The Optimized People Development System

Category: Leadership development

  • 4 Tips to Win a Competition You May Not Even Realize You’re in

    4 Tips to Win a Competition You May Not Even Realize You’re in

    There was no starting gun. No one approached a line waiting for someone to yell “GO!” It’s an age-old, ongoing competition and if you’re an employer, you’re in it. Whether or not you recognize it, you’re in the competition to be an employer of choice. And your success, long-term and short, is directly linked to how well you do in this race.

    Imagine a list of every employer in your area, each one scored and ranked from the best place to work to the worst. You’re on that list. Even if you put little or no thought and effort into this idea of being a preferred workplace, your company is impacted by its performance in this competition. Placement on that list has many implications for your team.

    What does it mean to be an EoC? It simply means that your firm is positioned in the minds of your employees and potential employees as a great place to work. Becoming an EoC is not a simple thing to achieve or sustain because it requires a combination of several dynamic factors.

    In this series of posts, we’ll explore four strategic tips to help improve your position and move up the ranks of the best places to work. First, to become an employer of choice, there’s a need to understand the nature of the competition. Then, stakeholders should consider who is making choices. It is also important to let the whole team in on the goal. Finally, make sure your system can sustain your status.

    Who are we up Against?

    Recognizing that you are in the competition is the first step. Then you must accept the fact that you are competing against all employers for talent, not just those you consider to be in your industry. This helps you look at the recruiting pools differently and informs the development of your training efforts.

    It would be great if we could hire the talent we need and just put them in play immediately. That hasn’t been the case in a very long time. Practically every company is working to train people to do the functions required for the organization to succeed. We hear it all the time, “If you can find me someone with desire, we can train them to do the work we need done.” That person with desire may be looking at other sectors and industries. Is your internal people development system (PDS) able to attract them, and more importantly, can you really train them (and do it well) if you do succeed in hiring them?

    Getting to know them…all of them.

    Sports teams watch game films. They study their opponents and try to develop strategies to win against them. In the competition to be an EoC, there may not be game films, but there are plenty of sources of information that will help you understand how your many competitors find, train, and retain people.

    Study your opponents and learn from them. Look at the job postings from other industries. Check out their webpages. Do they show their company culture? Do they make it easy to find job postings on their site? Are their job postings attractive?  

    Some companies are actively chasing the pole position as an EoC. They are committed to the race and are making improvements that give them a competitive edge. If this were a car race, there would be super sports cars, family sedans, and even some clunkers. Your company may not be at that sports car level, but that doesn’t mean you can’t compete well.

    There are large employers with deep pockets and many resources. Certainly, going up against them seems unfair. Still, you must stay in the game. To compete against them, look at the areas where you have some advantages. Things like flexibility in scheduling shifts, skills development opportunities you can offer, connections to the community, and giving employees opportunities to contribute at meaningful levels. Use the leverage available to you to improve your ranking.

    Good teams also watch game films on themselves. This is an area where teams might findF improvement opportunities. They look over plays and talk about what happened; if it went well, they probably don’t spend too much time on it. If things did not go well, that’s where they spend time talking through the failure and learning from it.

    Can you see your PDS…all the functional areas of it? Again, there’s no film to watch, but there’s lots of data and communication that should be going on within your system. Capturing that and regularly assessing performance is crucial. Where can the system be improved? Which of the five areas in the PDS is operating the best? Which area needs help? We’ll continue to explore this system in coming posts.

    There’s fierce competition in the race to find, train, and retain the talented folks we need to succeed. Choosing to look closely at the other competitors can help you make decisions about how your PDS can be improved. Other choices come with the title of Employer of Choice. And that’s the topic for the next post.

    Image by Annette from Pixabay

  • Is Your People Development System Invisible?

    Is Your People Development System Invisible?

    I learned to see in my twenties and I haven’t looked at things quite the same since. I’ve always had good vision, thank God, but it took me a while to understand the difference between seeing something versus simply looking at something. This deeper, more intentional way of seeing has been very valuable, especially when it comes to systems and the relationships supported within them. To improve a system, you first have to see it. And with the people development system, that takes some effort.

    Back then, with a manual SLR and dreams of being the next Ansel Adams, I spent hours reading about photography and experimenting with the systems that yielded unique images. Some of them actually turned out quite nicely. Most of them, not so much.    I remember one writer emphasizing the need to see things… really see things. Spend time absorbing details, appreciating them, and considering how the elements interacted. He used the example of looking at the lawn versus seeing the details of a blade of grass. It was an obvious point; obvious, that is, once the concept was pointed out to me.

    Well, of Course it is!

    An organization’s internal workforce development system is an open system. It flexes to operate as data flows, demand changes, and circumstances dictate. And it does this at various times, in multiple places, at different levels, involving many stakeholders. A previous post explores this idea in depth. It is a common system within most organizations. And that often causes it to be taken for granted.

