ummary: Is your HR department prepared to flip the big data switch? At every stage of the employee life cycle, a data-driven approach to HR can help companies make smarter decisions about their most important asset: their people. In the wake of the greatest shock to the labor market since the Great Depression, companies are faced with looming skill shortages, retention concerns, and questions regarding the most effective composition of their workforce. The Talent Equation shows you how to navigate today's hiring climate and drive your business forward. Matt Ferguson, CEO of Career builder, offers hiring professionals and business leaders a roadmap to attract and retain top talent. Ferguson and coauthors Lorin Hitt (Wharton School) and Prasanna Tambe (NYU's Stern School) commissioned a landmark big data study of more than 2,700 employers and 33 million resumes to find the relationship between market performance, education attainment, and employee tenure. The findings are enlightening - and quite surprising. The Talent Equation explores: The ROI of increased education levels and retention rates; the benefits of continuous recruitment and talent pipelines technology market, and how workforce analytics tools are changing talent acquisition; and the importance of reducing longterm unemployment through training and reskilling. Smart and timely, The Talent Equation also incorporates case studies from leading brands - both global and domestic - that further illustrate staffing issues facing executives today. The insights and research in the book are invaluable tools for anyone who wants to build and retain a dynamic, competitive, and productive workforce