“Talents and admirers” in the labour market

Abstract

Subject. Currently, the priority in the labour market is given to employees who are determined to succeed, who can solve new challenges and contribute to the competitiveness of the organisation. This means that there is a need to provide up-to-date scientific definitions, factors, and criteria to assess success by using the “talents and admirers” dyad.Objectives. The purpose of the article was to provide an insight into the development of scientific thought regarding talented workers, to describe the evolution of human resource management which was divided into several stages, to describe methods of assessment and the peculiarities of the functioning of the “talents and admirers” dyad in relation to modern organisations.Methodology. The method of analysis was used to determine how the content of the term “talent” changed over the years, starting from the idea of “talanton” used in the financial system of Ancient Greece and finishing with ideas about innate and acquired talent. The method of synthesis was used to gain a single comprehensive view of the “talents and admirers” dyad adapted to the contemporary labour market. Tables and classifications were used to show the influence of the factors that shape the demand for the workforce qualified as talents.Results. The provisions of the article promote the idea about the necessity of talented workers in the labour market, they describe the characteristic features of talented workers, the reasons why this element should be included in the periodisation describing the evolution of human resource management; they also describe the influence of social and economic factors on the transformation of the labour market and the emergence of the category of “talent”.Conclusions. The content of the category “talent” varies depending on the field of human activity and the level of competition within it. We have identified three stages of the development of this term in relation to social and economic reality: during the first stage, the term “talanton” meant the highest unit of weight in the financial system of Ancient Greece; during the second stage, talent meant innate qualities of individuals, mainly in the field of music and creativity; and during the third stage, it meant acquired competence displayed in the real sector of the economy. The author formulated her own definition of a talented employee based on the indicators of the level of development, effectiveness, potential, and the manager’s attitude to such employee. A four-step mechanism for achieving professional success which indicates a talented employee was substantiated. It was stated that there is a “talent and admirer” dyad in the labour market, where the latter provide the “talent” with the necessary feedback.