It’s hard to imagine a time without instant and worldwide communication through cell phones, satellites, and TVs. With its evolving capabilities, the telecom industry has adapted and shaped our world for over a century. In a $443 billion industry with a rapidly changing landscape, this sector has experienced immense growth in recent years and is not expected to slow down. With fast growth, however, comes human resource challenges, such as technology skills gaps and tough competition for top talent.
Why is Performance Management Important in the Telecom Industry?
The telecom industry is largely responsible for how our world effectively communicates. Telecom employees are highly valued as their efforts contribute to cutting-edge technology and services that shape our future and define our past. It is imperative that these employees are engaged, motivated, and developed even amidst industry challenges. The following list highlights these specific difficulties.
- Tight Competition– According to Learning Alliance Corporation, one of the main challenges in recruiting for telecommunications is the fierce competition for highly skilled workers. Competing with tech giants and startups poses a consistent threat. The influx of a retiring telecom workforce only makes the need for experienced talent tighter.
- Evolving Technology– The sheer pace of technological changes in the telecom industry is challenging to keep up with, even for highly skilled workers. According to Medium, this ever-evolving industry requires employees with technical expertise and a forward-thinking mindset.
- Skills Gap– The Fast Mode highlights the shifting skill sets required for telecom workers, emphasizing expertise in LTE, 5G, and IoT. Conversely, skills in areas like IP protocols and sales management are diminishing in significance. This evolution poses a challenge for more experienced workers who struggle to adapt to these changes. Meanwhile, younger employees are often lured by the allure of tech giants such as Apple and Google, leaving smaller competitors with limited options for talent development and upskilling.
Best Practices for Performance and Talent Management in Telecom
High-performing telecom organizations can separate themselves from the competition by offering leadership succession planning, career advancement opportunities, and an attractive company culture. The following performance management and talent management solutions offer best practices for tackling the telecom industry challenges with intention and practical application
1. Incorporate strategic leadership succession planning.
In an industry experiencing an increase in retiring workers, it is critical to stay laser-focused on who will lead telecom organizations to the future. Implementing simple, automated leadership succession planning is the most effective approach. The 9-box grid is the preferred tool for identifying high performance and leadership potential.
9-box tools like WorkDove allow managers to collaborate on a predetermined set of criteria, reducing subjective placements and bias. Methods like the 9-box grid help to identify potential future leaders, fill critical roles at the appropriate time, and make talent your telecom organization’s competitive advantage.
2. Offer continuous employee development.
Telecom employees’ skills are forced to adapt at a breakneck speed, so equipping them with a clear path to career growth is a talent management necessity. Individual development plans keep employees engaged and managers informed about top employee strengths and training & development opportunities. For the younger generation entering the telecom field, organizations that invest in professional development are more enticing than competitors.
WorkDove’s IDP+ includes a talent review card that provides a view of the employees’ strengths, values, risks, and development opportunities. The tool generates a visual snapshot of talent profiles and a development plan that grows as the employee grows in their career journey.
3. Drive a culture that praises core values.
Competing with the Apples of the world may feel impossible on a basic recruitment level. However, company culture truly can be the determining factor for eager talent, especially for professionals entering the workforce. Telecom organizations can set themselves apart by embracing core values that are aligned with the company’s mission and vision. Peer-to-peer recognition increases motivation but rewarding positive workplace behaviors that are tied to core values is the main ingredient in a healthy workplace culture.
Recognition by WorkDove integrates into performance reviews, ensuring employees are evaluated more holistically and managers are well-informed. WorkDove also allows employees to recognize their teammates directly through MS™ Teams and Slack.
WorkDove and Telecom
WorkDove offers an intuitive, industry-conscious performance and talent management solution for the distinct needs of the telecom industry. In an industry defined by evolving technology, WorkDove allows you to easily analyze and identify employees who can lead your business to success, retain and develop talent by integrating IDPs into regular conversations, and celebrate mission-driving behaviors.
For a real-life application of WorkDove’s best practices in the telecom industry, learn how i3 Broadband engaged their front-line employees and improved job efficiency.
