be found among nonacademics. Talents are to be found accordingly “in all forms of education and occupations and at all levels of the company” (Thom and Nesemann 2011, p. 26).

At this point it is worth stressing the difference between the concepts of talent and high potential. Thom and Nesemann (2011) state that high potentials are particularly distinguished in that they attract attention through a high degree of commitment and superior performance, are eminently qualified, and also have additional potential for further development. In the personal portfolio developed by Thom and Friedli (2008), it can be seen that talent does not have to necessarily stand out against top performance in the present situation. Performance can even be poor or moderate. However, there is a high potential to tackle this in the future. In contrast, high potentials already meet the current requirements of a company on a large scale. They also have great potential to deal with complex tasks in the future.

As the discussion shows, there are no defined parameters concerning what is meant by the term talent. Instead, the definitions should be made in the context of the company. Every company should consequently define what attributes and characteristics an employee should bring in order to be recognized and promoted as a talent. The disambiguation is directed in part at the specific business goals since they act as important management tools for operational and strategic decisions and allow for corporate activity to be planned, implemented, and controlled. On the other hand, corporate culture plays an important role because herein lies the manner corporate objectives are achieved. Corporate culture includes the “universe of shared values, norms and attitudes that dominate the decisions, actions and behavior of the organization members” (Lies 2015).

Talents in an International Context

Companies show an increased interest toward international talent and young professionals because they can also support the process of globalization in addition to ensuring the labor productivity. In addition to their professional qualifications, they can possess, for example, interesting and competition-relevant know-how, such as regional knowledge , language skills, international contacts, and intercultural experiences.

What is international talent characterized by? International talent refers to when the employees can also operate successfully in an international environment, in addition to the previously mentioned talent criteria. Or they have a range of experience and skills that they have collected as part of several international positions (Suutari et al. 2014, p. 237). This shows that in the ranks of the workforce, international talents can be found both regionally as well as nationally and internationally. “International talent development means both globalization and localization of talents” (Piéch 2015, p. 71).

According to a study by Dries et al. (2014, p. 18) in which 410 HR managers of different business sectors participated, the cultural differences in understanding the concept of talent were relatively minimal. Significant consistency could be seen in that in particular the factors of “ability, skills, knowledge, and potential” are connected with the term talent. However, what is meant by these factors varies according to cultural attitudes and perspectives.

As already indicated, the observable performance of an employee does not exclusively form his or her key talent indicators, but rather his or her potential and the present characteristic of essential competencies. For this reason, talented employees should be recruited and promoted not because of their current abilities, but rather because of their potential. Therefore, an essential task of talent management is to convert potential into performance (Lackner 2014, p. 5)

International Talent Management

Conceptual Understanding and Core Tasks

In everyday entrepreneurial activities, talent managemen t is already being used as a success factor in various applications. In the wake of ever-increasing internationalization and competition for the best people, internationally oriented talent management has also played an increasingly important role (Collings and Scullion 2011). Due to demographic developments and the resulting shortage of skilled workers, a company can hardly afford to disregard international human resources. “International talent management means that all activities are aligned globally, are based on global strategic objectives and take into account local peculiarities. A balance between global standardization and local adaptation should definitely be reached for the purposes of diversity management” (Schweizer 2014).

The design of talent management varies greatly among the companies according to the company-specific work culture, corporate objectives, strategies, and resources. Just as companies have to clarify for themselves which specific features and characteristics distinguish a talent, it is also important to clarify which core tasks are included in the company’s internal talent management and how appropriately they can be implemented. For example, strategic elements are more in the foreground for some companies, whereas other companies favor procedural processes. In some companies, all members of the organization are explicitly included in talent management, while the majority considers the topic to be segmented for a select group of employees (Ritz and Sinelli 2011, p. 9).

Despite the different approaches, the following core tasks can be identified as part of talent management:

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the scope of talent management includes the identification and recruitment of talented staff, from the career-oriented promotion within the framework of the phases of work to remaining in contact and reemployment after possible resignation. Successful talent management therefore demands the cooperation of different sections of human resources. The promotion and development of talented colleagues should be running in parallel here. Future-oriented guidance remains important even should staff be optimally deployed in terms of their current skills and potential. This will achieve positive results in several ways since, apart from optimal performance, motivation and loyalty will also benefit.

Fig. 1
figure 1

The talent management process

Full size image

Advantages and Benefits

Even if the cost and time required to implement international talent management are initially higher, this form of talent management offers interesting advantages for both the company and the employees. According to Schweizer (2014), these benefits can be summarized as follows:

  • Departments and teams can be internationally staffed. Heterogeneous groups have the advantage of tackling business-related issues and problems from different angles. Due to the different schools of thought and approaches, more innovative and successful ideas can thus be developed than in homogeneous groups.

  • For talents, it may be an incentive to gain international experience through a career opportunity abroad and educate themselves personally as well as culturally. This way employee loyalty and the image and attractiveness of the company are simultaneously strengthened.

  • It is possible to diversify staff acquisition even further so that vacancies can be filled faster and strategic HR planning is implemented more precisely.

  • Tolerance and global understanding within the company can be promoted through international teams.

Principles of Success

Despite its immense significance, the establishment of successful talent management is a key challenge for the personnel management of companies worldwide. The study titled “Six Principles of Effective Global Talent Management” (Stahl et al. 2012) made this conclusion. The following principles for success for international talent management were derived from the investigation results:

  • Alignment with Strategy: Corporate strategy is the starting point for talent management. It is important to clarify the question as to what talents the company should focus on.

  • Internal Consistency: All core tasks of talent management should be coordinated and thus contribute to a synergy effect. With the investment in developmental measures for talents, measures for retaining them or their career management should be taken into account at the same time.

  • Cultural Embeddedness: In the various measures of talent management, such as recruitment, development , and retaining talent through compensation and benefits, conscious integration of corporate values should be carried out.

