# talent management

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/talent-management
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Human capital management of the entire employee lifecycle. Companies that are engaged in talent management are strategic and deliberate in how they source, attract, select, train, develop, promote, and move employees through the organization. This term also incorporates how companies drive performance at the individual level (performance management).

## Examples

- Our company uses talent management to help employees grow.
- The human resources department updated their talent management strategy to better support employee training and career development.
- Effective talent management involves spotting high-potential workers early and giving them the specific tools they need to eventually step into senior leadership roles.
- By integrating rigorous performance reviews with long-term leadership development, the firm demonstrated a sophisticated approach to talent management that ensured future success.

## Origin

This expression gained popularity in the late 1990's as technology companies engaged in a 'war for talent'. McKinsey and company coined the term 'war for talent' following a 1997 study and then it was the title of a book by Ed Michaels, Helen Handfield-Jones, and Beth Axelrod.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.