Optimizing the impacts of investments in training: Example of a project
2 November 2016
New Project with Bonduelle
7 November 2017
Author: Charles Mathieu, Project Manager and Instructional Designer at HumEng International
Managers favour providing training to their employees because it should make them more competent in their tasks, encourage them to work according to the best practices, in a more efficient and safer manner, and should also lead to less culls. In reality, the “follow Joe around” training method does not always deliver the expected results.
In order to improve the impact of training investments, a training manager can, before even planning a training program (or before creating any training material), develop job skill profiles.
Before addressing how to develop a skills profile, we should define what it is. A skills profile is a list of competencies, attitudes and knowledge that are necessary to properly perform a task or specific job. It does not contain tasks, but rather the skills that these tasks require.
Skill profiles are the foundation of an effective and efficient training system. Skill profiles allow to identify learning objectives, create evaluations, identify skills that need to be developed and identify adapted training methods. They also allow to validate acquired skills.
How to develop a skills profile
Method
The production of a job’s skills profile is an opportunity to lay the foundation of the change management process. At HumEng, we encourage a collaborative approach between the employees of the shop floor and the supervision in order to involve them from the start.
During a semi-structured interview with an “exemplary” job incumbent, we identify the “what”, “why” and “how to” of skills that are required to perform the job efficiently and safely. Action verbs are used, and skills are formulated so they can be observed and measured. It is advisable to divide skills into groups (equipment, operations, control, quality, environment, health and safety, etc.). The draft skills profile is then validated with the other job incumbents. Exchanges and discussions should be encouraged, in order to ensure the skills profile reflects best practices and to promote adoption.
The skill profile must also be validated with the supervisor(s) in order to ensure that it reflects management’s expectations for the job and employees.
Critical Skills
An efficient skills profile is a profile that is adopted and used and provides results. This cannot be the case if employees are evaluated on dozens of skills. It is therefore recommended to identify a maximum of 15 key skills per job, the ones that are most important for excellence, competitiveness and profitability.
The critical skills must be specific, critical for operations and formulated with observable criteria in order to allow everyone to understand the evaluation and expectations.
Conclusion
This development of job skill profiles is an excellent investment for your company: it allows you to put training efforts where they really count. The skills profiles will also help you to hire employees that possess the skills necessary for the efficient running of your company.
Employees can also take control of their career by following a plan based on the skills that need to be acquired in order to obtain a desired job. In the same way, the company should use the skill profiles to fill vacancies created by retirements and employee turnover. The skill profiles should be used to identify the training required for employees that are next in line for the jobs that will become vacant.