  • Management Involvement: Talent management is not only the task of the HR department. It should be practiced by managers at all levels, including senior executives.

  • Balance of Global and Local Needs: When companies operate abroad, they should adapt to local needs and/or take them into account.

  • Employer Branding Through Differentiation: Employer branding is a strategic corporate measure where concepts from marketing, especially branding, are applied in order for a company to position itself as an attractive employer in relation to competitors (Schuhmacher and Geschwill 2014). Top talent should be addressed and convinced by the company.

Since the targeted alignment of employer branding is a crucial foundation for the successful implementation of international talent management, Bayerl (2015) of aconso AG stated the following: “Employer branding and talent management (…) are in the fast lane in personnel management. More and more companies and organizations recognize and use the possibilities of the employer brand to attract the best professionals and executives for their business and motivate staff. Satisfied and committed employees always act as ambassadors of the company. In order to be perceived as an attractive employer, a company must effectively communicate its values and culture both internally and externally.” By raising the company’s profile as an attractive employer, the recruitment of talented young professionals and high professionals receives significant support. To recruit international talent, particularly the recruitment strategies of E-recruiting and public events such as professional and educational fairs and business networking events at universities should be globally oriented.

International Talent Development in Practice

In the previous sections, an overview was given, the criteria for which included discussing the concepts of talent and international talent management and whose key tasks are associated with this field. Since the focus of this paper is on the development of international talent, various options are shown below, such as how international talent development can be successfully implemented in practice. In the process, both selected strategic and operational measures are presented.

Corporate Culture and Diversity Management

In order to reach excellence, a work environment enabling peak performance is required above all. In addition to interesting career opportunities and attractive prospects, it is all about creating a work culture through which every colleague feels motivated to do his best and develop his or her potential. How do companies manage to produce such a positive and constructive working atmosphere? Work life is shaped by a variety of values, norms, and beliefs that are embedded in the corporate culture. Due to the current challenges, many companies are developing a growing interest in integrating a culture of mutual respect, appreciation, and openness in everyday working life. In the process, diversity management, that is, recognition of the diversity of skills, experience, and talents of employees, should be promoted and used increasingly as a success factor in the company and in public institutions. “The typical goals of diversity management are closely linked to demographic change and the resulting technical and managerial shortages. Increasing employer appeal and attracting new talent are at the fore. In addition, multiple perspectives promote innovation and motivation of employees, which contributes positively to the company culture and also responds to new markets and consumers layers” (Landwehr et al. 2013, p. 38).

Most of the measures currently taken in the name of diversity management aim to promote female employees (ibid, p. 39). To ensure commercial competitiveness, it is becoming increasingly important within the framework of talent development to promote and position highly qualified women. “Unless key positions are increasingly held down by talented women, the talent gap created by demographic developments will not nearly be plugged” (Thom and Sinelli 2010). Favorable framework conditions are required to allow occupational and family responsibilities to coexist. Many employers have recognized this dichotomy already and are offering options designed to improve occupational and familial compatibility.

When developing and designing a diverse workforce structure, the field of ethnic diversity plays also an important role. As effective measures, these include (Landwehr et al. 2013):

  • Recruitment of foreign specialists and managers

  • Recruitment of employees with migration backgrounds

  • Delegating employees and executives abroad

  • Building a global talent pool

  • Assembling international teams

Additional dimensions of diversity should also be taken into account in a successful development of personnel and talents. To sum up, it may be said that the consideration of factors of an individual and cultural nature within the framework of diversity management is an important determinant of corporate success.

International Human Resources Management and Employee Motivation

Successful integration of international talent in a company requires the consideration of different management and communication styles as well as a high degree of flexibility and intercultural competence . It should be noted, for example, that the performance and achievement motives are marked differently according to their own national culture. This means that international human resource management and employee motivation are to be very precisely tailored to the cultural backgrounds of the participants. In addition, executives are faced with the challenge of recognizing the potential for conflict in teamwork in addition to competence promotion of their employees and developing and implementing appropriate strategies for this purpose.

But what should companies without executive personnel bear in mind? “The non-hierarchical company − the bold future dream of progressive organizational development − is already a reality in some places” (Bittelmeyer 2014, p. 19). Especially in the case of a nonhierarchical organizational structure where self-organization and self-responsibility of the employees are set, the targeted development of human resources and talent should be a central part of corporate strategy. Although it is usually assumed that an independent and self-determined work leads one to improve employee motivation and qualifications, the implementation of staff development programs is highly recommended. For example, the employees of it-agile are no longer judged by an executive, but rather in the form of a peer-to-peer review. Here, each employee receives feedback from a hierarchical peer on where his or her strengths and development potential are so that there can be meaningful career planning (ibid., p. 22). With respect to the topic of personal responsibility, it should be noted that the ability to take on responsibility for people is marked differently. To consciously assume responsibility, both differentiated cognitive and emotional processes are required. It is all the more important to provide an organizational framework where each employee can use his or her individual potential even with respect to taking on responsibility.

There is a company that decided to make leadership in the sense of “privilege” meaningful again after abolishing executives and its name is Google. At Google, leadership is not understood as a status symbol, but rather it has to be earned. “We attach great importance to the fact that a manager brings agility, in other words looks for change or at the least calmly approaches change,” explains HR manager Frank Kohl-Boas in Bußmann (2014, p. 66). In addition, managers should know when they must act actively and when they must act passively. Staff and management development is applied extremely individually at Google because existing programs and training can be selected much like a modular design principle according to employee needs. In addition, a lot of attention is paid to a feedback culture. In particular, managers are given the chance to review and revise their leadership behavior where appropriate through immediate feedback from their colleagues (ibid.) .

