The demand for knowledge workers is building even as their experiences, skills and abilities are falling into increasingly short supply. Meanwhile, this shrinking talent pool grows ever more diverse — and their needs are shifting. They expect interesting work, career development and flexibility in exchange for their highly sought after capabilities.

Questioning the “war for talent”
Deloitte Research’s report, It’s 2008: Do you know where your talent is? Why acquisition and retention strategies don’t work - part 1 of our talent management series - questioned the “war for talent.” The report led us to conclude that rather than focus on acquisition and retention, organizations should focus instead on what employees care about most: developing in ways that stretch their capabilities, deploying onto projects and roles that engage their heads and hearts, and connecting to the people and things that will help them achieve their professional goals.

"Connecting" matters
CEOs talk about the need to connect with customers and suppliers, across teams and silos, and to accomplish big goals. New hires are encouraged to connect with key people. Even getting a job is all about “being connected.”

In a wired world, connecting people to what matters most is the name of the game. That’s because innovation and value emerge primarily out of people’s connections. So if connecting is so important, which kinds of connections matter most when it comes to business performance? This Deloitte Research study, part 2 of our talent management series, explores this issue and offers practical ideas to build connections that drive productivity, innovation and growth.