The Effect of talent management of firm performance : case of mass media firms in Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between talent management and firm performance. Specifically the study sought to establish the effect of firrn's public image on attracting and retaining ernployees, to determine if the best talent can affect the perforrnance of a firm in terms of profitability and to establish if good environment irnprove ernployee perforrnance. In this study, a quantitative research was adopted. The target population was 35 employees working in 5 media firms in Kenya. One ernployee and one line manager from each departrnent was randomly selected including one Human resource manager from the Human Resource department. Questionnaires were used to draw a sample of 22 employees; 12 ernployees and 10 managers. Applications of excel were used to analyze the collected data from the field. Data was represented in the form oftables and percentages. The public image of a firm was found to have an effect on employee engagement level in the firm and on their attraction towards their job which in turn affects firrn's productivity and profitability. Majority of the employees were attracted to their currentjob (4 or 33.33%) and 5 or 42% were attracted to the reputation that exists of their firm. Employee engagement level at work was also int1uenced by the attraction that employees have towards the reputation that exists of their firms to a very great extent (5 or 41 %). Firms should identify more way s of attracting and retaining talented employees because it is a major factor that influences firm performance especially profitability. They should purpose to continuously improve their talent management system so as to attract, develop and retain more talented employees. Research on the effect of talent managernent on firm performance should be conducted on a longitudinal basis so as to get a clearer understanding of the relationship between talent management and firm performance.