Staff Management and Team Development

International talent development involves much more than just taking a look at the best. It is also important to give every individual the necessary attention in the context of his team. Every employee has individual, unique behavior patterns, inclinations, and skills. In practice, however, personal preferences are often not included to the extent that they would be advantageous. Oftentimes skills are harmonized for the requirements. However, a great potential of human resource is wasted as a result because requirements, ability, and preferences should be merged in the team. In this regard, Margerison and McCann stated the following: “In a team where each individual does a lot of what he or she likes to do, energy, enthusiasm, commitment and motivation − all increase many times − and then you get a high-performance team” (Tscheuschner and Wagner 2012, p. 35).

The Team Management System developed by Margerison/McCann revolves around the central functions of a team working with the individual preferences and skills of colleagues. According to their team success research, you have the following eight areas of activity that successful teams should have covered: advising, innovating, promoting, developing, organizing, reacting, monitoring, and stabilizing (ibid., p. 31). A strong team is characterized by the fact that it takes into account the diversity of colleagues, for example, through different work preferences, values, professional backgrounds, and related diverse thinking and communication styles of colleagues. Cooperation in international teams also requires high intercultural management skills to take advantage of the diversity of languages, cultural values, as well as work and behavioral methods for developing team efficiency.

Staff management takes practice! In order to lead a team successfully, different leadership skills are required in addition to high management motivation. Knowledge and understanding of specific management tools and communication techniques, such as the employee appraisal, formulation of target agreements and performance reviews, the use of various management strategies, success factors of delegation and conflict, and stress management, are crucial in successfully completing management tasks. In addition, the manager often acts as a coach or mentor. Qualification is strongly recommended for these functions. The basis for a powerful and motivated team is developing the personal leadership style of the manager. Reflecting on one’s own leadership behavior provides the opportunity to identify additional team resources, develop constructive solutions and management issues, and put them into practice. In order for managers to cope with the complexity of challenges, many companies offer targeted management qualification in the form of seminars, lectures, workshops, or coaching.

Operative Perspective: Measures for International Talent Development

For cultural diversity to be an asset for the company and its employees, the implementation of targeted talent development is recommended. The basis for optimal talent development should be forward-looking human resources and career planning. At best, personal and career development planning should take place as early as in the recruiting phase and accompany the employee continuously through the upcoming phases and work processes. The measures relevant to the development of international talents will be presented below.

Talent Pools and Software Tools

For many companies, the use of talent pools is part of a practicable measure to support the recruitment and positioning of suitable employees. The overview of profiles and qualifications also enables targeted implementation of operational competence management. In competence management, strategically relevant requirements are mapped into technical and interdisciplinary competences and implemented in the form of a learning management system (Thom and Sinelli 2010). Neben (2015) gives cause for concern, however, that “Talent in reserve” contradicts reality. Companies should be very careful saying “You are finished,” since this may raise employee expectations which lead to disappointment unless they are satisfied. It is furthermore not assured that employees in a talent pool will actually meet the concrete demands by the position to be filled.

The use of a technical system platform is recommended when implementing a comprehensive talent management strategy. The spectrum of offers should be selected taking into account internal company objectives for talent management and existing HR systems. Economic management of personnel and talent management are supported, for instance, by SAP ERP Human Capital Management (SAP ERP HCM) and cloud software by SuccessFactors (a SAP company). The software covers the entire cycle of employee planning and development: recruiting, performance management, remuneration, continuing education, career, and succession planning (SAP 2015).

Strategies for Workplace Layout

The strategy for workplace layout or expanding the field of work includes job enlargement, job enrichment, and job rotation. Since these strategies should specifically also be taken into account for talent development, they are briefly explained below. Job enlargement means adding activities at the same level of skill with the objective of counteracting monotony by providing a greater variety of tasks and extending the scope for action. This is called horizontal restructuring. Job enrichment, on the other hand, is part of vertical restructuring. The field of work is in this case extended through assignment of higher-quality tasks and decision-making competencies (Heise 2011).

Job rotation comprises the systematic exchange of workplaces in order to gain new technical and leadership skills. By offering talented staff insight and experience in different fields, they are empowered to extend their own range of competence and to better understand company processes. Social competencies are furthermore significantly developed through interaction with new colleagues and superiors (Hopp and Göbel 2004). It is especially beneficial also to international talent development if talented colleagues are given the opportunity of gaining new experience at various international locations.

Staff Assessment and Reflective Leadership Conduct

Affiliation with the group of talents or high potentials is not a fixed component. “Rather it is the result of a careful assessment of potential that needs to be repeated every few years” (Thom and Nesemann 2011, p. 25). Due to the thematic focus of the article, the topic of personnel assessment in its complexity cannot be treated here in detail. However, its high relevance should be pointed out since potential assessments are an essential basis for talent development. In contrast to performance assessment, potential assessment relates to the future aspect of qualifications. Potential describes a specific “developability” of people because of the personal gifts and talents they possess (Haenel 2005). In practice, there is a wide range of methods and tools to implement potential assessments. In addition to the implementation of assessment centers and conducting interviews, potential estimates of colleagues are part of an executive’s key instruments by holding employee and development discussions and the use of assessment forms, for example. It should be emphasized that employee performance assessment is a supreme discipline. In practice, at this point in particular, there is a great need for training among managers. According to a representative survey by the consulting firm Metaberatung, 55 % of respondents felt the assessments made by the supervisor were arbitrary and untruthful (Retting 2014).

On the one hand, it is imperative that managers are qualified in successfully conducting staff appraisals and performance reviews. On the other hand, their colleagues should be able to actively shape their careers. The basis for targeted career planning is knowledge of their own strengths and potentials. Based on this, strategies are relevant in terms of how this potential can be placed best within the company. For this purpose, the employee needs extensive skills to successfully prepare and conduct his discussions with the manager or his appearance as part of talent selection processes.

It is furthermore important that managers have an awareness not only of their colleagues but also of themselves. The basis of motivated and high-performance teams is the ongoing development of the personal leadership style of the manager. Reflection of the own leadership style opens up an opportunity of recognizing team resources and to develop constructive approaches to solutions and implement these in practice. Colleagues may at times also feel thwarted by the manager’s lack of authority or his complacency. Staff in leadership positions should therefore also ask whether their personal career path is coherent and whether their own potentials and talents are properly appreciated and deployed. Satisfaction with the development of the own personality and career is an important prerequisite to optimal support of talent development of the colleagues.

