McKinsey’s article, Competing through organizational agility, begins with this wise comment:

Market turbulence did not begin with the fall of Lehman Brothers, and it will not end when the global economy recovers.

In fact, in a kind of Moore’s law (the one which describes the exponential increase in the power of information technology) for business, market and economic turbulence has persistently accelerated over recent decades. Today, turbulent conditions are the new normal – presenting a dynamic, competitive environment for businesses to navigate.

Whether your organization focuses on strategic, portfolio, or operational types of agility, successful organizations all require agility in their talent management practices. What does that mean?
• Real-time information about your talent: your employees, your new hire candidates, even your alumni so you can quickly draw on superior talent.
• Reporting and analytics that inform leadership: not only what talent is available, but also the direct match between skills and jobs that map to the company’s priorities.

After all, alignment inside has been shown to drive engagement and productivity:

The benefits of enhanced agility…include higher revenues, more satisfied customers and employees, improved operational efficiency, and a faster time to market.