The Big Tradeoff: Stock Price or Talent?

Alice Snell, vice president of research for Taleo Corp., has written an article that rethinks how to invest in human resources during an economic downturn. Drawing on findings from Taleo Research studies such as Talent Management in a Down Economy and Recessionary Management: The Top DOs and DON’Ts for Managing Talent in the Current Downturn (developed in conjunction with the Human Capital Insitute) and other talent management research, her article explores the downside of layoffs and paring down human capital expenditures in a downturn economy. Snell points to alternatives such as goals management, performance reviews and retention, viable alternatives to simplistic layoffs -- areas in which organizations ought to focus and invest when the economy turns challenging.