Medium to large organisations (> 50 staff)
Selection
We provide assistance in design and delivery of selection systems for organisations that are knowledge based, rather than manual or semi-skilled. This means that our service is mainly geared to skilled managerial and executive roles, and senior appointments.
The type of modern organisation with which we work is often challenged by selection processes because;
- The requirements are rapidly changing.
- The roles – from graduate trainee to CEO - are knowledge based, it isn’t easy to observe whether a candidate really can do what they claim they can do until they are in the role.
- Simply having superior technical knowledge in the area does not guarantee superior performance.
- Superior performance often requires contrasting attitudes and aptitudes, such as detail consciousness and empathy or routine following and creativity.
- It is often hard to know whether skills are compensatory, for example, whether good interpersonal style can make up for poor organisation.
As we specialise in the design of selection systems for knowledge based roles we have developed methods for accurately assessing future performance that overcome these challenges. Our tailored approach allows us to make accurate analyses of the role requirements, keeping “ahead of the curve” of change.
We’ve put some of our papers about these subjects on the website, so you can read about the general design of Selection Systems and Assessment Centres. These give you an idea of our approach and give some of the principles that we follow and teach to clients.
We also have extensive experience of designing work simulations and other selection methods (such as Situational Judgment Questionnaires, scorable application forms and structured interviews) for a range of senior roles in organisations ranging from Warner Brothers, M&S and Nationwide to Scottish Prison Service, NUH NHS Trust, and DVLA.
Where you have an in-house HR resource we are happy to act in an advisory capacity, providing specialist design element for your use and passing on expertise via training or collaborative working. Where there is less expertise available, we can design whole selection systems, or provide a resource for establishing a robust process, for example helping to select appropriate psychometrics, designing interview protocols and providing assessors to support ACs.
Management Development
Despite the adage "people are our most important asset", at the start of 2009 13% of firms surveyed by the CBI were planning to reduce their training and development budget, if they had not already reduced it. But, to quote, Richard Lambert, Director General of the CBI, “now is precisely the time to keep investing in the skills and talents of our people”. We’ve written a paper on Management Development (link) highlighting some of the key points regarding development in the organisations of the future.
It is worth remembering that generally, while hiring a new employee is the end of a process of selection, the decision to invest in development is only the start of the process. Decisions on means of development such as Development Centres (using similar technology to Assessment Centres) and Coaching (q.v.) are important, but for development to work well it needs to be followed up.
If there is no resource "in-house", to provide options for management development and how processes such as mentoring, a development programme or ongoing coaching might be arranged we can provide help to decide on the appropriate measures and subsequently support the programme. Where the resource exists, we can support this function with facilitators and coaches, or give consultancy advice on best practice in the area to augment your own expertise.
Please contact us to discuss your situation and see how we can help.
Coaching
One means of developing managers is individual or group coaching. Learning and continuing to apply new behaviours and managerial styles is not easy – frequently managers know what they are trying to accomplish and what they need to do, but have trouble doing it! They may have even more trouble in keeping on doing the things they need to do until the new ways of thinking and behaving become second nature.
Organisations are complex, with needs of the company as a whole, the management, the individual executives, the functional teams and the staff. That makes issues such as who gets what feedback, who gets the benefit of how much coaching and how you measure the results in terms of improved performance, complicated as well.
In order to ensure that the return on investment in coaching is sound we always explore the issue thoroughly with you in advance. Issues of confidentiality of information, reporting lines objectives and measures are made explicit so that everybody, management, HR department, executives being coached and the coach are all clear and can focus on maximising the return.
Please contact us to discuss your situation and see how we can help, or look at our notes on Executive coaching.
Employee Benefits
Money worries are one of the major causes of stress in the workplace – and that workplace stress costs UK industry an estimated £9.6bn per year. Providing support to staff facing an economic downturn (with its associated bonus cuts, threats of potential job losses and increasing credit pressure) can help to improve staff retention, and provides a benefit of genuine value.
Additionally, most businesses have a small number of key employees. Indeed, “key man” insurance, is available to protect against the consequences of the loss of such individuals through illness, injury or death. In the current economic climate it is natural that many staff will worry about job security, the financial strength of the company and one’s own finances. Obviously, if they are “there in body, but not in spirit” because they are worrying about financial issues, you need to provide support for them to tackle the issues or have contingency plans to deal with any consequent problems that arise at work.
Our direct support can include individual coaching, a telephone or workplace “clinic” or confidential financial coaching and advice for staff and potentially their families. For major stress reduction programmes we work with other expert providers – some of whom have been involved in designing the HSE’s national model for organisational stress management. Contact us.
We also provide various types of training and coaching about finance, so please have a look at our page about financial coaching and training, which also gives you the opportunity to receive our newsletter on the psychology of finance.
We are also able to liase with your existing Employee Assistance Programme providers and are perfectly prepared to assist by training your own staff or those of EAPs in specific issues and methods to help staff with financial problems. You may like to look at our services to Counsellors, Therapists and Coaches.