After months of discussion and 755 submissions, the final report of the independent review of the Australian Public Service (APS) was submitted in September. It is the largest major review of its kind in 40 years, and one of the key priorities for change outlined by the panel includes the continued investment into capability and talent management.

Outdated HR processes, ad-hoc workforce planning, skills gaps and a lack of focus on people assets have been recognised as barriers to creating what Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described a public service workforce with a “laser-like focus” on citizens. These trends aren’t just affecting the public service, they’re also apparent across industries in the private sector, as businesses scramble to transform and keep up with evolving work environments.

So how can the APS, along with other organisations invest in capability and talent management to retain and leverage their current workforce in an increasingly complex and technology driven environment?