Key Talent

Definition

Employees who are either exceptionally valuable or exceptionally difficult to replace, kept happy through a combination of favors, competitive compensation, and prayers.

Example Usage

Marcus is key talent, so when he asked for remote work, a gym membership, and a sabbatical fund, we said yes to everything.

Origin

Talent management terminology from the 1990s

Fun Fact

Companies lose key talent at 2-3x the rate of average performers, often due to taking them for granted.

Source: Talent retention strategy

Related Terms

Intermediate

talent bench

A pool of internal candidates ready to move into key roles when they open, theoretically ensuring smooth transitions. It's succession planning's optimistic assumption that people will still be around when you need them.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

recruiting

The art of convincing talented people that your company is better than it actually is, using promises of growth, culture, and work-life balance that may or may not materialize. The corporate equivalent of dating, except with background checks and non-disclosure agreements.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

applicant tracking system

Software that manages job applications, resumes, and candidate communications throughout the hiring process. It's the black hole where your carefully crafted resume goes to die because it didn't contain the right keywords.

👥 Human Resources

Beginner

Talent Pool

An imaginary reservoir of qualified candidates that HR claims to maintain but suspiciously disappears when you actually need to hire someone.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

Severance Package

Compensation offered to terminated employees, typically designed to be just generous enough to avoid lawsuits while leaving people financially strained.

👥 Human Resources

Intermediate

Glassdoor Effect

When employees read honest company reviews on Glassdoor and suddenly realize they're getting paid less for more work than competitors, leading to immediate job searching.

👥 Human Resources

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