India's Top 100 HR Influencers To Follow On Twitter

India's Top 100 HR Influencers To Follow On Twitter from Hirers Business Solutions Pvt Ltd

You Can’t Send a Duck to Eagle School

Recently I saw an Interesting video. Many lessons for HR Professionals.

If you’re going to climb a tree, would you rather hire a squirrel or train a horse? Enjoy these clever and insightful leadership lessons.

 

"FIRST WHO THEN WHAT" - Getting 'right people' in 'right seat'

In the above video Mr. Jim Collins (Author - Good to Great 2001) highlights the importance of "who" before "what".

If we think about this in line with strategic management perspective, we may have to amend the typical strategy development process. It usually begins with defining or re-defining Vision & Mission statement of an organization - precisely 'where to go' - the "what".

Now, in case we have to begin with "who", an organization may have to opt for Resource Based View (RBV) of available human capital for 'Internal Analysis'. And make sure that we have right people on the bus. Normally this process (RBV) involves defining various resources the organization possesses and examine them to gauge which resources truly have strategic value. It is important for two reasons, 1) to know whether we have right people on the bus & 2) to remove wrong people from the bus. However, make sure not to throw out the baby with the bath water.

Dick Cooley and David Maxwell both exemplified a classic Level 5 style when they said, “I don’t know where we should take this company, but I do know that if I start with the right people, ask them the right questions, and engage them in vigorous debate, we will find a way to make this company great.” However, it’s not an easy task to get right people at the right time, very well said by Richard Florida, "Access to talented and creative people is to modern business what access to coal and iron ore was to steel-making."

• 
  

(Image Source: Google Images)

What is "RIGHT PEOPLE”?

Let’s see what Jim Collins say about right people.  He says, "In determining 'the right people', the Good to Great companies placed greater weight on character attributes than on the specific educational background, practical skills, specialized knowledge or work experience. Not that specific knowledge or skills are unimportant, but they viewed these traits as more teachable (or at least Learnable) Whereas they believed dimensions like character, work ethic, basic intelligence, dedication to fulfilling commitments, and values are more ingrained".

Now the question for HR Professionals is how do we know we have right people on the bus? And which tools HR professionals can use to get such right people? I must mention an important quote from Robert Half, that "There is something that is much more scarce, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability."

There has been a lot of research carried out so far on this, and now we are turning to Analytics, Big data & algorithms for it. (In Hiring, Algorithms Beat Instinct by Kuncel, Klieger, and Ones - HBR - May 2014) The history of talent spotting is very well narrated in four different eras by Claudio Fernández-Aráoz in the article 'The Big Idea: 21st-Century Talent Spotting' HBR June 2014.

Claudio says, "I am convinced that organizations and their leaders must transition to what I think of as a new era of talent spotting—one in which our evaluations of one another are based not on brawn, brains, experience, or competencies, but on potential."

These are very pragmatic views, however, we will see which options, tools, & methods can be used for employee assessment and finding “right people” and get rid of ‘wrong people’.

Tools available to HR Professionals:

Ability Tests: 

Many companies use cognitive ability tests for selecting employees. Using these tests we can match skills to job requirements in a way that is objective and fair to all candidates. These are paper and pencil tests, however, nowadays they are also available on a smartphone, tablet, and web-based format. We may use them to test Verbal ability, Numerical Ability, Inductive Reasoning, Critical Reasoning, Mechanical Reasoning, Problem Solving, Managerial Judgment, Idea Generation etc. Example: SHL - CEB Ability Tests, Talent Q (Element) - Hay group.

Personality Tests: 

Many companies use personality tests along with other options. Such tests normally require an applicant to answer 200 or more (yes/no) questions. These questions attempt to get to the core of the personality, values and the things that make one successful. Unlike a job interview, everyone gets the same questions since they are standardized. These tests assist HR professionals to accurately predict whether a candidate will be successful, instead of solely relying on a face-to-face interview. Usually, candidates can't charm a personality test. Examples: Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI); California Psychological Inventory.

Interviews:

An Interview is one of the most widely used methods for recruiting employees. Typically these interviews are ‘Unstructured’, however, experts suggest using ‘Structured’ interviews for better results.