Appraisal Interview: “Interest” as a Key Factor

As already mentioned, appraisal interviews are one of the important tools in HR and talent development . The aims of this interlocutory form can include discussing the labor situation, agreeing on the next steps of career development, motivating employees, and enabling two-sided feedback. Promotion of a positive culture of discourse is a significant component of successful working relationships. The exchange of information is important in this respect, but especially also expressing appreciation where due. The neurobiologist Joachim Bauer emphasizes the importance of expressing your appreciation in your working relationship: “Lack of appreciation makes you sick. […] From a neurobiological point of view, we, as human beings, need social resonance and cooperation. Finding and giving recognition, appreciation and attention in our relationships lies at the core of human motivation” (Lienhart 2011, p. 17).

In order to have constructive exchanges with employees, basic communicative rules must be observed, and it is necessary to preserve the interests of the other party. When people bring special interest to a situation or event, then they show increased cognitive and emotional involvement. “Interestedness is subjective […] characterized by a feeling of sympathy, attention, understanding, being meaningfully active, expansion of learning” (Stangl 2015). Figure 2 shows what factors are taken into account to establish the communicative basis of interest development.

Fig. 2
figure 2

Development of the key factor of “interest”

Full size image

The development of interest by the dialogue partner is a prerequisite for effective communication. The individual aspects are discussed in more detail for a better explanation.

Transfer of Knowledge on a Cognitive and Emotional Level

People who can reach and inspire others with their words combine cognitive and emotional elements in their statements. Words with a high information content can be better processed and stored if they can be linked to an image or feeling. For this reason, communicatively trained people build an image for others with what they say. In addition, they are able to transform the content of discussions into an understandable language for the others. The ability to make changes at the levels of communication presupposes that one can empathize with his or her interlocutor and develop sensitivity to his or her situation.

Trustful Conversational Atmosphere

As we bring our interlocutor a high level of appreciation and an interest in his situation, we build a trusting atmosphere for the discussion. Through our empathic attitude, the other person feels we understand him or her. This is a foundation for the development of interest, which is reflected in the open-minded attitude of the interlocutor.

Sincerity on a Professional and Personal Level

Authenticity and sincerity are central characteristics of a successful communication style. People notice very quickly whether what is said is coherent and credible. According to Mentzel et al. (2004, p. 31), among the key aspects that contribute to a credible performance are openness, honesty, expertise, and authenticity. The interlocutor will develop interest for the information of his or her communication partner if he or she is convinced of his or her honest intentions.

Expectations of the Dialogue Partner

The extent to which we take in information crucially depends on our expectations and the associated intention. The difference between hearing and listening is that we make the decision to want to take in what we hear when listening. Only the decision makes it possible to open one’s consciousness so that certain tones are listened to” (Schinzilarz 2008, p. 14). With concentration and attention, the person filters the information he or she wants to take in from what is heard. In accordance with this, it is important to take into account the expectations of the communication partner.

Personal Connection to the Topic

Due to the complexity of our knowledge, while communicating, we often neglect the fact that we should primarily select the information to which the other party may also personally relate to. Interest in a conversation is particularly high when information can be linked to existing knowledge and experiences.

Personal Benefits Through Information

Interest in topics of conversation is often linked to the person’s own relevance to the topics. Interest can be especially high if personal benefits can be achieved through the information, and the information is a subjective value for the person. Through the ability to take in perspectives, we are enabled to assess the interlocutor in this respect and align our communication therewith.

Intercultural Communication and Intercultural Skills

Every one of us is familiar with them: misunderstandings in communication. What we say and how it is understood by others are oftentimes worlds apart. It is particularly challenging when people from different countries communicate with each other. For many employees and managers, dealing with intercultural challenges is a part of professional life. In addition to language barriers, different values and ideas as well as culturally determined ways of working can lead to significant misunderstandings and a loss in quality. The differences in the understanding of time, in the hierarchical thinking, in employee management, dealing with conflicts and risk, and in the understanding of loyalty are just a few aspects that have to be considered in cross-cultural understanding (Piéch 2013, p. 31). The special requirements in international cooperation are mainly based on the different cultural implications in company communications. To avoid misunderstandings, the knowledge of culture-specific ways of thinking and acting is indispensable. Global work processes can be made more efficient if an adequate flow of information and interaction leeway is ensured through effective communication branches and management methods. Acting in international work teams and dealing with clients from other cultures therefore require all parties to have a high degree of intercultural skills and competencies.

In promoting international talent, skills in the field of intercultural competence are the key to success. Promotion of intercultural competence should play a central role both at the employee and team level. Implementation of intercultural training particularly lends itself for this purpose. According to Clement and Clement (2014, p. 4), different objectives can be pursued through intercultural training, such as:

  • Preparation for international projects and negotiations

  • Preparation for staying abroad

  • Team formation/team building for interculturally based teams

  • Assistance in post-merger processes

In the literature there are a number of definitions for the term intercultural competence. According to Thomas (2003, p. 39), intercultural competence appears “in the ability to detect, respect, appreciate and productively use cultural conditions and influencing factors when perceiving, judging, feeling and acting with respect to oneself as well as others.” For Bolten (2007, p. 87), intercultural competence is not an independent competence ; rather it is the successful holistic interplay of individual, social, professional, and strategic action in intercultural contexts. Moreover, in most of these features, it is about competencies that are important for acting successfully in one’s own culture (ibid.).

Intercultural learning is a great added value for learning about one’s own culture as well as foreign cultures and creates the awareness that every culture has various explicit and implicit patterns of perception and expectations. It is crucial to promote new thinking styles and also allow an “as well as” attitude out of an “either-or” one, for example. The expansion of personal horizons and awareness of the self in the context of unknown are elementary learning processes that open new qualities in both professional and private life and can significantly improve the shaping of interpersonal relationships.

