Developing an integrated platform to bridge employee performance disparities: Talstack's new undertaking
In a significant stride towards revolutionising the HR landscape in Africa, Talstack, a pioneering platform launched in 2022 as a corporate learning portal, has evolved into a comprehensive people operations platform. Designed specifically for Africa's evolving workforce, Talstack now offers over 300 short-form courses across key business areas such as finance, supply chain, operations, and artificial intelligence[1].
Beyond being a simple learning portal, Talstack stands out with its integrated approach to people operations. The platform is structured around a three-part framework: Learn, Perform, and Engage[1].
The Learn component delivers scalable, localised learning content that can be customised to suit various business needs. The Perform module, recently unveiled, focuses on improving employee performance beyond learning[1]. The Engage feature, scheduled for public launch later this year, will foster ongoing employee engagement and growth within organisations[1].
Talstack's Perform module is designed to be "the simplest 360-review tool on the market"[1]. It allows admins to set up goal cycles, define feedback workflows, toggle culture-specific settings, and visualise results in one streamlined interface. Perform courses conclude with a to-do, a framework designed to drive immediate action[1].
The upcoming Engage module will enable companies to correlate morale with learning and performance data. Moreover, the module will include Employee Net Promoter Score polls (eNPS polls), pulse surveys, and analytics that track employee sentiment[1].
Talstack operates on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, with companies paying a fixed monthly fee per employee, billed annually or semi-annually[1]. The platform's clientele ranges from conglomerates to construction firms, hospitals, and oil-and-gas outfits, and is live in multiple African markets beyond Nigeria[1].
The startup aspires to become the single source of truth for every African employee's skills, performance, and growth trajectory, with the goal of employers requesting a Talstack Score instead of a resume[1]. To this end, Talstack is currently developing the Talstack Score, a composite index based on learning activity, performance reviews, skills gaps, and behavioural signals[1].
Talstack's product philosophy prioritises customer-centricity, aiming to improve existing services by at least a factor of three. The startup is focused on solving problems that their customers identify, rather than worrying about competition[1]. While Talstack does not plan to develop payroll in-house, it aims to integrate existing solutions that work well[1].
As part of its Operation Software series, the final event, "engage", is set to launch later this year, marking another step forward in Talstack's mission to provide a full-stack people operations platform tailored to Africa's unique workforce needs.
Talstack is seeking significant funding to further develop its software and finance the launch of the Engage module, aiming to provide a comprehensive people operations platform in the technology sector. With the Engage module, Talstack hopes to offer a unique solution for correlating employee morale with learning and performance data, potentially revolutionizing the HR industry in Africa.