Behavioral Event Interview:

It was developed by David McClelland and frequently used by many organizations to recruit employees based on specific competencies relevant to the organization. In such interviews, the candidates are questioned to think of various job-related experiences that turned out well or poorly and then describe these situations in extensive detail. (White paper "Competency-Based Pay" by Tucker and Cofsky – ACA Journal 1994 [pdf]) Hence, such information gathered from the candidate is more predictive of their behavior and performance for specific competencies. As a result we find out:

1. Whether candidate possess the required competency.

2. His / Her level on specific competency.    

3. Concrete basis for predicting future success for that competency.

The Assessment Center:

It facilitates gathering critical data on an individual's competencies and his / her potential match for the executive position. It measures the required attributes that enable the candidate to succeed in the specific position. The candidates are expected to complete a series of activities and instruments designed to elicit the demonstration of executive behaviors. The Assessment Center includes simulations such as In-basket Exercises, Group Discussions, Management Games, and Analysis Exercises. Since more than one assessment instrument used for measuring particular competency, it provides robust, consistent and more reliable results. Consultancies: DDI, Haygroup, Kornferry

360 - Degree Competency Feedback: 

Many organizations now use 360 - degree competency feedback surveys, primarily for providing development feedback to individuals, although there is still debate going on among professionals around using these tools for development only versus using them for selection decision making.  It provides potentially accurate and diverse information on where employees stand in relation to where they should be in terms of skills and behaviors.

Although many consulting firms have their own well - established frameworks,  the best approach for using 360 - feedback ratings for internal development  of high potentials is for organizations to develop their own customized  leadership competency model that is carefully developed and specific to the organization’s culture and strategies. These models should be built to incorporate the organization’s values, reflect the business strategy, and either reinforce the current culture or outline through behavioral examples what the new culture should look like. ("Strategy-driven Talent Management" by Silzer and Dowell - 2010) Consultancies: CCL, Haygroup ,Lominger

Workforce Intelligence: 

In the advent of Big-data & HR Analytics many organizations are now equipped with vast amount of data which they leverage for taking important people decisions. As claimed by the vendors; it gives organizations the ability to predict the success and tenure of potential candidates before they even walk through the door. Predict which high performers were at risk of leaving six months before they walked out of the door. Workforce Intelligence assists various HR processes such as: Workforce Planning & Optimization; Workforce Transitions; Recruitment Analytics; Retention Risk Analytics; and Leadership Development. Examples: Smarter Workforce (Kenexa) & Workforce Intelligence (Deloitte)

Assessment Trends for – 2014:

According to the - 2014 Global Assessment Trends Report (pdf) by Tracy M. Kantrowitz  (CEB) following image reflect the important trends.

(Image Source: Taken from 2014 Global Assessment Trends Report)

These assessments are used for a variety of HR Functions, led by External Hiring (76%), Internal Hiring (65%), Leadership Development (56%) and Career Development (44%).  There are numerous options available to HR Professionals; hence selecting appropriate assessment is important. However, according to the report it’s essential to consider following factors before taking this decision.

- How well the test measures critical competencies?

- Duration of the assessment.

- Legal issues surrounding the job relevance of the assessment.

- Assessment delivery mode - onsite, remotely or via mobile devices.

- We cannot assume that all assessments are equally effective.

- Assessment that is well-designed.

- Assessment proven to be valid.

- And its direct link to job and organizational performance.

Other relevant findings in the report are as follows:

• Identifying high-potential (HiPo) talent is a new global top priority and use of assessments.

• Only half use talent metrics to prove ROI or to inform business decisions.

• Integration of assessment data with HRIS seen as critical, but integration capabilities fall short.

• 61% of respondents use HRIS for external hiring but only 34% report integrating assessments into that process.

•  Use assessments for hiring 73%, for development and promotion decisions 40%.

• Pre-hire 62% & Post-hire 34%

• Social media searches are top future hiring tool, despite only a quarter of respondents having formal policies on its use.

• Companies allow recruiters to use social media information for hiring decision – 24%

• Using information on professional networking sites – 42%

• There is growing interest in mobile assessment for recruitment, with clear geographic differences.

• When in doubt, don’t hire – keep looking.

• When you know you need to make people change, act.

• Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems. 

The research carried out by Jim Collins was based on concrete data and hence cannot be ignored.  He outlined three practical disciplines:

Hence selecting appropriate assessment tool is significantly important for hiring ‘Right People’. If we use these tools, which are validated and are reliable according to industry experts, it will certainly assist in developing robust hiring processes in the organization to get ‘Right People’. It will obviously increase the probability of success and our decisions are supported by proven methods. However retaining employees and subsequently developing them using appropriate T&D strategies would remain an important task for HR Professionals. Please provide your valuable suggestions and recommendations (including options not covered above) in the comments.

In conclusion Jim Collins says it’s possible to build a great company and also build a great life. He says, “Adherence to the idea of “first who” might be the closest link between a great company and a great life. …If we spend the vast majority of our time with the people we love and respect - people we really enjoy being on the bus with and who will never disappoint us – then we will almost certainly have a great life, no matter where the bus goes.”  

