Every year, companies spend thousands of euros looking externally for skills they already have in-house. The real issue isn’t a lack of talent, it’s a lack of visibility over existing capabilities and future potential.
How many employees leave their company to take on roles elsewhere that they could have fulfilled internally?
So the real question is not just how to recruit, but how to better identify and develop the talent you already have.
That’s where talent mapping comes in a framework that connects individual capabilities to job requirements and future development opportunities.
Why map your talent?
Talent mapping goes beyond listing available skills. It relies on a predictive model, a structured framework that brings together three core dimensions:
- The requirements of roles and functions (key skills, behaviours, success factors)
- The current, measured competencies of employees
- The potential for development (cognitive abilities, motivations, adaptability)
This predictive approach helps uncover hidden talent, anticipate future needs, and align talent management with business priorities.
Step 1: Gather reliable data
Effective mapping depends on solid data, not subjective impressions. A predictive model must draw from complementary sources:
- Psychometric assessments: personality, motivation, and cognitive ability tests to understand behaviour, energy, and learning capacity
- Job competency frameworks: to clearly define both technical and transversal skills required for each role
- Feedback and observations: to gain diverse perspectives from managers and peers
👉 Example: A quiet team member, perceived as “shy”, might reveal strong strategic thinking through a personality assessment and be recognised via peer feedback as a valuable team facilitator.
Step 2: Focus on potential, not just current skills
The strength of predictive mapping lies in its ability to distinguish what someone can already do from what they could succeed at tomorrow.
By cross-referencing assessment results with role-specific success criteria, you can identify gaps and areas for growth.
- Cognitive abilities (reasoning, logic, mental agility) are strong indicators of future adaptability
- Motivation reveals whether someone is likely to remain engaged in a given role over time
👉 Example: A technician with strong learning ability and a motivation for leading teams could be flagged as a future project manager even if their current role doesn’t reflect that yet.
Step 3: Build a clear, actionable map
A good talent map is visual and dynamic, not just a static spreadsheet. It should give a quick overview of:
- Key competencies already present in the organisation
- Risk areas where skills are lacking
- Development potential, by individual or team
- Matches between current profiles and future roles
👉 Practical tip: Create a concise profile sheet for each identified talent (strengths, development areas, aspirations). By cross-referencing evaluation data and business needs, you gain a clear picture of internal levers to activate before considering external recruitment.
Step 4: Keep it up to date and involve managers
Talent mapping should be a living tool, regularly updated and actively used by managers. Their involvement is key to interpret insights and support employee development.
👉 Example: During annual reviews, insights from assessments and mapping can spark new opportunities , such as highlighting a leadership or technical potential that had previously gone unnoticed.
The benefits of effective talent mapping
- Reduced turnover: when employees see a future internally, they’re less likely to leave
- Cost efficiency: developing internal talent is often more economical than hiring externally
- Organisational agility: in times of change or urgent projects, you already know which talents to mobilise
- Human value: each employee feels recognised for both their skills and their potential
Talent mapping is far more than an HR tool. It offers a clear view of current capabilities, hidden potential, and future development paths. It’s a strategic lever to anticipate needs, secure career progression, and strengthen collective performance.