Intercultural Coaching and Mentoring

Through intercultural coaching, the working processes of experts, managers, and talent development can be significantly supported and enhanced at home and abroad. At the center of the consultation processes is solution-oriented work on individual and team-oriented goals and strategies for success. Intercultural coaching is very successfully used in the promotion of talent , as the talented staff develop constructive possibilities for action and problem-solving strategies in direct cooperation with the coach in order to improve their efficiency and to precisely master intercultural situations and difficulties. The expanded action repertoire can also be applied to new tasks so that a superior way of dealing with professional and intercultural challenges is ensured. In addition to the proven use of external coaches, every manager should be considered a coach and be qualified in this respect.

In addition to coaching, mentoring programs can significantly contribute to the development of talent . Mentoring “means the activity of an experienced person (mentor), who passes his knowledge and skills on to an inexperienced person (mentee or protégé). The aim is to support the mentee in his personal or professional development within or outside the company […]” (Richert 2006, p.7 ff.). In particular, the personal interaction and the ability to plan the meetings individually in terms of content and timing lead to this staff development method being readily accepted by many talented employees. It should be noted that in addition to professional qualifications, the mentor also has international experience and can empathize with the role and expectations of the mentee. The mentors themselves benefit from their own mentor activities since they thereby obtain an additional opportunity to reflect on their professional activities. Since the success of mentoring crucially depends on the cooperation between mentor and mentee, personal responsibility is also strengthened as a result (ibid., p. 10).

Learning Circles, Action Learning, and Stretch Assignments

Action learning, learning circles, and stretch assignments are further interesting activities in the promotion of talent because they support the individual development of employees within the scope of the actual challenges of everyday working life. As Goldsmith and Carter (2010, pp. 199, 202) explain, people learn best when they apply new information to current challenges, when they are in constant exchange and feedback with their colleagues, and when the learning process involves the whole person. By having talented colleagues identify specific problems and create solutions, they become experts and senior experts in this field.

Learning circles are corporate learning groups where the participants self-organize to work on the individual issues and challenges. In learning circles, each participant selects a target and develops realistic and relevant action steps to achieve this goal (Goldsmith and Carter 2010, p. 204). After the objectives have been achieved, the next aim is formed and implemented. Thanks to learning circles, the participants are given an important platform for reflection and feedback. They can additionally build a cross-functional network, and through their support, faster and more efficient decision-making and problem-solving processes are possible (Deters 2012, p. 126).

In action learning, a selected team of employees works on a real problem in the company that is outside of its area of competence. Action learning enables the participants to prepare for strategic issues and to develop decision-making powers (Byham et al. 2002, p. 233). Thanks to the cross-sectoral and strategically oriented tasks, this measure generates a high level of commitment and motivation among participants. Action learning and learning circles are measures for talent development that require few resources and that demand and support goals such as networking, learning soft skills, problem-solving skills, personal and professional development, as well as a holistic view of the company (Deters 2012, pp. 127–128).

Stretch assignments are an individual development measure in which systematic allocation of particularly challenging tasks is conducted, where talents also have to use new, untested skills. Often it is the development of particularly significant skills in preparation for a leadership position, so that stretch assignments are usually applied as a long-term measure (Byham et al. 2002, pp. 176, 199). Even if the underlying assumption is “The greater the challenge, the greater the development,” excessive demands should be warned against. It is crucial that no excessive and insufficient demands are made of the talents; otherwise, you risk frustration and demotivation.

For all three measures, it is recommended that the talents are assigned a coach or mentor, who is a contact person for questions and problems, provides feedback, and, where appropriate, is engaged in a supportive role (Byham et al. 2002, p. 188).

Risk Perspective: Using Talented Employees Abroad

Chances and Risks

Another interesting measure for international talent development is the international deployment of employees, as overseas assignments are also crucial in personnel and management development in addition to achieving operational aims. To successfully operate in an economic context, expertise alone is no longer enough. International know-how and intercultural skills are essential soft skills in a globalized economic structure. According to the survey “Talent Mobility 2020” by the accounting and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC 2010), the number of assignments of expatriates will increase by 50 % by 2020.

In the process, international assignments are part of the personnel decisions of a company that are favorable to investment as implementing them usually costs two to four times the gross annual salary of a comparable position in the parent company (Kühlmann 2004). The situation is therefore all the more problematic in that approximately 10–20 % of expatriates (employees who temporarily work for a domestic company or a foreign company abroad are referred to as expatriates; after being assigned abroad, expatriates can also be referred to as returnees or repatriates) cancel their stay prematurely and a further percentage of employees remains behind the desired expectations in terms of performance (Stumpf 2005). A serious problem is the fact that after their foreign assignment, more than 60 % of the employees change employers within two years (Gelbrich and Müller 2011). Companies thereby lose not only highly qualified staff but also competitive relevant knowledge and experience. Nevertheless, it is more important to increase efficiency in the international transfer of personnel by increasing the performance and satisfaction of expatriates and foreign returnees. This can be achieved, for example, if employees receive target-oriented training and consulting services in all phases of relocation from international preparation to reintegration. The measures aim to qualify the expatriates so that they effectively shape their actions in foreign and in their own cultural contexts and combat specific problems on a solution-oriented basis.

Return from Abroad and Transfer of Knowledge

In order to retain foreign-experienced and talented employees in particular, greater attention should be paid to intercultural knowledge and experience in the context of returning from abroad. Reintegration with one’s home country often proves to be the most difficult phase within the foreign assignment process. Their success depends largely on the extent to which the growth of their own skills obtained abroad is taken into account. Gudrun Kipp, who is responsible for international assignments at Bosch, said in this regard: “The return of the acquired knowledge to the company is not only a very important factor for the satisfaction of returnees, but ultimately the decisive factor for successful deployment management” (Guba 2014, p. 32).