IBM Leadership Competencies

I had referred to 11 IBM Leadership Competencies in my previous posts. Fortunately I had managed to get more details (below) of these competencies in Management and Organisational  Behaviour by Laurie J. Mullins – (2005)(Page 319-320). Hope this would give us additional insights to understand efforts taken by Mr. Louis Gerstner for the transformation of IBM during his tenure. [ IBM - List of Competencies page 210, Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? (2002) ]. This post will give us a complete picture of the significant role of competencies in organizational transformation. 

Focus to Win

Customer Insight

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals put themselves in the minds of the customer, and see customers’ needs and businesses, from the customers’ point of view. They focus on the unexpressed or future needs of the customer. Managers and senior professionals having Customers’ Insight go beyond IBM’s exemplary responsiveness to customer complaints or problems. They don’t just try to sell IBM products or services. They spend time with customers and others in the marketplace to understand the underlying, unmet needs that technology can address. On the basis of this understanding, they focus on new business opportunities for their area by finding a product or service that is quickly recognised as valuable to the customer. In support functions, outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals focus on understanding the real needs of their internal customers and on providing solutions that meet them.

Breakthrough Thinking

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals use their abstraction capabilities on focus on what is really important and to provide new insights on how IBM can win in the market-place. They are able to face complex issues in a quick and innovative way (they adequately process information and provide the right support to reach the prospected goals). They identify and develop new solutions. They explore the market, recognise trends, look for new ways to capture even the smallest segments or niches in which to concentrate their efforts and actions. They are interested in understanding how other areas of business interact with their own in order to exploit and develop new market opportunities or new ways of doing things.

Drive to achieve

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals are constantly looking for ways to make things better (e.g. do things faster, at lower costs, or higher quality). They set improvement and challenging goals for themselves and their areas and evaluate results to see how they (and their businesses) are performing. They act on their own initiative and take on responsibilities. They take calculated business risks to pursue challenging goals and to improve performance on the basis of an explicit cost/benefit analysis.

Mobilize to Execute

Team Leadership

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals create and focus on the sense of urgency to meet a challenge or to implement a strategy to reach their goals. They provide a sense of direction and purpose to their team and use ongoing and influential actions to encourage people to pursue that direction. Team leadership is critical to execution.

Straight Talk

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals candidly tell the truth and openly share relevant information with peers, managers and subordinates. They ensure the ‘whole’ story is told, not just their position. They act with integrity that is consistent with their beliefs, e.g. telling the truth when it is difficult or when such truth will be unwelcome. This leadership capability is essential to energise a team to quickly execute a new direction.

Teamwork

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals work collaboratively and co-operatively across organisational lines and with their own teams to serve the customer and win over competition. They can be relied on to actively support and enact team decisions or commitments to the team. They accurately and objectively represent their managers’ and peers’ perspectives to the team members. They foster teamwork by treating their own teams with respect and empowering them to make decisions without second guessing. They celebrate their team’s successes and encourage all team members to be accountable to each other, and to work in collaboration across organisational lines.

Decisiveness

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals make and act on tough decisions with the speed and sense of urgency needed to stay with or ahead of the market, competition and customer needs, or to improve the organisation.

Sustain Momentum

Building Organisational Capability

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals act to build the organisation’s longer-term ability to produce and sustain excellent results. They take control of the situation to improve it, and follow through in an influential manner. They proactively and quickly re-align the systems or processes of their own area. They ensure that the right people are in place and that effective networks across the organisation, correct measures and information are implemented and supplied to support the business strategy, not just for the sake of change.

Coaching

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals actively mentor or coach others in an individualised, one-to-one manner to build a strong team now and for the future. They take on responsibility to identify and to support the development of talented people and have a positive impact on the professional growth of IBM’s people. They enjoy seeing other people grow and move on.

Personal Dedication

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals act in ways that promote organisational goals and strategies. They align their personal needs, priorities and activities with IBM needs and goals – not with their own individual organisation. They support tough decisions made for the overall benefit of IBM.

The Core

Passion for the Business

Outstanding IBM managers and senior professionals are passionate about their business and winning in the marketplace. They are excited about what IBM technologies and services can do for the world. They are enthusiastic about how IBM serves its customers and wins over competitors. They embrace IBM’s purposes to move with the speed customers are expecting, providing them with leading-edge networks and technologies. And they want to ‘get it right’. Passion for the Business is at the ‘heart and soul’ of the model. It fuels Customer Insight, Breakthrough Thinking and Drive to Achieve, which energise them.

