Posts Tagged ‘Performance Management’
Workforce Development Plan
So what is workforce development?
It is an umbrella term for implementing strategies that help you bridge the gap between your current workforce and your target (future) workforce. Workforce development strategies address the gaps that you find when you undertake workforce planning and training needs analysis where the output is a workforce plan. The strategies could be about attraction, recruitment, retention, career progression, succession planning, job design, skills and competencies, values and behaviours, KPI’s and performance.
Generally when you write a workforce plan you cover the same time frame as the organisation’s strategic plan which could be 1, 3, 5, 10 or 20 years depending on your industry and budget cycles. The steps are reflected in the document itself starting with 1. Context and environment, 2. Current workforce profile, 3. Future workforce profile including forecasting demand and supply, 4. Gap analysis, priorities, implementation, 5. Review, monitor, evaluate.
Review your workforce plan regularly – about every 6 months or if there has been a major workforce change or refocus of the business. The workforce plan is a dynamic document resulting in a prioritised action plan identifying who will do what and by when – it’s not uncommon for organisations to have numerous updated versions of their workforce plan over the timeframe for which it has been designed.
As job roles change and you implement workforce development strategies, the framework that measures your workforce capability also needs to change to reflect the organisation’s structure and focus. You may want to build a capability framework to help you measure your workforce capability and capacity. Revisiting your demand and supply forecasting is important to see if you are on track.
The process is facilitated transparently, involving people from across your organisation to help identify strengths, development needs and issues. Communication, consultation and education is critical so you know what to do and what you are aiming for using a practical, straight forward approach – don’t over complicate it!
How to build a Competency Framework
First of all why do you want to build one?
Often it’s because people ask for training and development that may not be directly related to their job role, it may be dealt with ad hoc and often training needs aren’t aggregated at an organisational, project or team level.
Another reason could be that you are looking for an evidence based approach to assessing skill level and performance, you may be recruiting, looking at career progression or you may want to demonstrate your workforce capability for a tender, proposal, project or industry awards.
Whatever the reason, I suggest you start with the end in mind – what are you wanting as the out and outcomes and then work your way back.
Secondly, who needs to be involved to validate and who needs to be briefed and kept up to date with the framework as it develops. Communication and consultation is absolutely critical so work out who are your audiences, what do you need to say, when and how often, and what communication methods will you use including existing communication channels. Utilising a group of people representing their job roles, especially if they are well networked in their area is a good way to go. Help them to know the purpose of the framework, what it will be used for and their knowledge, experience and understanding of the job roles in the framework to validate the competency and skills profiles.
Thirdly, think about the structure which needs to mirror the organisation or client (could be internal or external like a project) you are working with. I like the structure of core competencies i.e. everybody needs these, functional competencies including leadership i.e. some people need different functions, and job specific competencies i.e. skills that make 1 job role different to another. Draw a diagram of the competency framework and have the map to relevant skills sitting behind it.
Fourthly, what can we use the framework for? Training and development needs analysis,performance management, competency based job descriptions and recruitment, career and succession planning, evidence against industry standards and for tenders, proposals, marketing and promotions.
A final word on who needs a framework – well it’s up to you! I have developed a framework for a 1 person business up to a government department with 43 000 people because they had very real business reasons to build one in the first place.
Recognition
Yesterday I attended a CEDA luncheon with Hugh Mackay on his new book What makes us tick: The ten desires that drive us.
Hugh covered the ten desires including:
The desire to be taken seriously
The desire for ‘my place’
The desire for something to believe in
The desire to connect
The desire to be useful
The desire to belong
The desire for more
The desire for control
The desire for something to happen
The desire for love
Mackay asserts that the desire to be taken seriously is the most important one, “Not seriously as in ‘Oh what a serious person!’ but seriously as in ‘Please recognise and acknowledge me as an individual.’ (p.2)
So how does this apply to workforce management? Well I’d suggest this desire relates to every aspect of working effectively with people – recognising their achievements, skills, performance, career aspirations, leadership, issues, ideas, work load, work-life balance and the importance of engaging people in decision making, problem solving and change implementation. A good reminder really of the need to practice recognising people every day.
99 Ways to Retain Good Staff
At a recent Enterprise Connect workforce re-engineering network meeting, participants took on the challenge of coming up with 99 ways to retain good staff. Here’s the results – we got to 63 so what else would you add?
- Rubber chicken award – recognition of a job well done
- Clear career pathways
- Exchange programs – across the organisation, outside and back again
- Defined expectations from the team member and manager
- Understanding of the psychological contract and unwritten agreements
- Two-way, meaningful communication
- Performance – defining good and poor performance
- Input into decision making
- Empathy and understanding for issues outside of work
- Team discussions, meetings and planning
- Democratic workplace and included
- Birthday leave – leave day for your birthday
- Flexibility with work commitments – early/late start
- Professional development
- Events, dinners and industry functions – BBQ’s, Melbourne Cup, lunches, Christmas
- Conferences and travelling
- Boss willing to work alongside staff
- Nice work environment
- Positive atmosphere
- Health and well being programs, flu shots, checks
- Free drinks machine, tea, coffee and biscuits
- Years of service awards
- Bring your partners along to special events
- Gifts, thank you, pressies and awards
- Transport provide for special occasions
- Know your staff well – personal interests, partner and kids names
- Balance in the team – experience, knowledge, skills, generations
- Find out what people want to be known for
- What do people say and think about you?
- Accommodation and housing
- Project based opportunities
- Exciting work
- Clear about future directions
- Access to the boss
- Multi skilling
- Find out what work people want to do
- Share management duties such as chairing meetings
- Activities to support charities and volunteer
- Public acknowledgement
- Massages, mini breaks
- Listening
- Photos, video of career history
- Wellness programs
- Work sports teams and leagues
- Manage the poor performers
- Toolbox chats
- Social and environmental responsibility initiatives
- Competency based recruitment and selection
- Match ethos and values
- Attitude over aptitude
- Set goals and review regularly
- Build your own training centre – pride and joy to conduct own training
- Ask why do you stay?
- Immaculate facility
- Social club and activities
- Demonstrate good management in the tough times with clear communication
- Internal mentors
- Mid-career opportunities – networking of similar cohort across the organisation
- Higher education opportunities – complete a Masters degree as a group
- Phased retirement
- Surprises – nice ones
- Exercise program – Pilates as a group
- Gym program to support physical requirements of the job