    Of course, the functions of our people development systems are connected! And, of course, this critical system is connected to the other systems that make up the whole organization. That assumption, “Well, of course it is!”, can dismiss the need to purposefully study the system. To see the connections and explore the gaps and opportunities. Some important functions just seem to happen – people come to work, they move around on the org chart, some training goes on, conversations are happening. These activities go on as seemingly automatic reactions in the background.  

    Lack of Familiarity Breeds Contempt

    If something fits into the “Well, of course it is…” category, there can be a stubborn, embedded belief that it simply does not warrant deeper exploration. Expectations have been set and accepted without question. Because of this, some not-so-obvious options to improve the system can be missed, forcing it to continue to operate below its optimal levels. Most people in the organization know at least something about the PDS. They are familiar with many of its functions. They may know some of the various stakeholders. They can see the artifacts that speak about the system, and they most likely understand something of the complexities involved. Unfortunately, some people will develop negative opinions about the whole based on their knowledge of the parts. This could be avoided if the system were more visible and more information about the system made available.

    Bring it up, Talk it up, Build it up

    What is the current state of the PDS? A mapping exercise can help the team see how the system connects and how things flow through the system – things like data, communication, and of course, the people. Hang it on a wall for all to see. Use flip chart paper and sticky notes; the more paper, the better.

    Getting all stakeholders to appreciate the system, its complexities, and how they contribute to its functioning can help identify potential leverage points to help improve the system. Let all stakeholders speak into the mapping process, and they will begin to appreciate the dynamics of the PDS. What works and should stay? What doesn’t and should go?

    Once the current state map of the people development system is captured, use lean concepts to minimize waste. Look at the various tools used in the system, and evaluate their effectiveness. Consider the data captured from the system and how that data is used.

    The PDS is the main tool for engaging the whole team. How does it communicate to all stakeholders? Where does it promote the concepts of a learning organization? Does it celebrate learning? Does it say we value learning and development for everyone? It is difficult to improve something you can’t see…or that you don’t take the time to thoughtfully examine. An optimized people development system is one that is continually scrutinized and examined for improvement opportunities. Leaders peer intently into the details and ask questions. Like all continuous improvement efforts, it never truly ends. And it could help your team see this important system in a whole new light.

    Image by Oliver Kepka from Pixabay

  • The People Development System is About Change Management

    The People Development System is About Change Management

    I suppose every generation has stressed over relentless change. We’ve passed on the idea from age to age that it is one of the reputed constants, death and taxes being the other two. Still, the pace and scope of change have certainly been different from one generation to the next. Developing an effective workforce within the context of unyielding change has been a common challenge that all generations have shared. However, it does seem that change has become more complex, intricately more connected, and nuanced these days. 

    Today’s people development systems at the organizational level deal with a wider variety of change. If an organization aims to optimize its people development system, it is important to understand exactly how broad the idea of change is when it comes to this system.

    Variety

    Obviously, to develop people is to pursue change; this is the most important role of the PDS. There’s also managing subtle changes that impact people and performance, like improving relationships, accommodating diversity, or constantly tweaking communications to ensure the team stays connected.

    Then there’s ongoing change that aims to keep the organization on its strategic journey, such as upgrading training, maintaining headcount, or monitoring performance management activities.

    Occasionally, there are major changes that shift how the organization looks or functions. For example, a major policy shift or an attempt to improve workplace culture. This is typically what comes to mind when we think of change management.

    For the PDS, change management also includes assigning direction – where should the system emphasis be? The whole system has to know when to shift away from recruiting and onboarding as circumstances dictate. The PDS is the main instigator when a course change requires more emphasis on retention or when there’s a need to add urgency to training.

    From outside the organization, the PDS helps monitor changes to other external systems that might impact the organization. Those could be generational factors, social dynamics, or maybe economic influences. Once detected, the PDS helps fashion a response to those external forces.

    So, what?

    Change comes from many directions and in many variations. Change is not simply something the PDS reacts to or tries to mitigate. It interjects change when needed and facilitates it across the organization. The optimized PDS focuses on change management in this broader sense. Do all stakeholders understand and appreciate this? Does the system gather and analyze data to ensure that it can help make the right changes?

    Seen too narrowly, the PDS is simply a door through which people come into the company and leave the company. It is so much more than that.

    As a barometer of change, it must alert leaders to necessary course adjustments and provide stakeholders with tools to manage large and small transitions.

    It is important to know if the organization’s PDS is ready to handle all of the varieties of change. True, the whole organization must deal with change, but the PDS holds a unique role in helping navigate and implement adjustments.

    Acting as a means of communication, a facilitation resource, a mirror, the connected functions that make up the PDS form a critical change management asset. As such, it makes sense to ensure that this important system is always ready to do that part of its job. It makes sense to constantly strive to optimize the PDS.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

  • Things that Move a People Development System

    Things that Move a People Development System

    “Are you sure about that?” It was a great question, simple and thought-provoking. After reading my last post, a good friend and mentor challenged me to consider my assertion that time was the most important element of the system used to develop an organization’s workforce. His questions are a favorite part of our visits, although the great lunches we typically share are pretty good too. On this occasion, his question helped me to realize that more clarity and definition are needed. If the system is really about people, aren’t they the most important element?