Competency-based Job Description

Once, I heard someone say, what is so important about the Job Description? After all, it's just a piece of paper & what difference does that make?

The Job Description can best be compared to a 'User Manual' which tells us 'how to' operate particular device or machine. It gives precise details about components, requirements, directions for effective and efficient use.

As they say 'When all else fails, read the instructions', and, 'When all else fails, and the instructions are missing - kick it'. In our case we can't kick it; hence a wise option is to 'read the instructions'. Let us see why a Job Description is so important.

As we all know the process involved for this is called 'Job Analysis' and theoretically the output is 'Job Description' and 'Job Specification'. [While the Job Description describes tasks to be accomplished, the Job Specifications lists the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's) needed to accomplish these tasks.] Though they are defined separately, however in practice, they are written in the same document under different headings.

In fact, there is no one right way or format for writing a job description. It is better explained by Crawford H. Greenwalt, President, E I DuPont, "...There are many ways in which a good job can be done - as many ways, in fact, as there are men to whom the task is given."

Due to various benefits and convenience many companies prefer computerized Job Analysis. There are many software's available for this process for e.g. Job Evaluation Manager (JEM) -Online tool (Haygroup), Talent | Reward (Towerswatson).

Following are four Principles of Job Analysis:

1. Analysis NOT List: The focus must remain on in-depth analysis of the Job and not just preparing a list of the tasks.

2. Jobs NOT People: The analysis must focus on the job and not on the jobholder's performance, style, character or career history.

3. Facts NOT Judgment: The focus must be on communicating the 'facts' as they are and avoid making any judgment about the job.

4. The Job as it is now: The job needs to be analyzed as it is now or is planned to develop over the next 1-2 years.

JOB DESCRIPTION - PURPOSES:

The main purpose (use) of the job description is to provide precise information to the Job holder, about his contribution for achieving organizational objectives. It is a fundamental tool for a Line Manager who can use it to ensure that his/her subordinates understand what they have to achieve and the criteria on which their performance will be measured. Beyond this main purpose, job description provides information to support other HR Processes; however it must be reviewed and updated periodically.

JOB DESCRIPTION & COMPETENCIES:

I have already covered the importance of competency models in my previous post. However, it is important to note the views of Mr. Dipak Kumar Bhattacharyya, in his book, 'HR Research Methods' (2007). He says, "The need to link the intellectual capital of the firm to the strategic objective is the order of the day. Firms have realized that unless they align themselves accordingly they will not be able to gain a competitive advantage: Thus, a competency-based approach is today used by a lot many organizations in achieving their strategic objectives.

Competency mapping, therefore, has now become essential for every organization to achieve excellence, gain competitive advantage, and renew them through proper restructuring."

In any Job Description, Key Result Area (KRA's) represents the "Output" of the job. And the knowledge, skills and competencies represent the "Inputs" of the job. Competency-based job analysis basically means writing job description based on competencies rather than just job duties.

The validated competencies can be taken directly from existing library in case the company has already adopted a competency model. Alternatively if the company is in the "process of developing competency model", then during the "data collection" phase (step no. 3 of process - as shown in previous post) various assessment methods can be used. However, "Behavioral Event Interview" (BEI) is given more importance by Haygroup. Other methods include Expert Panels or Focus Group and Surveys. These methods either can be used on their own or along with other methods for effective results.

A directory / library typically contain a list of approximately 15 to 20 tailored competencies. These competencies are key to high performance in the organization.

For each competency we require:
-   A definition
-   A business rationale (why it matters to the business)
-   Levels of demonstration, with behavioral indicators

The Panel identifies the 8-10 key competencies required which are important for achieving success in a particular position (Position Level and Functional / Technical Competencies). The 'Core competency' is also identified in the process. For e.g. "Passion for the Business" [ IBM - List of competencies page 210, Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? (2002) ].  And finally specify the 'levels' of demonstration of each competency which is required.

Example:

Self Confidence                      Level 4
Achievement Orientation         Level 3
Transparency                         Level 5
Service Orientation                 Level 3
Teamwork & Collaboration       Level 4

Prof. / Dr. David McClelland had already stated the importance of competencies compared to intelligence. Where competencies are more likely to contribute towards the achievement of success in a particular job. In fact, they are perceived as predictors of superior performance. Hence, a competency based job description can be used in various HR processes, especially to distinguish the "best from the rest".

BENEFITS / ADVANTAGES:

1. Communicating competencies: A Job Description can be an important tool for effectively communicating needed 'competencies' to employees. i.e. which competencies are important for achieving success in a particular job. And the needed 'Level' of each competency. 

