HR Audit and Career Progression

HR Audit and Career Progression- It refers to identifying career goals and objectives of the individual employee and assisting them to achieve them by matching them with the organizational goals.

The aim of the system is to aid the individual to choose career options and opportunities and develop in that direction after being made aware of one’s capabilities an potential with the help of other system and the support of his superiors.

Contextual Analysis
Career paths based on role analysis and clarity
Identification of capabilities and potential supported by other systems

Development of the individual carried out in a systematically phased manner using several mechanisms

Ensuring a strong conceptual base and focusing on managerial skills and leadership qualities
Getting acquainted with other departments and functions
Presence of mentoring of career counseling systems

HR Audit and Career Progression- Specific strategies for different group of employees

Approach:

Firstly for fresh recruits
Secondly for those who have spent their time in the same position for a long time and shown potential
Next for highly promising employees
Subsequently for those who have reached a stage beyond which it is not possible to progress vertically
Then changes in career plans made depending on changes in the strategy, structure and working practices

Perceived as an integral part of the culture

Culture focused on competency building and commitment building
Openness in sharing the information with the employees
Commitments made to employees are met

Job Rotation

HR Audit and Career Progression- Job rotation is the systematic movement of employees from one job to another within the organization to achieve various human resources objectives such as orienting new employees, training employees, enhancing career development, and preventing job boredom or burnout.

The job rotation program involves the temporary assignment of an employee in a position or department for a predetermined period to perform the specific duties of another position. This is normally a voluntary assignment where the employee treats the assigned duties as part of his or her regular responsibilities.

Task rotation usually takes place in jobs that involve a high degree of physical demands on the body or a high degree of repetitive tasks that can become extremely tedious. Employees are periodically removed from these mentally stressful or physically demanding tasks to a less demanding task for a while to give them a break.

Position rotation is the process of laterally moving an employee to different positions, departments or geographic locations for the purposes of professionally developing the employee by exposing them to new knowledge, skills and perspectives. Position rotation can be further broken down into within-function rotation and cross-functional rotation. Within-function rotation is where an employee rotates between jobs with similar levels of responsibility and in the same functional or operational areas. Cross-functional rotation, on the other hand, usually involves a sequence of positions, often with increasing levels of job responsibilities.

HR Audit and Job rotation

HR Audit and Career Progression- It involves movement of employees from one job to another. This technique enables employees to be familiar with duties and responsibilities of various positions in the organization. Through job rotation management can also find most appropriate placement for a particular employee. It can also be used as a technique of training. Points to be considered while auditing the system of job rotation are, as below.

Initial Planning of the Process

Strategy in line with business requirements
Planned in a participative manner
Detailed and clear final plan

Implementation of the plan

Followed as planned
Ensure optimum utilization of manpower
Support by other process
Re-assessment of the overall implementation

Impact on Culture in terms of Learning, Development and Motivation

Impact on culture
Facilitates learning by placing an individual in different functions
Improving motivation by providing challenges and new opportunities

Auditing Methods and Techniques for job rotation

Interviews

HR Managers: To be familiar with
Purpose of the system; (training, filling vacancies, etc.).
Use of job rotation as specific strategy or aid in HR system.
Involvement of line managers.
Role of HR managers in the process.
Frequency of the process.
Sources of information used for determining job rotation.
Effectiveness of the system.
Line Managers: To know
Awareness about policy guidelines.
Freedom to functional heads in preparation of job rotation plan.
System of communication for shift in job.
Role of HR department and functional heads.
Perceived usefulness of the system.

Documents:

Job rotation policy.
HR manual and manpower plan.
Studies on effectiveness of the system.
Past data on the job rotation.

Training and Learning

HR Audit and Career Progression- Training refers to the process of learning that involves acquiring knowledge, sharpening skills, concepts, rules or changing of behaviours and attitudes in order to improve the skills, capabilities, knowledge and hence, the performance of employees. The training of employees is an activity that comes after orientation. Training process changes the thinking of employees that leads to effective performance of employees. Therefore, it is a constant and never ending process.

Training Methods

There are two major methods of training:

On-the-job Training – Such training is for the employees during the day-to-day working of an organisation. It is a simple as well as cost-effective method of training under-efficient and semi-efficient employees in actual working conditions, based on “learn-by-doing” approach. On-the-job training methods include job rotation, temporary promotions, coaching, etc.

Off-the-job Training – In these methods, the training is provided outside the organisation and is particularly used to train new hires. These are costly, yet effective methods if there is large number of employees to be trained for a short duration. Also termed as ‘vestibule training’, it involves training of employees in a separate area, where actual working scenario is duplicated.

