One of the major key trends in 2012 will be ‘Differentiation in Talent Management’ and it will further define the four new trends that will take center stage – cloud computing, use of analytics, delivery through mobile and social media.

There will be a lot of focus on updated technology like cloud computing whose essence lies in its ubiquity and it makes technology easily accessible and simpler to use. Cloud computing will enable processes to handle large data to take more well informed, and quicker decisions.

Along with that, analytics will enable organizations to differentiate in terms of its reward & recognition and all other aspects of talent management by allowing the organization to look at data in a more granular fashion. It will also allow organizations to identify availability of talent in large numbers.

Further to the use of analytics, there will be increasing delivery through mobile – organizations will use it for mobility, collaboration and engagement amongst employees. It will also be used to test and sense new policies that the organizations plan to introduce for employees. India being the largest mobile user worldwide, after China, makes leveraging the mobile medium an obvious choice for quicker, cheaper and more targeted dispersion of information. Some companies are also using mobile devices for learning by sending periodical tips on best practices.

Social media as usual will play a vital role too. It is already a way of life for the new generation and there is an increasing inclination to blur the line between work and social life. This outlook influences the manner in which employees must be engaged today. Organizations will see an increasing role of social media becoming a critical part of employees’ work-life as much as it is already a part of their social life. Further, there will also be more use of internal sourcing networks to connect the workforce and allow them to engage in conversations that are work and non-work related.