2. Facilitate processes integration: Since the Job Description is an important document that facilitate executing various HR processes as shown in the above image. Competency-based Job Description provides 'Lingua Franca' (common language) to integrate these processes. ( For strategic HR, the lingua franca is competencies - The Art and Science of competency Modeling - Kornferry Institute [pdf] )

3. Measurable competencies: Since job competencies are always observable and 'measurable' behaviors comprising part of a job, they provide a sound basis for Performance Management, Training & other HR initiatives compared to tasks and duties. Needless to say, “What gets measured gets done” as correctly said by Peter Drucker, in fact, there is similar quote by Lou Gerstner "people don’t do what you expect but what you inspect".

4. Provides Strategic approach: Designing competency-based Job Description is more strategic approach since it provides a direct link to business goals and organization strategy. Mr. Jeffery S. Shippmann, very clearly explain it in his article, "The Practice of Competency Modeling" [pdf] (Personnel Psychology 2000)

He says, "Competency approach typically include a fairly  substantial effort to understand an organization's business context and competitive strategy and to establish some direct line-of-sight between individual competency requirements and the broader goals of the organization".

5. Assessment & Development: As researchers have advocated the use of the competency-based approach for assessment and development purposes. Such job description would facilitate the process of Training Need Analysis and provide concrete basis for designing training and development strategies. Similarly, it may benefit to other HR Processes such as HRP, Career Planning and Succession Planning.

6. Predictive HR Analytics: There is a vast amount of data being collected during Job Analysis and Competency development process. In the advent of HR Analytics, a competency based job description would certainly provide a sound basis to facilitate predicting future success. Here competencies can play an important role since they consider other aspects such as Belief, Interest, Values, Self-image, Traits and Motive; apart from Experience, Qualifications, and skills. Typically underlying elements of competencies which are less visible ( "Ice-berg Model" ) but they largely direct and control surface behavior.

PRECAUTIONS :

However, according to Mr. Frederick Morgeson there are two possibilities that affect the analysis. ( "Self Presentation Process in Job Analysis" [pdf] Journal of Applied Psychology 2004)

1. Normally respondents give higher ratings for competencies.  Employees tend to inflate their job during the process of interview since the result has direct impact on job grade, compensation and employee status. The purpose of the analysis (e.g., strategic clarification vs. organizational restructuring) is also likely to exert a strong influence on employee response.

2. Respondents give lower ratings for entry-level competencies. For example, we tend to use lower 'levels' of particular competency for the entry-level job (Trainee, Junior Associate) compared to senior positions.

To sum it up, the competency-based approach certainly helps to enhance performance, manage change and drive cultural transformation, while at the same time empower and motivate the employees.

I would like to conclude with another approach in addition to Job Description, by designing 'Job families' & 'personal scorecards' for every employee. Robert Kaplan & David Norton have articulated the significance of this approach in their book - "The Execution Premium" (2008). It says,

“we have described how to identify strategic job families. ... They create the differentiation in the strategy for sustainable competitive advantage. ... the HR processes eventually need to ensure that all employees have competency development programs in place that will give them the knowledge, skills, and values they need in order to achieve the targeted performance on their personal scorecards."

[Inputs taken from Haygroup - Job Analysis - Training Material]

COMPETENCY BASED INTERVIEW - ASSESSMENT

[Image source: Google Image]

While going through SHL - "2013 Global Assessment Trends Report", trends reflected that 'Creating / implementing Competency Model (s) was ranking at number eleven (11) in list of 'HR Priorities - 2013'. And only one-third of respondents indicated that Competency Models are used effectively in their organizations.  Now, that was an unexpected finding, considering the fact that Competency Development and Management is an integral part of strategic HR initiatives. In fact mission critical for successful strategy implementation for any organization. ( 'The Execution Premium' by Robert S. Kaplan, David P. Norton )

It also reminded me of a well-known quote, "Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important" by Stephen R. Covey.

As a matter of fact it was Hay Group that assisted Mr. Lou Gerstner Jr. Chairman & CEO, IBM (1993-2002) in developing eleven "IBM Leadership Competencies"  ( Leadership Run Amok, HBR - June 2006 ).  Importance of this initiative is underlined by the fact that it was part of the largest turnaround strategy of corporate history, successfully headed by Mr. Gerstner.