HR Audit and Training

HR Audit and Career Progression- Training can be viewed as a formal system of learning which enhances employee’s knowledge, skill and attitude towards job. It is a series of planned programmed aimed at improving the productivity of the trainee. The HR auditor should evaluate the system keeping in view, following needs.

Scientific Identification of Training Needs

Training needs are identified systematically
Training needs are based on various performance parameters like current performance

Pre-training Preparation for ensuring Appropriateness of the Training Program

A scientific mechanism should be in place to ensure that the training program is appropriate and suits the needs of the candidate/organization
Setting individual training schedules in advance
High involvement of the employees to ensure that the program is valu e adding

Training Process

It should be conducted well, planned well by the faculty, and delivered well
Training programs are well designed.
Relevance of program.
Expertise of trainer in respective field.
Comprehensive coverage of all topics in adequate time.
Training motivation ensured
Periodic evaluation of training programs by faculty.
Use of feedback to improve the program by training institute.
Use of feedback by HR department for retention strategy.
Availability of good learning facilities at the venue- library, latest journals and magazines, CD’s, etc.
Spacious and well designed classrooms with projectors, PCs, etc.
Nice quiet location of training center, where participants do not feel distracted.
Recreational facilities for relaxation at the end of the session.

Post-training Activities and Requirements

Implementing individual plan for improvement
Sharing learning with others
Post training presentation by participant to his/her department or related functions about learning and insights gained.
Feedback to HR department or training manager

Learning Culture and Training Budget

well documented training policy that focuses on learning
Presence of definite training and learning policy.
Properly documented and learning focused policy.
Based on sound principle of adult learning.
Share the policies with all.
All employees feel satisfied with the learning and training policy.
Training efforts are in line with training and learning policy.
To communicate the changes in training policy to employees.

Competencies of Those Handling Training Functions

Training function is handled by competent and trained staff in HRD
Line managers, specially sponsors, take training seriously and give it due attention
Top management is serious about training and gives it due importance

Business Linkages of Training

Training is in line with business requirements and ROI is measured
Training is perceived to have developed individual competencies and organizational competencies

Organization Development

Organizational development is a planned effort for a work group and/or the organization, managed by leadership and supported by employees, to increase organization effectiveness through planned change in processes and systems. This planned change supports the overall strategies of Vanderbilt University and the department strategies and goals.

Organizational development (OD) is the process through which an organization improves its internal capacity to meet its current and possible future requirements. This would mean HR activities and OD activities overlap in a lot of aspects. However there are few areas where the involvement of an HR isn’t not necessarily.

For e.g., If there is a new project, OD folks should access if the current infrastructure and resources would be adequate to handle the project. Which is later on taken by the HR folks. So, even though the operations seems to overlap, the approach is different.

OD includes various areas pertaining to growth in terms of physical assets and talent management. Job designing, Organizational/hierarchy structures, performance & productivity analysis and developing a collaborative learning environment comes under Organizational development.

Apart from regular HR activities, HR managers contribute to an organization most through these functions of Organizational Development. The most impactful and successful organizations are deliberate about how they organize, how they carry their work and how they use and develop their talent to achieve effectiveness. The most successful HR leaders are also deliberate about driving forward organizational effectiveness for the benefit of the staff, leadership and the community.

Organizational Development and HR Audit

Change is unavoidable reality. There are continuous changes in dynamic business environment. This system deals with the efforts taken by managers and employees in response to these changes. Dimensions of auditing this system are below.

Carried out in a planned and systematic manner

Problem identification phase
Strategy planning in a participative manner
Planning the specific intervention

Using Action Research Where Necessary

Use of Action Research Where Necessary

Ensuring Success of the OD intervention

Ensuring Success of the OD intervention

Perceived Visible Benefits as a Consequence of OD Interventions

Perceived visible benefits as a consequence of OD interventions

Competencies of People Involved

Involvement of an external specialist
Strong internal resources to carry forward the work initiated by the external expert
Supportive role of the top management

Auditing Methods and Techniques for organizational development

Interviews:

HR Managers: To know about
System and process of planning OD (i.e. interviews, study of various process, documents and secondary data).
System of problem identification.
Methods of diagnosing the issues and causes.
Discussion of identified problems with key people in the organization.
Planning and decision making process documentation on change.
Action research process on improving HR systems.
Involvement of external consultants for OD.
Usefulness of strength of employees for OD.
Efforts initiated from top management.
Line Managers/ Functional Heads To get information on:
Any OD intervention planned by HR staff.
Conduct of interviews, surveys by HR staff to throw light on issues.
Involvement of employees in deciding a methodology or plan of action.
Awareness about OD intervention plan.
Their participation in any research work undertaken by HR staff.
Their view on success and usefulness of OD.