However, targeted knowledge transfer after returning from abroad is still a rarity in the practice of foreign assignments. For example, sometimes companies offer their employees opportunities to participate in evaluation discussions or intercultural competence analyses in order to systematically reflect on their knowledge gained abroad and their international experiences. This step is necessary as most expatriates are often unaware of their acquired intercultural know-how. A key reason lies in the fact that knowledge is mostly at the implicit (unconscious) knowledge level. The ability to clarify implicit knowledge, i.e., the awareness of internalized knowledge, is the precondition for ensuring that the acquired knowledge and experience potential are available for putting into practice (Piéch 2010, p. 81). As part of systematic staff development , experience, skills, and qualifications of expatriates acquired abroad should be specifically processed and used in the company.

The Importance of the Family in Overseas Assignments

Whether or not foreign assignment of an employee is successful depends to a large extent not only on the assigned person himself but also on any accompanying partners or family. Ideally, they support the expatriate to develop its capabilities in foreign cultural context and to put full concentration on the work abroad. In the worst case, problems in the partnership or in the family can disturb the expatriate in his work and even cause the foreign assignment to be terminated.

The problems that partners and children experience are often underestimated in foreign assignments. They also need to adjust their lives to the new culture and find a constructive approach to the manners and way of thinking that happen abroad. To make matters worse, partners primarily assume organization of their new everyday lives and the construction of social relations without having a formal setting. In contrast to the expatriate, who is mostly at home within the structures of work, his partner has to deal with intercultural challenges associated with high levels of self-organization and self-responsibility. Many of those traveling will feel left alone in this situation. Isolation, loneliness, restrictions in one’s professional career development, and role conflicts are just some problems that expat partners have to cope with. In order for the partners’ time abroad to be successful, coaching or seminars, for example, are highly recommended. With these measures, the implementation of individual development objectives and strategies for success and the training for new behavioral strategies are specifically promoted. Intercultural knowledge can thus be translated into substantial action.

SCIENTIA3: Analyzing, Communicating, and Using Knowledge

In order for employees to operate successfully abroad and also be available to the company with their valuable work force after returning, special programs and methods should be implemented during their assignment abroad. As an example, the staff development method “SCIENTIA3 – analyzing, communicating, and using knowledge” should be presented at this point. This method, which can be used both for expatriates and for their partners, supports the successful implementation of employee assignments from a process-oriented point of view (Piéch 2012, p. 52). What is innovative about this method is that for the first time it perfectly connects the following objectives:

  • Targeted preparation, monitoring, and reintegration of expatriates

  • Systematic preservation and use of intercultural knowledge and experience potential

  • Efficient staff development

The success of this method is based on the innovative synthesis of targeted staff development and support during the entire process of being abroad and the systematic use of knowledge of intercultural know-how by expatriates and their partners. As made apparent by Figure 3, there is a staff development method SCIENTIA3 consisting of four phases.

Fig. 3
figure 3

Employee development method: SCIENTIA3

Full size image

The phases are briefly explained below.

Phase 1: Reflection

A professionally run systematic reflection of international experience in phase 1 forms the basis for successful knowledge and experience. In regularly conducted development discussions and reflection processes, experiences and adventures are promptly documented over the entire length of the assignment abroad and the implicit, that is, the unconscious and action-guiding experience and knowledge of expatriates are developed.

Phase 2: Competence Analysis

This experiential knowledge obtained as part of a purposeful reflection process is structurally prepared in this phase. The focus here is on the detailed analysis of the acquired competence spectrum of the expatriate and the demonstration of specific applications. The documentation and verbalization of competence growth will be implemented in a professional manner at this stage.

Phase 3: Handling of Knowledge

In the third phase, the returnee acquires a set of methods concerning how he can shape his handling of the “newly” developed knowledge resource. The operational and strategic alignment of knowledge use is analyzed in a personal, organizational, and social context. This broadening of perspectives allows the supra-individual transfer of knowledge resources.

Phase 4: Transfer of Expert Knowledge

Having “knowledge” capital is a prerequisite for obtaining knowledge transparency. However, only the skills for communication and use of knowledge generate significant added value. The main problem of many returnees oftentimes lies herein. For this reason, expatriates in the fourth phase are capable of situation and needs-based communication of their personal knowledge and intercultural potential.

With the SCIENTIA3 method, expatriates acquire a wide range of skills, making them highly skilled and motivated employees for their company. The gain in competence can be used far beyond the assignment-specific context and is used for systematic HR and talent development.

People Perspective: Retaining Talent

Factors for Enhancing Employee Loyalty

If a talented employee leaves the company, the company thus loses not only valuable work force but also competition-relevant knowledge and experience. In addition, the high financial costs of the previously made investments for recruitment, induction, training, and remuneration, for example, as well as the costs resulting from filling the vacant position are associated with the loss of talent (Suutari et al. 2014, p. 239). For this reason, it is important not only to invest in the recruitment and development of talent but also in employee retention.

How can staff retention be successfully implemented? It should be noted that the retention of staff is applied before an employee joins the company, when an initial reference is made to new employees by HR Marketing. As was made clear in Chap. 2, “Human Resources Marketing and Recruiting: Essentials of Employer Branding,” it is crucial how the potential employer presents itself in its values, its working culture, and its development possibilities. The first step for future employee retention is already taken here (Flato and Reinbold-Scheible 2008). Because talents are also very interesting to competitors, retention management should focus on the central question: What could make talents change employers? For a binding effect, measures and activities “that increase job satisfaction of employees and create incentives to remain with the company” should be offered (ibid).