I would like to refer to his remarkable comments in the book ( Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? 2002 )

" Specifically, people wanted to know how they could make it into the SLG (Senior Leadership Group) one day. Our answer was to create a set of common attributes that we wanted all of our leaders to have, and to formalize them as ' IBM Leadership Competencies'." ( p. 210 List of 11 competencies) (Details of these competencies available in the book Management and Organizational Behavior by Laurie J. Mullins 2005)

Leadership performance within IBM was assessed in line with these eleven competencies. As stated by him,  "The competencies became the basis for evaluating every executive in the company. It did not take long for people to realize that this was going to be how you got ahead in the new IBM."

It is important to note that he personally advocated and promoted this initiative. He spent three days in the training session for this initiative along with his team of 300 selected Executives within IBM. He wanted his Executives to adopt and display behavior in line with his turnaround strategy. And he successfully implemented this change management process. He further states that " Although I actively promulgated the principles and built our management training and evaluation around the Leadership Competencies, the new ways of doing things were much less codified than what they had replaced. That was how I wanted it to be and it did produce a marked change in our leadership's behavior and focus".

The competency-based methodology was pioneered in late 1960's by Dr. David McClelland, Founder of Hay McBer Company, also Psychologist at Harvard University. Subsequently many others had also contributed for the development of Competency-based HRM. It was primarily focused on an assessment of employees, not just on the basis of intelligence, but on the basis of a set of competencies. Competencies are the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes that lead to high performance.

TYPES OF COMPETENCIES:

Three types of competencies are specified by Korn Ferry Institute in the white paper, 'The Art & Science of Competency Modeling' (2010) 1) Core Competencies 2) Position Level Competencies & 3) Functional Competencies.

1) Core Competencies: These are set of critical competencies that result in shaping organizational capabilities and required culture to achieve strategic objectives.

2) Position Level Competencies: These are competencies which are critical for success in relevant position i.e. Individual Contributor, Manager or Executive.

3) Functional Area Competencies: These are competencies which are most critical for different functions within an organization. For e.g. Creativity - more important for Marketing and less important for Finance.

[ Image source: "The Art and Science of Competency Modeling" 2010 The Korn/Ferry Institute ]

Some authors have also defined other types of competencies, such as Organizational Competencies, Technical Competencies, Behavioral Competencies, and Management Competencies etc.

COMPETENCY LIBRARY:

There are many institutions which have already designed set of universally applicable competencies; for e.g. Hay Group, Center for Creative Leadership ( CCL) , Lominger / PDI ( Kornferry) , DDI, SHL - CEB, Kenexa. Different experts may call the competencies by different names or differentiate them on the basis of different levels. However, the content and essence of these competencies is essentially the same. These Competency Libraries are updated and validated periodically, and hence are the better option than developing our own library. In addition certified professionals bring in value-added assistance and support throughout the implementation process. The success of the Competency Model and the entire initiative hinges on competency  library, in terms of quality of its contents. Hence, it deserves special attention and care in the decision-making process.

The important question here is that whether these competencies are suitable or can be customized according to strategic requirements / cultural norms of our organization. In fact, some experts say that organizations should not “plugin” ready-made competencies from an existing library unless they truly reflect the company’s culture, business strategy and unique market dynamics. Please note what Mr. Dave Ulrich and Mr. Norm Smallwood state in their HBR-July 2007 article 'Building Leadership Brand'. It says, "...vanilla competency models generate vanilla leadership.... Expanding the competency model to include an external focus allow companies to offset that risk, by enabling them to tailor their leadership model to their own requirements".

PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING COMPETENCY MODEL:

1. Establish the performance criteria.
2. Identify people for the criterion samples.
3. Collect data through behavioral event interviews (BEIs) or other assessment methods.
4. Analyze data and define the competencies.
5. Validate the model.
6. Design applications.

These are six stages in the process of developing Competency Model according to working paper, prepared by Hay Group - "Using Competencies to identify High Performers" - 2003. Each consultancy has their own process which is more or less the same.

INTEGRATED APPROACH:

While designing business strategy, Competency Models become a valuable tool for defining critical skills required for achieving success.  Simultaneously it also facilitates the integration of talent Management and other HR processes within an organization. ( e.g. Recruitment & Selection, Career Planning, Succession Planning, Training & Development, Management Development, Performance Management, Compensation & Benefits, and Workforce Planning ) Effectively designed models are capable of delivering expected transformation in organization culture. ( Strategy-driven Talent Management 2010). A transformation that Mr. Gerstner completed successfully, hence he says, " I came to see, in my time at IBM , that culture isn’t just one aspect of the game—it is the game."

