CRITICAL POSITIONS FRAMEWORK

This is something that I did 3 years ago and since we didnt get a chance to actually use it, 

hopefully my previous bosses wont mind me sharing it here. :P We created a framework for identifying critical positions to be used in succession planning. After some research including studying the following models: 

State of Vermont Workforce Planning Toolkit, State of Iowa How-to guide for Developing a Succession Plan, Workforce Planning Model by Motor Carrier Passenger Council of Canada ,Succession Planning for Key Positions Guidance Document by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Companion Guide to Knowledge Transfer Models by QSP NC Office of State Personnel, I came up with a framework of my own . It includes the following 7 factors and their meanings:

Mission Defining

• Is the position a key contributor to defining the organizational mission?

Leadership

• Is this a leadership position (exempt status, manages a division, department or agency etc.)

Critical Function

• Does it perform critical to vital functions such that leaving it vacant would hinder or prevent success of the mission?
• Does this position solely hold important information?
• Does this position serve as a hub where one or more other essential functions or processes come together

Specialization

• Does the position provide specialized technical/ content specific skills  and knowledge that are difficult to replace?

Location

• Does the  position fill a unique and important capacity at a particular location that would be difficult for another position, or the same position in another location, to take over?

Difficult to replace

• Is the position in a class or occupational group that is difficult to replace?

Essential in nature

• Would the sudden absence of a person in this position create a rapid breakdown in operations?

Now each factor was defined on a scale of 1 to 5.

Mission Defining

5Highest authority and responsibility to define and approve the corporate vision, mission, values, strategy and business plan. Directly responsible to the stakeholders for the execution of the plan and results.

4 Key contributor to organization’s mission, strategy and business plans, though not the final approver. Is responsible for execution of the plan for a large part of the business.

3 Creates the short term and long term business plan for a business unit / department. Is directly responsible for Business Unit / department performance and KPI’s.

2 Can provide good feedback through experience, though not responsible for defining the organizational mission. Is responsible to plan the execution of the plan for a limited area.

1 Has minimal or no role to play in defining the organizational mission and objectives. Basically follows instructions for execution.

Leadership

5 Manages an entire BU or division

4 Leads a multi skilled, multi-location team of technical/ critical positions.

3 Leads a small to medium sized team of technical/ critical positions.

2 Leads a small team of non technical/ non critical positions

1 Does not lead any team.

Critical Function

5 The role is the hub for various complex processes and functions to come together. Is responsible for managing and high level decision making on information/data critical for the day to day operation of the business and in solving problems and crises.

4 Serves as a hub of some processes, holds confidential/ critical information, but not solely. Plays a facilitative role in critical decision making and is called upon to solve problems and crises

3 Serves as a hub of processes coming together, but holds non confidential information. May work on critical information, but is not the owner of it.

2 Works on critical information, but is not the owner of it. Not a hub where any processes or functions come together.

1 Does not hold any critical/ confidential information. Not a hub where any processes or functions come together.

Specialization

5 Critical and unique knowledge and skills: mission/ operation critical knowledge that is undocumented and requires 3-5 years of experience to bring skills to journey level.

4 Critical knowledge and skills: knowledge and skills are mission/ operation critical. Limited duplication exists in other positions or units, and only limited documentation exists to guide employee moving into this position.

3 Important organizational knowledge and skills: Documentation exists for the knowledge and skills and/ or other personnel on site possess the knowledge/ skills necessary to be successful in these positions. Applicants can be generally trained in 1-2 years.

2 Procedural or non mission critical knowledge and skills: Clear up-to-date procedures exist. Training programs in place are current and effective. Training can be completed in less than a year.

1 Common knowledge and skills- These knowledge and skills are easy to obtain, readily available and require little additional training.

Location

5 Perceived as not a good place to live or work, unsuitable for family in terms of climate, education, housing, local conditions, security and health. Location is strategically important to Topaz. Local manpower not available. Expats difficult to recruit. Position may be permanently based at this location or may require to be on site. May also be in terms of responsibility for operations in a difficult geography which entails having knowledge of local customs/ laws/ business environment.

4 Perceived as relatively uncomfortable to live and work. Local manpower not available. Expats difficult to recruit. Position may involve being on site or travel often.

3 Location averagely suitable to live and work, but relatively unknown to expats. Limited local manpower availability. Position may involve being on site or travel often.

2 Perceived as comfortable to live, but incumbent may need to work on site. Local manpower/ expats available relatively easily.

1 Perceived as preferable to live and work in terms of climate, education, housing, local conditions, security and health. Local manpower/ expats available relatively easily. Position is permanently based here.

Difficult to replace

5 Scarcely available in market due to very high level of skills required. Highly paid by competitors, hence difficult to attract.

4 Available in market, but very well paid by competitors and hence difficult to attract.

3 Suitably available in the market and suitable paid by competitors.

2 Technical position, but easily available in the market at low price.

1 Non technical and non strategic position. Easily available in market at cheap price.

Essential in nature

5 Directly impacts the mission critical activities of the organization. Rapid breakdown in operations in incumbent’s sudden absence.

