Study: "Achilles' Talent: why executives don't believe in their talent"

The Skills, Employability and HR Decisions Chair at EM Normandie, led by Jean Pralong, will publish a study on November 13 entitled "Achilles' Talent: why executives don't believe in their talent". It shows that while more and more companies are seeking to retain and develop their workforce, the majority of executives do not consider themselves to be "talents" eligible to benefit from measures that are nevertheless intended for them.

For many companies today, the main objective is no longer just to recruit, but also to "manage talent" and retain it. The concept of talent is now omnipresent.

• The majority of executives (55.95%)view talent as a rare and non-scalable resource.In short, it is the degree that predicts the ability to be perceived as a talent, rather than on-the-job performance and the actual quality of work provided. It should be noted that the more executives have experienced less linear, fragmented careers, the morethey subscribe to this limiting belief and selective image, further self-excluding themselves from "talents".
• Paradoxically, HR teams and business leadersadopt a more inclusive vision, consideringtalent as potential to be cultivated internallyrather than identified externally, and therefore open to a larger number of profiles.

Based on a survey of 499 executives and business leaders,this study reveals a striking dichotomy in perceptions of "talent": while many executives feel marginalized by HR practices they deem elitist, paradoxically, HR teams themselves advocate for a much more open approach.

"Companies today find themselves in a new era where the keyword is engagement. But on the employee side, executives do not seem to feel involved or up to the task of development and training initiatives designed specifically for them. And on the recruitment side, are we right to use this term 'talent', which seems to deter many competent people? Given the challenges facing the French economic fabric—training, adaptation, and career transition needs—it is clear that overcoming this roadblock is crucial."

Jean Pralong

Professor of Human Resources at EM Normandie

The study concludes with six concrete action recommendationsto turn the concept of talent into a lever for engagement and retention for everyone, such as reframing talent within collective performance or, for instance, making the notion of talent objective through expected behaviors and skills.

The study abstract is available upon request.

About EM Normandie / Métis Lab

Founded in 1871 as one of the first French Business Schools, EM Normandie has established itself as a benchmark institution in the business school world. It holds the international accreditations EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA. With 6,500 students and professionals in its initial and continuing degree programs and 26,000 members of the EM Normandie Alumni association worldwide, the school operates across seven campuses in Caen, Le Havre, Paris, Dubai, Dublin, Oxford, and soon Boston. EM Normandie trains tomorrow's managers—future responsible leaders prepared to drive change in a multicultural environment—and supports employees and business leaders throughout their careers. EM Normandie's academic and applied research activities are grouped within the Métis Lab.www.em-normandie.com| Twitter: @EMNormandie

About Actual group

Today, as the 5th largest player in the labor and employment market in France, Actual group is a French group with a resolutely humanistic vision, advocating daily to champion the right to work for everyone. Structured around 4 core businesses—temporary work, recruitment, guidance, and training—the group is the #1 provider of integration temporary work in France. Led by Samuel Tual, a committed entrepreneur, Actual group has developed genuine expertise in guiding individuals toward employment across France as well as in Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland, through employment solutions and skills development. The group also offers a comprehensive suite of HR solutions to support companies and find or create the skills they need. Thanks to its 4,000 employees and over 600 agencies across the region, Actual group currently supports 33,000 companies and 156,000 job seekers, achieving a revenue of 1.5 billion in 2024. Its ambition is to build the work of men and women together, everywhere in France.

Contacts, information and practical links

Lionel Guérin
Independent PR consultant
Tel: 07 51 59 86 32
Email: lionelguerinpress@gmail.com

Solenn Morgon
Head of Media Relations EM Normandie
Tel: 07 64 80 12 22
Email: smorgon@em-normandie.fr

Guillaume Neron Bancel
Communications Actual group
Email: Guillaume.neronbancel@groupeactual.eu