Software implementation can be a wise option to ameliorate the burden while simplifying the entire process. There are many software’s available for implementing competency framework while ensuring integration with other Talent Management initiatives. [ERP : Taleo ( Oracle), Success Factors ( SAP), & Workday. Standalone : Saba, CornerstoneonDemand, Halogen Software, Sum Total, Lumesse, & Peoplefluent] They provide an effective solution in association with above-mentioned companies. Especially by capitalizing on their expertise with competency libraries  (e.g. DDI, PDI, Lominger) and latest research & development in the field.

COMPETENCY- BASED ASSESSMENT:

Now the big question is 'where to begin'? Here I would like to refer to remarks made in the white paper 'The Art and Science of competency Modeling' - Kornferry. It says, "Processes that are widespread and well-implemented may be a harder place to start because of the change management involved. Take interviewing and selection, for example. If the current state is decentralized and mostly managed by the individual hiring manager, offering a competency-based selection process not only adds science to the process but it makes it easier for those hiring managers. Identify the greatest need and begin there - other talent management practices will follow."

Besides it makes more sense to recruit or select for the Competencies that are being developed, rather than to train people for them in the short term. A competency-based selection process help organizations by providing a framework to consistently hire, develop and promote top performers. When you employ the process turnover drops, Individual and Group performance improves and your organization builds a strong & agile workforce that can solve problems, change with the times, and meet organization-wide goals. It reminds me of a remarkable quote by David Ogilvy, he summed up the importance of careful hiring when he wrote, “If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”

I have managed to design a Competency-based Interview Assessment Form. There are 78 Competencies based on which we can assess employees for selected 8 competencies relevant to the position. You can download the same using link provided below. Or send an email to vijay.bankar@gmail.com and I will forward it to you immediately. It can be used either for recruitment of employees or it can be used for employee assessment - for selecting employees for Leadership roles / promotion. Please note that the assessment form is being developed based on conceptual understanding. However, so far, it has not been administered on employees. Please do provide your valuable feedback.

As my previous post, I would like to conclude with a quote:

Jack Welch said that the core competency of GE is not making some product or GE's ability to grow at a double-digit rate: "GE's core competency is the development of people. In the end, great people make things happen. Involving all of them is really the answer."

... The Jack Welch Lexicon of Leadership, 2002 - Jeffrey A. Krames

Employee Surveys - Valuable tool for HR Professionals

EMPLOYEE SURVEYS

The employee survey is an effective tool available to HR Professionals for organization diagnosis. Especially when you are not sure where to start, while designing blueprint, and articulating development initiatives for improvements. Mr. Ralph Christensen, advocate the same point in his book 'Roadmap to Strategic HR', 2006 (Access the organization's readiness for change). As doctor carry out different tests prior to treatment, to diagnose the problem. Similarly, we can use the survey as a tool for diagnosing problems prevailing within an organization.

Employee surveys also facilitate fact-based decision making. In the advent of 'Big data', and decision making based on 'HR Analytics', significance of the Employee surveys had increased to a great extent. ( 'Big Data in HR' report by Josh Bersin, Principal Analyst, Bersin & Associates - April 2012 ). Rapid changes in the external environment such as mergers, acquisitions etc. have also contributed to increased importance of the views / opinions of employees, more than ever before. Needless to say that, employee surveys had always been an integral part of the Organization Development (OD) initiatives.  Primarily focusing on improving organization climate, employee morale, effectiveness, and productivity.

Enough evidence is available in different books regarding the use of Employee Surveys by eminent leaders for improving organization effectiveness. For example, Jack Welch, GE, ( Annual Surveys - 'Winning' 2005 & 'The Jack Welch Lexicon of Leadership' by Jeffrey A. Krames, 2002) Thomas Watson Jr. IBM, ( Monthly opinion surveys - 'In Search of Excellence') Steve Ballmer, Microsoft, ( 'How to Think Like The World's Greatest High-Tech Titans', by Erika Brown, 2001 ). Similar reference is available in the book 'The Future of HRM' (2005 by Michael Losey, Sue Meisinger, and Dave Ulrich) with examples of companies such as Yahoo (p. 185) UPS (p. 192) & Nokia (p. 372).

Support from Top Management is very important for success of survey initiative. In fact, it does contribute to increase the significance of any HR initiative for that matter. ( 'Roadmap to Strategic HR', 2006). Especially for securing buy-in from other departments and increasing employee participation in the process. 

SURVEY TYPE:

Besides paper-based surveys, which has been commonly used practice, following methods can also be considered depending upon resource availability. 

- Email Surveys. 
- Interactive Telephone Surveys - using touch tone response. 
- Web-based Surveys. 
- Mobile App for a quick response.

