How Well do You See This System?

Most organizations have this system but many are missing the opportunity to optimize it. That’s because nearly everyone is familiar with each system component, however, few see how they work in concert. This difficult-to-see system is the people development system. It is responsible for many, many deliverables with regard to finding, training, and retaining people. By many measures, it is the most important system within the organization because it empowers all of the other in-house systems. The PDS underpins numerous relationships and fosters communication across the organization and, for those that choose to maximize its performance, it offers opportunities to realize gains and improvements that otherwise might go unrealized.

More than the sum of its parts  

The PDS encompasses all necessary steps that bring people into the organization and connects them to organizational activities. But it is more than that. It may be more commonly known as workforce development or perhaps the human resource system, but I prefer the name People Development System because it is a reminder that real people with real names and real faces are the ultimate focus of these processes. This system is the mechanism by which value is exchanged; the value that the individual brings and the value that the organization brings. The PDS humanizes business plans. That is; it facilitates the human interactions that power those plans. The five functional components of the PDS are:

Communication Channels

Within the system, communication should occur all through the PDS. For example, information is passed through the system to determine performance, identify needs, and for planning and additions, etc. A well-connected PDS will pass communication through these five areas so that the different stages of the systems are all aiming for the same outcomes and using the same measures. Communication from the system to the team member begins in the recruiting process and that effort should become an ongoing conversation throughout their tenure. There should be a continuity to those conversations that both parties value and honor. To optimize the PDS, the organization can closely examine these communication connections and the tools and data used. Even if the current methods are good, there might be opportunities to make them better.  

The PDS communicates via:

• Data – what is happening, performance measures, system conditions, etc.
• Artifacts – development pathways, reports, storyboards, etc.
• Leadership – talking about the PDS, conveying info through the PDS, one-on-one discussions, and generally managing the system.

To get the most out of each of these, a close examination might reveal some improvement possibilities. Are we getting all the data we need? Can all stakeholders see the PDS and how it is performing? Are leaders (this includes all leaders, not just the HR pros) equipped to manage the PDS effectively?

Developing Relationships

All five functional areas of the PDS are relationship driven. When a new team member is added, the obvious intention is that they will experience all five dimensions of the system. An easy analogy might look like this:

Creating conditions and mechanisms that foster strong relationships can add strength to the organization. Conditions are mostly a factor of the organization’s culture. Does it support relationship building? Tools can include development pathways and career ladders, while leadership development strategies can help build stronger coaches, more empathetic leaders, and better communicators. Continuous improvement here can pay huge dividends.

Hiding in Plain Sight

As the PDS functions, significant system processes are transactional and therefore hard to recognize. Some aspects are visible – job postings, onboarding plans, training schedules, etc. However, crucial conversations occur at different times, development plans are discussed privately, appreciation activities are held, and coaching and mentoring play out somewhere in the organization. A visible system like that involved in the manufacture of some object is easy to see. The PDS is a non-linear system, with functions happening in various places and at various times all over the organization. A system like this can be easily overlooked for improvement opportunities.

What if you didn’t have to rely on an image that pops into one’s head when the PDS was discussed? Some system functions are invisible and happen “behind the scenes” so to speak. But a flow map and some simple graphics could help the team begin to define the connections and their importance. Development pathways (a.k.a. learning plans, progression plans, etc.) can also help because these can be used throughout the PDS journey from recruiting through performance management. Helping employees make this personal connection to the big picture could potentially heighten engagement. Ideally, making the PDS visible to all stakeholders could help them relate to the system in a more meaningful way.

Finding the Potential

The processes that organizations use to find, train, and retain people is a dynamic system that can be difficult to see. This system, like all others, is open to the concepts of continuous improvement. A good place to begin is to look more closely at the whole system, the connections between the five areas, the tools, the data, and the leadership that administers the system. There are certainly benefits to be found by optimizing this system. This process, like all continuous improvement efforts, takes time and effort, however, the payoff can strengthen the most important of organizational systems.