Access to talent: How to create a high-performing workforce

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Jack Welch used to say that his most important duty as chief executive was “developing talent”. As the former (and highly successful) boss of GE, he was describing his role at the helm of one of the world’s largest corporate organisations.

But his words ring equally true – if not more so – for the founders and senior executives of start-up firms. Entrepreneurs begin their ventures because they’re passionate about their product. But creating a successful business demands much more than getting your product right. It requires you to nurture what Nina Hancock of Culture Amp calls the “lifeblood of your organisation” – i.e. a high-performing workforce. As a leader, you’re responsible for the “talent lifecycle”. It’s your job to recruit, engage, develop, retain and guide the people who will drive your company’s growth.

Attracting talent

The first step in creating a high-performing workforce is to recruit talented individuals to the roles you need to fill.

It goes almost without saying that getting those early hires right is absolutely crucial for a start-up. And as several of our experts underlined, successful recruitment comes down to much more than technical competencies. Selecting people for their cultural fit is equally critical.

Crucial ways to create a solid workforce have been detailed in the Access to Talent report – brought to you by London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s promotional agency.

London & Partners runs the Business Growth Programme, which helps early-stage ventures to unlock their potential and overcome growth barriers.

Through interviews with the mentors and members of the programme, this report examines how to attract, retain and lead your talent, and how to engage your remote teams.

Download the full report here.