The Key to Talent

Build a talent strategy that fuels growth, performance and long-term organisational value.

The Key to Talent is a practical guide for senior HR leaders and business executives responsible for attracting, hiring and retaining the people who fuel long-term organisational performance. Written by Matthew Jeffery, this book shows why talent must be treated as a core driver of business growth rather than a cost centre and also explains how people strategy must evolve as AI, data and technology reshape the talent lifecycle.

Blending strategic insight with real-world application, the book explores how to build credible, data-driven talent strategies that reflect changing employee expectations, strengthen employer brand and deliver measurable ROI. Drawing on real-world examples from organisations including EY, SAP, Autodesk and Electronic Arts (EA), it demonstrates how to apply principles from consumer marketing to talent attraction, while maintaining a human-centred, inclusive approach.

You'll learn how to:

• Position talent strategy as a driver of growth and competitive advantage
• Build a data-driven EVP and employer brand that attracts scarce skills
• Design bias-free, human-centred hiring and assessment processes
• Enable skills-based hiring, internal mobility and long-term retention

With clear metrics, practical frameworks and guidance on leading through change, The Key to Talent helps senior leaders create resilient, inclusive and future-ready talent systems that deliver sustained performance in an AI-enabled business environment.

Themes include: talent strategy, employer branding, employee value proposition, skills-based hiring, inclusive talent, AI and the talent lifecycle, workforce analytics, business-led HR