International Employee Motivation

In order to achieve optimum results in talent and employee retention, incentive systems that appeal to both the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation should be employed. If an individual acts out of intrinsic motivation , he does so out of his own interests and of his own accord, without being influenced from the outside. The work itself is something that simultaneously motivates, satisfies, and brings joy (Rheinsberg 2002, p. 152). In extrinsic motivation , external influences and incentives act as a motivator. These pulses can have both material and nonmaterial origins (Sprenger 2010). Monetary bonuses count as an extrinsic, material incentive. Intangible incentives, for example, can be given via career planning, job design, or qualification opportunities (Semar 2004). To increase motivation and performance of employees, the incentive systems should be made accordingly on an alternating basis.

When retaining international talent in particular, it is important to note that there are different needs based on the cultural background and motif structures. Gilbert stated in this regard: “Motivation factors vary depending on the country and company. Even within companies they can vary between the different business and functional areas. For this reason it is important that employers identify and use the individual motivational factors in their company. This way, the return on investment for HR issues is maximized” (Mercer-Studie 2008). As the research results of Mercer show in the study titled “Engaging Employees to drive global business success,” employee engagement is strongly determined by the business and cultural environment. The study lists different cultural motivation factors from 22 countries. Globally the most important factor in this respect is mutual respect (ibid.).

Talent Retention Through Talent Development

Talent development is closely linked to talent retention. Job satisfaction is also largely connected to which development opportunities the company offers the employee. Hockling (2011) states the fact that younger workers especially want to be promoted as follows: “But most striking is the desire of young people to receive continuous feedback. The Millennials want feedback from their employers and are interested in mentoring and support programs.” “The younger generation − Gen Y − also shifted its career focus and is looking for a balance between personal and professional life as well as self-realization. This trend should be identified early by the company and adapted in the incentive systems to attract talent” (Rundstedt 2013).

In principle, staff development should be based on the potential and needs of the employees. It is crucial to make an age-differentiated analysis and to include older colleagues in the development programs. Forward-thinking companies are aware of the skills and potential of their older counterparts and therefore create particularly attractive working conditions and training opportunities for this target group. It is advisable to align talent development in the form of life-phase-oriented personnel development (Becker 2010, p. 53), in which the preventive measures for all life stages and activity levels are considered. The task of the staff developer is to choose the most effective staff development measures for the respective age classes with their individual qualification levels (Deters 2012). It is important that talents are motivated to face the new challenges and to tackle them successfully. This requirement applies to the new self-understanding of many qualified employees who desire not only pure employment security for their job satisfaction but most of all autonomy, flexibility, and the freedom to implement their own ideas (Rundstedt 2013). Talent management and succession planning are furthermore intertwined. Succession planning opens up new perspectives on talents and therefore also opportunities to prove an employee’s worth (Thom and Sinelli 2010).

Even if employees decide to leave the company, attempts should be made to maintain the employer-employee relationship through targeted retention management. For example, objectives may include building cross-company synergies, strengthening the entrepreneurial image, or even recovering lost talents again and keeping them with the company in the long term.

Economic Perspective: Relevance to Companies and Practical Examples in Commerce

Talent Development at DB Mobility Logistics AG

DB Mobility Logistics AG started implementing the first development center for targeted talent development in 2011. Constanze Wiedemann, team leader for talent management , and Tobias Huch, of DB Mobility Logistics AG, explain that talent could in earlier days be proposed only by management. Within the framework of process development , it is possible for managers today to personally apply for participation in a development center. The development centers are directed across all business segments at target areas (e.g., finance, marketing, technology/service). The central aim of the development center is to explore and to promote employee potential in their own companies. As part of the two-day event, where, for example, an extensive interview will take place and a simulated executive meeting will be handled by the participants as a case study, colleagues will be evaluated by higher-ranking executives and departments/HR. After the event, there will be a detailed feedback discussion with colleagues, and the development activities in the departments will be discussed. A major advantage of the development center is that the potential assessments of employees are made from different perspectives.

To promote foreign colleagues or employees who work in an international context, there will be implementation of international development centers in the future. A further measure to promote talent is to offer “talent days .” Here a creative exchange of talent and future employers in the company will be held across all business segments and with the involvement of the executive board. In addition, DB Mobility Logistics AG will offer its potential high performers comprehensive programs and seminars for systematic career development (Wiedemann and Huch 2015).

Talent Development at Lufthansa Technik AG

Lufthansa Technik AG international talent management is based on comprehensive development of a culture of leadership, supported systematically ever since 2010. According to Astrid Neben, director of Personnel and Organizational Development of Lufthansa Technik AG, measures such as systematic succession planning, internal planning of promotions, and regular grading of management have been implemented as routine processes, thereby significantly contributing to the success of the company. The orientation of leadership development on the Lufthansa-wide competency model is a relevant building block of cross-corporate talent management: “Leadership Principles,” which addresses all members of staff. This model constitutes the basic framework for effective staff and leadership development policies – creating a common understanding of leadership. Regular and systematic analysis of performance and potential on the basis of the Leadership Principles provides an informed and current overview of company potential.

For the directed development of talents apart from leadership careers for defined families of jobs, Lufthansa Technik is also offering careers in projects and technical fields. Via the Lufthansa School of Business, colleagues are also offered individual and internationally oriented development opportunities such as tailored training and continuing education and dialogue and network platforms. Assessment centers are used for filling leadership positions. Appointments to management positions used to be preceded by attendance at a development center, with the objective of an appointment on a leadership level. Graduates of the development center, however, often failed to attain the technical and cultural know-how needed to successfully hold down the job positions. The current implementation of assessment centers allows a more targeted positioning of candidates with potential (Neben 2015).

A Success Factor for Companies of All Sizes

Implementation of international talent management is currently practiced mainly in large companies as they are represented at various locations around the world and have established interesting opportunities for an international career or personnel changes through their personnel structure. In addition, large companies often have access to better financial and human resources (Ewerlin and Süß 2013). For small- and medium-sized businesses, however, the relevance of talent management with an international focus is also important. For example, although no global business activities are planned, changes in the labor market, particularly in the employment structure, should be focused on. Professionals and talents of international origin are increasingly moving toward the center of attention in order to meet current and future challenges such as internationalization or professionalization. As stated in the article, every company has to determine for itself the way in which talent development is implemented. Therefore, even small- and medium-sized enterprises should seize the opportunity and go with targeted development measures. Major impacts can already be achieved through cost-conscious investment. A first step could be to systematically use everyday tasks as well as existing projects and working groups for staff development in which talents are specifically integrated, challenged, and encouraged in coping and solution processes. The resulting win-win situation for the company and for the talented employees has a positive effect on the entire working environment and on competitiveness.