4 Directly impacts the mission critical activities of the organization. Back ups/ multiple incumbents at same position easily available in case of one’s absence.

3 Not an overhead function, but sudden absence will not cause rapid breakdown in operations. Absence may impact operations only gradually.

2 An overhead function, but impacts critical initiatives taken up by organization or facilitates smoother running of day to day operations.

1 An overhead function or a redundant position. Does not impact day to day mission critical operations.

The factors can then be provided weightages depending on organisational needs. The business unit positions can be scored based on the factor definitions, multiplied by the weightages and total score derived for the postions.

Please do leave your comments !

HR IN PUBLIC SECTOR BANKING

I have been working in a public sector bank for more than 5 quarters now and have been impressed by the way the bank conducts its operations- be it retail, compliance or HR.

Of course, compliance works effectively because banking is so highly regulated, RBI guidelines are sacrosanct.  Our bank takes care of business by launching various incentive based campaigns for employees and by being absolutely focused on customer service.

What stands out the most in a public sector unit is the thoroughness of its HR policy and the way the HR team functions. HR in a PSU somehow defies all the generic stereotypical opinions about this indispensable function.

Staring with recruitment, what is the general reaction by operations if a recently hired employee doesn’t perform upto the standards? Generally, it is “HR did not send us good CVs”, “HR was the one to hire this person who turned out to be like this”, “We do not believe in central recruitment”, “HR has all the power, we don’t have any say in recruitment decisions”.  On the contrary, there are no such reactions in the case of the biggest recruitment drive of the country. SBI received a humongous 17 lac candidate applications for PO 2013 exam. Such hugeness and organisation in conduct of exam and interviews for the purpose of recruitment for a job is unparalleled. The central recruitment cell of the bank does all that needs to be done by them. Their role is well defined. The screening is national level, completely transparent and performance standards clearly defined leaving little room for blame game.  The management has its own ways of dealing with non-performers and of course there is a feedback for the screening process, but there is no apathy towards the recruitment team.

One of the reasons of thoroughness in the organizational structure in PSUs is that HR manuals are not a copy paste work by some fancy HR consultancies; rather they are based on traditional management principles. Any deviations from the laid down HR policies are to be approved by senior management.  Does it sound bureaucratic? Maybe. Does it affect efficiency? I don’t think so. When staff welfare policies are in place, management takes quick decisions and business is driven by incentive schemes, employees remain motivated and keep bringing in more business. Again, the staff welfare policies that play a big role in employee retention in our bank, are very well defined in our HR manual.

When we talk about training, we think “oh a break and free food in a swanky hotel !” That’s not what training is about in a bank. When training is about fake currency detection, loans processing and knowing what kind of frauds take place in banking and what to do to avoid them, it is seen as absolutely essential to the functioning of the business, for the staff to carry on with their work and not as a ‘timepass’.

Unlike in some other industries, there is no need to stress on the fact that people are assets. Business per employee is a common performance parameter in banks and is in millions for the industry. There is no debate on HR being seen as a cost centre, just like any other department it does its work, there is no hoopla around what it does and how efficiently it does it, the HR staff doesn’t have to constantly defend itself and give justification for its existence in the organization.

I could go on about the role of HR in transfers, our very well implemented HRMS etc., but lets just keep it short and hope to learn more from HR implementation in PSUs, especially banks !

Employee Engagement by Debasish Sengupta and S. Ramadoss

Before I read this book, employee engagement meant the following 2 things to me:

1.       Letting employees participate in management decisions, since they are the ones closest to the operations and know what is out there. (employee empowerment)

2.       Organizing events/ activities for employees so that they get an opportunity to interact with each other in an informal environment and feel better connected to the organization.

Additionally, I used to think, it might also include handling employee grievances and work life balance.  Since I was not sure, out of sheer curiosity, I ordered the book from flipkart. I was a little worried initially that my thought process would  be clouded by just 2 authors’ views but fortunately the book is teeming with references to other research papers and reports. As it turns out, employee engagement is all that I thought it was plus a hundred other things. It seems to me it encompasses, in one way or another, the entire gamut of HR topics I have read and experienced so far!

The first chapter Demystifying Employee Engagement mentions the following points that were an eye opener for me:

1.       Culture is an incubator for employee engagement

2.       EE is not only about satisfaction, but also about contribution

3.       It has to be first attained and then sustained.

4.       Engaging, developing and retaining employees cannot be the sole responsibility for the HR function- line managers must shoulder the responsibility too.

The chapter also gives classification of employees as: engaged, not engaged and actively disengaged. The categorization is on the basis of how strongly connected the employee feels to the company. This impacts absenteeism, turnover and other basic performance parameters. What I did not realize was that it can affect creativity and innovation, which I always thought was primarily driven by the culture of the organization. Now looking at point no. 1 above, I can make sense of this. Other points are happiness at work, what employees do with expectations, opportunities etc.