In line with the recent technology trends, a number of smartphone users are growing rapidly. In a mobile world where we are constantly on-the-go. Instant access to information helps us to make better decisions. We can stay connected with our employees; get immediate feedback and insight on critical initiatives to expedite the decision-making process. Hence a mobile app which can run on all platforms; (i.e. Android, iPhone, Windows, & Blackberry) would be a smart choice, for getting instant employee feedback. Ensure its availability in all App stores, from where employees can easily access the app and provide feedback according to their convenience.

SURVEY PROCESS:

I ] Survey Objective & Plan: First step for conducting a survey is to finalize survey objective & plan while securing buy-in from respective participants i.e. HR & IT Team. The important question to answer at this point is why are we carrying out the survey exercise? What are we trying to measure and analyze? It is also important to finalize Survey Plan i.e. Type of the survey, method, survey duration, schedule, target population. Simultaneously identify different tasks and fix responsibilities.

II ] Design Survey Questionnaire / Form: No survey can achieve success without a well-designed questionnaire. This is a very important step in the survey process. The design of a survey form depends on the nature of the information we are trying to gather i.e. Qualitative Information; Quantitative Information. Make sure that the language used to frame the question is simple and easy to understand. It is suggested to avoid ambiguous questions. If we managed to frame questions with positive words, it would help us to easily calculate employee satisfaction index. Decide appropriate answer scales to be used for quantitative close ended questions. This can be for yes/ no question, Five-point Likert scale or a custom scale. Avoid designing lengthy questionnaire. The questionnaire should be like a women's skirt. Short enough to rouse the interest, but long enough to cover the essentials.

III ] Pilot Test: It is always safe to carry out pilot testing of the survey questionnaire on selected sample. It gives us an opportunity to rectify the form before administering it on the target population. This also helps us to establish authenticity of the questionnaire.

IV ] Administering Questionnaire: Circulate form to target population as per schedule according to survey method i.e. by email, courier, circulation of the app. Ensure on time delivery of forms to the recipients and then follow up for their response. It is suggested to maintain anonymity for frank and candid response. The convenience of the respondents should be given priority throughout the process. Once the response is received from the participants, it is suggested to send them a 'Thank you' note / email, acknowledging their contribution if possible. Apart from courtesy, it also helps us to improve survey response.

V ] Data Collection & Analysis:  The quantitative responses should be tabulated in an appropriate manner for further analysis. Proper care and attention must be given to safeguard the accuracy of results. It is recommended to use appropriate software for analysis i.e. MS Excel, SPSS etc. According to my observation, Microsoft Excel is convenient and can be used by anyone for basic analysis. However, other software can be used for advanced calculations and analysis.

VI ] Finalize Report: Unbiased results must be included in the report based on the concrete facts. While presenting the report avoid using technical details, and convey the findings in a simple understandable manner using appropriate graphs and charts. Recommendations must be supported with relevant facts and data. Simultaneously prepare actionables with an appropriate time frame for implementation, along with responsibilities ( i.e. who will take action on which recommendations). These are the proposed initiatives to be implemented for improvements. In fact, the real job begins after successful completion of the survey. HR professionals should be committed to effectively implement the recommendations.

VII ] Repeat Survey: It is important to carry out the subsequent survey to analyze, and review improvements. Some companies carry out monthly / yearly surveys. However in my opinion, twice a year is much more suitable since it gives us enough time to implement recommendations. The repeat survey provides us precise facts about improvements as reflected by development in the Satisfaction Index. Specific questions can be amended in the repeat survey based on the review.

VIII ] Survey Vendor: Some companies prefer to hire vendors, consultants to carry out employee surveys. They bring in expert know-how, and state of the art technology, for administering surveys. The vendors also provide assistance throughout the process for successful completion of the process. It saves time and efforts, for the companies, and without getting involved in the nuts and bolts of the process, easily get ready made solution. Another important benefit of hiring vendors is that it offers benchmark comparison against an authentic global database. And we can compare our results against our competitors. Some well-known vendors are:

1- Employee Effectiveness Survey - HAY GROUP 
2- Employee Engagement Survey - KENEXA (Kenexa Mobile Survey App)

Decisions taken based on the facts and data are always better than the decisions taken based on instincts. At least you have sound basis for your Judgment. 

In conclusion, I would like to sum it up with a quotation by Mr. Jack Welch:

"In annual surveys over a decade, employees would tell us that we were a company that increasingly lived its values. That made people even more committed to living them too. And as our employee satisfaction results improved, so did our financial results".

... Jack Welch, GE, Winning, 2005