Dos and Don’ts in International Talent Development

Practice Extra-Occupational Talent Development

As a component of talent management , talent development deserves to play a process-accompanying role in all phases of the work process. Even successful employees desire continued encouragement. You can increase your employees’ job satisfaction and performance motivation through future-oriented perspectives.

Every Employee Is Important!

In addition to promoting the best, also focus on each and every worker’s talent s and strengths as part of targeted human resource development. Create a work culture in which every employee feels motivated to give his or her best.

Expand Responsibilities

Successful talent management is rooted in corporate strategy and should also be structurally incorporated into the business and managerial level, in addition to the responsibilities of human resource management.

Implement Diversity Management

The basis for successful work is formed by an organizational culture characterized by mutual consideration, appreciation, and openness in dealing with one another. In this regard, diversity management is an important factor for a company’s success, since recognition and encouragement of staff diversity have a lasting effect on workers’ motivation and ability to perform.

Take Advantage of Employer Branding

Employer branding plays an important role in recruiting talent ed employees and gaining their loyalty for the long term. Keep in mind that this process starts with the first contact through human resource marketing. Orient your recruiting strategies on the global level and position yourself as a more attractive employer than your competitors.

Recognize the Importance of Coaching and Mentoring

The use of coaching and mentoring is a central component in international talent development , because this enables very specific development processes. On the one hand, coaching and mentoring can function as individual measures. But they can also be used in tandem with other strategies, such as job rotation, action learning, learning circles, and stretch assignments , to offer additional support.

Consider the Cultural Differences of Your employees’ Achievement Motives

Achievement motives and performance vary depending on an individual’s national culture. The use of international talents therefore makes it necessary to take account of effective management and communication styles, which should be very precisely tailored to employees’ cultural backgrounds.

Invest in Your Managers

In addition to high managerial motivation, complex managerial competencies are required in order to successfully function as a manager. The reflection of one’s own management behavior and the refinement of one’s personal management style also play a fundamental role in supporting colleagues’ talent development as well as possible.

Establish a Positive Discussion Culture

Successful working relationships are based on a positive discussion culture. Utilize performance reviews not only for the exchange of information but also to express your appreciation of colleagues. All over the world, treating employees with respect is among the most important motivation factors.

Be Innovative in Your Design Possibilities

Don’t hesitate to implement international talent development because of the presumed expense and time involved. Even small investments can have a big impact. So use your design freedom to implement effective talent development measures.

Don’t Make Indiscriminate Use of Talent Pools

Employees have expectations when joining a talent pool. Can the company live up to these expectations and is the employee really capable of meeting the specific requirements of the position to be filled?

Do Not Underestimate the Importance of Intercultural Competence

Intercultural competence forms a crucial foundation for the success of activities in international work environments, as well as the success of cooperation in international work teams. Targeted promotion of intercultural competence is therefore not a voluntary exercise but a prerequisite.

Don’t Waste Your Expatriates’ Valuable Knowledge Potential

After returning home, if an expatriate is unable to put into practice the experience and skills that he or she learned abroad, then this increases the risk of employee dissatisfaction and the likelihood that he or she will seek a new employer. You will be losing not only a valuable employee but also knowledge and experience that can give you a competitive edge.

There Is No Such Thing as “Too Small”!

It’s not the size of a company that matters when implementing targeted human resource and talent development . In addition to large corporations, small- and medium-sized enterprises should also seize the opportunities that internationally oriented talent management offers.

Conclusion

By intensifying global economic relations and the problem of the future shortage of skilled workers, the special field of international talent development is of particular importance in companies and organizations. Successful operation on international markets requires that the increased complexity is taken into account in staff design and development through international factors. As part of the article, it was shown which position international talent development has taken within international talent management and what special issues are to be considered in the establishment and implementation of the area of responsibility. In particular, the strategic importance of the international talent development has been demonstrated in the corporate context. From the perspective of human resources management, talent management makes a major contribution to achieving an organization’s strategic objectives. Due to this strategic function, talent management should be structurally involved at the executive or board level and not be the sole responsibility of the HR departments. This gives this special field strategic direction and meaning, which is necessary for successful implementation.

In this article, various measures have been discussed as to how successful talent development can be implemented at a national and international level. The range of topics included basic aspects of corporate or organizational culture, communication between staff, personnel management, and concrete measures toward qualification of talent and leadership. Additional emphasis was also laid on the promotion of intercultural competency and the deployment abroad of talented staff. Successful participation in international markets assumes that the increased complexity brought about by intercultural factors is taken into account in the selection and development of staff. Targeted talent development will prove beneficial in several ways, not only increasing staff performance but also positively impacting on work satisfaction, staff motivation, and loyalty.

It is critical that staff and talent development is the responsibility of both the company and each and every employee. Through the employee’s own initiative, the element of self-determination is activated, which has a positive effect on individual development. Talents should accordingly receive an operating supportive framework in which they can work on developing their career from their own initiative. The implementation of individually tailored talent development should be based on a specific culture of feedback, which, for example, is successfully accompanied by regular development meetings, coaching, or mentoring.

Even if differentiated promotion of talents is recommended, in conclusion, it should be pointed out that it is advisable to promote the talents and strengths of each colleague in the context of specific employee development. To generate a positive work environment, which is the basis for the motivation and commitment of employees, appreciation of the diversity of people plays a major role in particular. In the process, a loyal treatment on professional and personal levels is the basis that motivates colleagues and responsibly shapes the value creation process of the company.