Often called Human Capital Management, or HCM, talent management was first coined in the 1990s, emphasizing the retention and development of employees as much as their recruitment. Today, talent management plans encompass an array of processes, such as providing employees with training and development opportunities, overseeing performance management operations, and implementing retention programs. In addition to including the recruitment and attraction of qualified staff, talent management comprises onboarding methods for new employees, the establishment and maintenance of competitive salary offerings, and the implementation of promotions and transitioning initiatives.

An effective talent management system plays a role in an organization’s overall business strategy and is applied companywide on a daily basis. Furthermore, the concept of talent management stresses that finding and keeping employees extends not just to human resources departments, but also to management at all levels.

About the Author: A global human resources executive, Barry Melnkovic possesses 30 years of experience overseeing the HR departments for manufacturing and service companies, including international organizations. He maintains expertise not only in talent management and human resource functionality, but also in team building, corporate strategizing, risk management, and other areas of business.

For more than 40 years, Habitat for Humanity International has served as an organization dedicated to providing affordable housing for people across the world. Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity has since built more than 400,000 houses and sheltered more than 1.75 million people across five continents. Here is a brief overview of some of Habitat for Humanity’s operations in various world regions.

Armenia – Although Habitat for Humanity has maintained operations in this location for more than a decade, the organization’s team relaunched the program in the Central Asian country in 2008 to serve low-income families at an exponentially higher rate. In Armenia, three events have had a profound impact on the availability of decent, affordable housing: economic transition that has resulted in housing privatization, the 1988 Spitak earthquake, and armed conflict with Azerbaijan. To address the alarming rates of homelessness and substandard housing settlements, Habitat for Humanity’s team works to renovate existing homes, repair residences in Spitak damaged by the earthquake, and provide microloans to Armenian families.

Nicaragua – In this small Central American country, four out of five people subsist on less than $2.00 per day. The quality of housing in Nicaragua has suffered due to factors such as substandard residences, inadequate public investment, natural disasters, and rural to urban migration. In addition to building affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity seeks to establish solid community leadership and educate Nicaraguans about alternative construction methods. Habitat for Humanity also provides disaster relief and supports advocacy initiatives in the area of housing laws.

Madagascar – In a world region prone to the effects of devastating cyclones and heavy rains, more than 2 million people live without access to decent housing. Although 75 percent of Madagascar’s population lives in rural areas, an urbanization rate of 29 percent places an increasing demand on housing and sanitation in the country’s larger cities. In many cases, people live in shacks made from mud and thatched roofs, which offer little protection against disease, cyclones, and robbery. When building homes in Madagascar, Habitat for Humanity begins with a basic one- or two-room structure to keep prices low. All homes are made from locally produced materials, such as clay and mortar.

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With the goal of ensuring that every child’s Christmas is special, the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation collects and distributes gifts to children who otherwise might not receive any. The globally acclaimed philanthropic venture operates on the belief that a happy childhood leads to a bright future, and as such labors to bring joy to disadvantaged youth across the United States. The Toys for Tots Program began as a national campaign in 1948 with a logo designed by the renowned Walt Disney. Since then, the organization has grown internationally and expanded exponentially. With past official spokespeople that include Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush, Toys for Tots is also blessed with a great deal of celebrity support and has been for many eras. Among the influential names that have been associated with the organization are Petula Clark, Natalie Wood, John Wayne, Tim Allen, and Clint Eastwood. Possessing a broad base of support from politicians and celebrities, Toys for Tots continues to operate as a highly effective venture that delivers hope to children across the world. Over the course of the organization’s highly successful 62 year history, it has presented upwards of 188 million financially disadvantaged children with more than 400 million gifts. Best of all, donating is an easy and excellent way for anyone to give back to the global community of children. For more information, visit Toysfortots.org to locate donation centers or donate online through Paypal. In addition, those who are worried that they cannot provide for their children during the upcoming holiday season may request a toy. Toys for Tots works closely with national sponsors to ensure that recipients receive toys of lasting quality. Past corporate partners include such large ventures as Toys R Us, Scholastic, Coca-Cola, and Applebee’s. Since 1948, Toys for Tots has tried to ensure that Christmases across the world are more magical.