Chapter 9: Redefining Talent Management in the Era of Transhumanism: Opportunities and Strategies

With the widespread adoption of human–computer interaction (HCI), conventional talent management practices require massive re-engineering. Technological advancements have significantly transformed the traditional people management strategies demanding a modernized approach. This chapter sheds light on how technology reshapes human capabilities and how these capabilities can be optimally utilized in a technology-facilitated enhanced environment. We focus on understanding the synergy in human–computer collaboration through the talent management lens and address the underlying challenges. The emerging applications of biotechnology in HR practices and their implications are also discussed. The importance of workforce augmentation in building a competitive advantage is recognized and specific talent management and essential skill upgrades are proposed for leveraging these augmented capabilities. Can an enhanced work environment shift its focus from human-centricity?. This question will serve as the central tenet throughout the remainder of the chapter. Although workforce augmentation is essential, we provide insights to strike the right balance between augmented and non-augmented teams. Finally, the chapter offers pragmatic strategies to leverage the talent of transhuman employees adding to competitive advantage. The proposed chapter provides both theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, it strengthens the current literature on talent management by integrating transhuman aspects. The existing literature widely focuses on talent management in traditional work environments, neglecting the importance of HCI and its dynamic impact on the workforce. This chapter attempts to fill this lacuna by offering a balanced approach to talent management during workforce augmentation, providing insights for HR practitioners and talent managers across industries to comprehensively leverage human–machine capabilities.