One sentence from the book summarizes the definition of an engaged employee very well:  An engaged employee is “enthused” and “in gear”, using his talents and discretionary effort to make a difference in his employer’s quest for sustainable business success.

Another chapter lists eleven building blocks of engagement: building high level of trust, treat your employees well, deliver promises, envision, provide opportunity for career growth, design meaningful jobs, breathing offices and safe workplaces, collaborate and involve, empower in real terms, encourage informal networking and communication.  All these are supported by interesting examples/ diagrams/ quotes/ questionnaires.

The authors have then dedicated one full chapter to work-life balance, which is not yet given due attention in organizations.

The next chapter Lens of the Service Marketer, provides an analogy between HR and Marketing by treating employees as internal customers.  The 7Ps have been defined as:

1.       Product- Job itself

2.       Price- Energy, Skills, Intellect and time

3.       Place- Placement

4.       Promotion- Effective Communication

5.       People- The Right Guy!

6.       Process- Procedures, Routines

7.       Physical Evidence- Identity

The sixth chapter gives some strategies for employee retention. It defines retention as not about preventing people from leaving their respective organizations, its more about preventing even the creation of this ‘intent of leaving’ in the first place amongst its people. Employee engagement goes even beyond this. It includes the employee’s contribution to the organization’s success. Employee engagement depicts the connection of its key constituents-‘employees’ with their work, organization, efforts and results.

In the chapter Measuring Engagement, some standard surveys are given, which organizations can use to gauge employee engagement. Some of these can be quantified as they use likert’s  rating scale.

The last chapter lists reward and recognition, learning and development, communication practices, employee care and well being and performance management as best practices in employee engagement.

Overall this book has been an interesting read and now, when a placement consultant asks me in a telephonic interview if I have experience in employee engagement, my first response wont be ‘ummmm’… ;)

Competency mapping...

Competency mapping is one of those processes, which despite being old in its inception, is still new in its implementation. Though corporate giants and top HR consultancies have developed customized competency frameworks and do use them religiously for recruitment and evaluation purposes, the concept has still not penetrated medium sized companies. Of course the cost of developing and using such frameworks cannot be justified in a small company of say 50-100 employees. There are however a huge number of organizations who have reached maturity to implement this but are struggling to do so because of lack of experience in this field. Not all HR professionals have undergone a competency mapping cycle and it is definitely difficult to manage if you have not even seen one .

A large amount of documentation can be found on the internet for competency models. Even if you read all of these, you still cannot be prepared to face the process and interpersonal challenges involved in the process. For developing an effective framework, copy paste just wont do, nor would modification of some other organization’s model. As in any other project, the process has to be really strong to come up with a solid framework meeting the requirements of the organization. It could be a 4 page framework or a 100 page one, no one is better than the other, if they help their respective organizations achieve their performance objectives.

Though competencies have traditionally been defined more in terms of behavior rather than technical ability, more and more firms are opting for technical plus behavioral competency definitions these days. When construction projects begin to get delayed unprecedently and when safety standards are not met despite all your best efforts, you do begin to wonder if having thorough subject knowledge and experience is ultimately more important than “willingness to learn” and “good attitude”.  Having said that, it is heartening to see line managers giving more importance to behavioral competencies than the technical ones, and am sure HR folks would heave a sigh of relief when they find such understanding managers. But the question is , are companies willing to pay for technical training in today’s scenario? Would they prefer to hire an aggressive performer with people issues or a person with excellent interpersonal skills, with high delivery focus, trainable but lacking experience? Its not that companies have not faced these questions before, they have just become more urgent in the current economic situation.

Whatever an organization might choose to do, the process used for coming up with behavioral and technical competencies is the same. It is obvious that involvement of line managers is imperative, HR cannot do this job alone. Some organizations have HR as strategic business partners but most, even today, unfortunately don’t. HR executives in these companies do not have sufficient business knowledge to come up with the entire competency framework on their own, hence increased time requirement from line managers. HR would be lucky if line management already understands the importance of an accurate framework (which cannot be prepared from copy and paste), but mostly HR would have to get the buy in from departmental heads even if the initiative is driven from the top. Inputs received out of pressure and those received out of genuine interest do vary significantly.

A competency list can be prepared after job analysis interviews of various incumbents, role shadowing can also be done if feasible (in my experience it is not). Each competency then needs to be defined and then described at different levels. The number of levels can also vary from organization to organization (varies between 3-5 usually). A lot of focus groups, query solving sessions , review rounds and intermediate templates later, you can come up with a competency framework that actually works.

I have an experience of one such cycle and what an experience it has been! Before the start of the project, the General Manager asked me “Do you know how many companies in the world have successfully implemented competency framework? “ I said “Maybe a couple”. His response: “Zero. You might be the first one to do it”. If he was trying to motivate me, well good luck with that, I only got more scared!

Thankfully, we had consultants to do all this :D and I thank them for helping me gain immense knowledge on the subject. Now I am confident that I can prepare competency framework of any organization on my own and maybe will be the first one to deliver two successful frameworks in a row. ;)