Changing Roles and Responsibilities
Changing the structure of a company, acquiring a new technology, or reorganizing to better serve the customer each involve changes in the roles and responsibilities of the company’s management and employees. Employees may be asked to shift to a more team based structure. Building upon the insight gained from sharing the organization’s vision and mission, the next critical step is to identify roles and responsibilities (the context for behavior) and to align them with the organization’s primary task. OCG uses a group-based approach in developing and documenting changing roles and responsibilities for all employees. Employees develop a “role profile” that establishes what they expect from themselves in performing their role as well as what others expect from them.
360-Degree Feedback
Organizations that adopt 360-degree feedback want better performance information and seek to motivate behavior change. They may have other purposes in mind too such as supporting cultural change, reinforcing team behaviors, or changing individual behaviors and implementing strategic initiatives such as TQM or Baldrige Award eligibility. As organizations change their culture to align with their vision and values, 360-degree feedback becomes an ideal choice to communicate the new competencies required by the new values. Our consultants are trained in a variety of multi-source assessment tools. OCG is a member of the Performance Support Systems, the founders of 20/20 Insight, which is an easy-to-use, flexible, multi-source feedback tool. We offer a software tool that can be used internally to prepare useful and concise reports on relevant competencies, including the option of having narrative as well as scaled feedback.
Performance Development Systems
In many organizations, performance management and measurement systems involve nothing more sophisticated than an annual appraisal. Improving the way work is done must move beyond the annual performance appraisal and include how to proactively help employees perform their jobs in ways that align them with the vision, mission, and goals of the company.
OCG’s focus is to help organizations implement a systematic approach to performance management that includes integrated goal setting, core competency identification, development of measurement standards, continuous feedback, and employee development plans. Our extensive experience ranges from identification of core competencies to the development of appraisal systems, design and implementation of promotion and career development programs, and the development of standard measures. Our associates have experience in mentoring programs, succession programs, and pipeline and promotion programs. We provide individual and team coaching to sustain high performance.
Competency Analysis
Competency analysis identifies the key skills, knowledge and abilities required for successful performance. The process provides the framework for a variety of human resource efforts such as retraining, job redesign and recruitment efforts and can help pinpoint areas of strength and opportunities for improvement that impact the organization’s ability to meet current and future mission requirements. OCG can help you measure the right things in the right way to meet your purpose. We help identify individual and organizational core competencies and behavioral standards that are linked to strategic implementation. The use of our “CORE Competency Wheel™” ensures a link between individual performance, departmental mission, and strategic objectives.
Career Management in the 21st Century
Trends such as restructuring, reengineering, downsizing, and mergers and acquisitions as a result of global competition and technological advances are greatly influencing the changing nature of work and the relationships between employees and employers. As organizations change and redefine themselves, so must the individuals who work in them. Careers are now being depicted as a flexible, adaptable process of life-long learning experiences that may span many organizations as opposed to the traditional career characterized by upward mobility for life in one organization. Employees are expected to build career resilience and are asking for the organization’s financial and emotional support to do so. OCG works with you to design career management systems that help define organizational and employee goals, create a continuous learning environment, and assist the individual in owning his or her career. We work with our clients to provide their employees with opportunities that ensure continuous learning and challenging work.
Valuing a Diverse Work Force
Because the work force is predicted to become more diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, and racial background, it is unlikely that one set of values will characterize all employees. Managing cultural diversity involves many different activities, including creating an organizational culture that values diversity, ensuring that HR systems are bias-free, promoting knowledge and acceptance of cultural differences, ensuring involvement in education both within and outside the company, and dealing with employee resistance to diversity. OCG uses the Discovering Diversity Profile®, a confidential and effective way to explore diversity issues in four key areas – knowledge, understanding, acceptance and behavior. OCG enables organizations to move beyond awareness to taking action to ensure that activities are identified to create a valued diverse culture.
Employee Retention
Organizations in the 1980’s and 1990’s have experienced dynamic, unstable changes and have created strategies such as downsizing and restructuring to respond to these changes. These continuing trends involve a shift in the nature and meaning of work, the structure of careers, and a new paradigm for thinking about work, employees, organizations and their psychological contracts. Organizations must determine ways to create and maintain a climate of mutual trust, commitment, and high performance to retain their contributors. OCG works closely with its clients to identify critical success factors for building a strong foundation for employee commitment, trust, and loyalty and to neutralize factors that lead to unwanted employee turnover.
Employee Selection
Millions of dollars are spent annually to recruit the “right” candidates. Yet little time or effort is spent on establishing an effective interview process. The interview process ensures the “right” fit between the new employee and the organization. OCG uses a selection panel process to assist organizations in making tough selection decisions. We work side-by-side with the hiring client and the human resource organization to establish a selection panel, conduct interview simulations, and to facilitate the interview process. |
