Here is an abridged version of issue 290—The Best of March 2025 of Talent Edge Weekly. The abridged version:

• only includes links and brief descriptions of the 15 resources

• does not include my in-depth review

• does not include bonus resources

• is for those who just want easy access to the 15 resources

You can access the full version of issue 290 HERE at any time!

🚀 Check out my new, exclusive community for internal HR practitioners—Talent Edge Circle? We will be opening up 10 more slots for this next phase!

Brian

I. Workforce Trends and HR Effectiveness

Explores workplace and technology shifts, including global human capital trends, generative AI's impact on critical thinking and expertise, strategic approaches for HR to deliver stakeholder value, and emerging HR technology marketplace predictions.

• 2025 Global Human Capital Trends Report | Deloitte Insights | Deloitte’s new 106-page report covers aspects of emerging workforce trends and human capital priorities. I highlight one topic: freeing up worker capacity.

• The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking: Self-Reported Reductions in Cognitive Effort and Confidence Effects From a Survey of Knowledge Workers | Microsoft Research | A new Microsoft study explores how reliance on generative AI may diminish critical thinking skills.

• How Gen AI Could Change the Value of Expertise | Harvard Business Review | Explores the impact of generative AI on jobs and required worker skills and how it is redefining career paths and organizational structure.

• Six Actions for HR to Create More Stakeholder Value | Dave Ulrich | RBL Group | Provides a framework of six actions and questions that business and HR leaders can answer to create stakeholder value over time.

• 2025 HR Technology Marketplace Predictions: New Dynamics for Working with Humans and Technology | Deloitte | Shares six HR tech trends to help make sense of the increasingly complex HR technology landscape and emerging solutions.

II. Talent Practices and Tools

Addresses practical talent management applications including strategic workforce planning, AI-driven recruiting, talent identification, internal mobility metrics, talent hoarding prevention, leadership assessment, situational coaching tactics, retention strategies, flexible work case study, and board engagement in talent topics.

• 3 Steps to Initiate a Strategic Workforce Plan | Gartner | Provides a framework for organizing workforce planning efforts and includes case examples of how organizations are implementing it to drive impact. I share my template on scenario planning in the context of SWP.

• The Future of Recruiting 2025 Report: How AI Redefines Recruiting Excellence | LinkedIn Report | Explores key AI-driven trends shaping talent acquisition, including quality of hire, skills-based hiring, the evolving role of recruiters, employer branding, and responsible AI use.

• Reaching for Stars: What you Need to Know About Exceptional Talent | The Talent Strategy Group | A new article by Marc Effron highlights a special segment of employees called Stars—those somewhere above the intersection of high performers and high potentials.

• Manager Talent Hoarding Diagnostic | Brian Heger | My new one-page diagnostic to help managers identify and address behaviors that may unintentionally limit internal mobility within the organization.

• Internal Mobility Metrics and Sample Practices Cheat Sheet | Brian Heger | My cheat sheet with 9 examples of internal mobility metrics, why the metric is important, and a sample practice related to the metric.

• Unleashing The Power of Assessments for Leaders and their Organizations | Workforce Solutions Review | Shares three main reasons why standard "out of the box" leadership assessment approaches often fall short and provides tactics for overcoming these challenges.

• 4 Styles of Coaching—and When to Use Them | Harvard Business Review | Shares four distinct coaching styles based on “push” and “pull” concepts borrowed from sports and help managers determine the style that works best for a given situation.

• Employee Retention: 3 Resources on Different Aspects of Employee Turnover | Curated by Brian Heger | Consolidates various resources on employee retention into a one-page snapshot, serving as a useful reference for managing employee retention.

• How to Get Real About Measuring to Outcomes | MIT Sloan Management Review | Explores how Neiman Marcus Group’s results-focused flexible work model improved retention, reduced time-to-hire, and enhanced business performance.

• Three Areas Where Boards Spend Their Time But Don’t See Results | Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance | Explores how boards can enhance their impact on critical areas such as succession planning and corporate culture.

Want to go deeper with me and other internal HR practitioners on topics like these? If you are an internal HR practitioner, you will want to learn more about my new Talent Edge Circle community!

Talent Edge Weekly is written by Brian Heger, a human resources practitioner. You can connect with Brian on LinkedIn and brianheger.com.