    Several things affect the behavior and the performance of the people development system. I see these three as the most prominent influences on the system – functional areas, elements, and customers.

    Functional areas

    As has been stated many times in this blog, these form the framework that promotes the activities necessary to find people, bring them on board, and sustain their development journey:

    • Training
      • Recruiting
      • Onboarding
      • Retention
      • Performance Management

    These functional areas of the system work together to provide various services, facilitate communication, and foster relationships, among other things.  

    Elements

    The empowering factors that influence the system’s behavior:

    • Internal elements
      • Time
      • Tools
      • Data
      • Leaders/stakeholders
      • External elements
        • Time
        • Market conditions
        • Social factors 

    System elements dictate what people are experiencing within the functional areas, how the areas are performing, and how the PDS reacts to opportunities and changes.

    Customers

    The people – individuals and groups – who rely on the PDS and are affected by its performance.   

    • Internal Customers
      • The people being developed. Those involved with the system components.
      • The teams that receive and work with those being developed.
      • The organization as a whole.
      • External customers
        • All the people that the organization serves as clients.
        • Families of internal customers.
        • Communities that these families belong to.

    Optimizing the functional areas is very important. There are plenty of other posts on this blog that discuss this. I do believe that time is the most important element that empowers the PDS. All of the other elements are critically important. But without valuing time and allowing enough of it for learning to occur, for relationships to be built, and for the culture to grow, they tend to be less impactful.

    On the other hand, the customers are the most important focus of the PDS and this should never change. In order to ensure that they are getting maximum benefits from the system, all of the components that make up the system and the elements that empower it must be understood and managed well.

    What other components of the PDS do you see?

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

  • The Most Important Element in the People Development System

    The Most Important Element in the People Development System

    Time has a way of pressing in on our awareness. Although the clock and the calendar can exert multiple influences, this awareness does not always lead to the same level of appreciation for time. I saw this recently on an exploration of the dual vocational training system in Germany. The Germans have developed a practical patience with regard to training their workforce. Their approach is underpinned by a deeper appreciation for the impacts that time can have when it comes to developing workers. At the organizational level, time affects all of the functional areas of the people development system.

    Obviously, time is not the only key element in the PDS. There’s also money, commitment, information, and leadership. Like the element of time, each of these is directly linked to all five functional areas of the PDS and each requires significant investment to optimize the system. What is unique about time is the speed at which impacts can appear. Typically, the consequences caused by the others, whether by absence or by presence, can show up rather quickly. This is not always the case with time.

    For example, an underappreciation of time in the PDS can:

    • Short circuit training efforts.
    • Rush recruiting initiatives.
    • Reduce onboarding to just orientation.
    • Dramatically lower the probability of retention.
    • Reduce the effectiveness of performance management.

    The outcomes of each of these failures, and many others related, may only show up in the future as low morale, weak overall performance, or lack of company growth, just to name a few. Unpacking the impacts of systems thinking in The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge memorably pointed out, “Decisions and actions taken at some point in time have a delayed reaction or impact at a later time.”

    Operation of the PDS is suboptimal when time is undervalued. This is particularly true when it comes to human interactions. The wider role of the PDS is to facilitate;

    • Learning and development
    • Communication
    • Value exchange
    • Relationship building
    • Maintenance of the culture

    If process steps are truncated for the sake of expediency or the tyranny of the urgent, the organization and the individuals slowly suffer.  

    When the time for people to connect is actually invested, there are still the tools of the PDS to consider. Recruiting plans, onboarding plans, development pathways, and the process of performance management all require time to develop, deploy, and deliver results, not to mention the activities involved in training.

    Optimization, the actions of continuous improvement for the PDS, is an ongoing process that requires investment in all the elements listed above. If stakeholders who watch over the PDS are unable or unwilling to be patient; to invest adequate time for the system to operate properly, then the PDS cannot perform at its optimal level.

    Time can be a powerful partner or a formidable foe in our efforts to find, train, and retain talented people. We can’t control time, and it’s not enough to simply acknowledge its pressing influence. A more balanced approach is needed. One that keeps the sense of urgency to make progress and solve problems against the tension of the long-term investments in the system’s strategic success.

    Image by Tumisu from Pixabay 

  • What if Outsiders Saw Our People Development System?

    What if Outsiders Saw Our People Development System?

    If a group of strangers asked to visit your manufacturing facility to learn about your training and development efforts, what would they discover? How would you explain your organization’s approach to training and development? Would the collective attitude toward learning be evident as they walked around?  What would they learn from talking with trainees and trainers? Such a scenario could be exhilarating and validating. On the other hand, it could be challenging, possibly even embarrassing.

    Last month I was part of a group that visited six manufacturers, some large and some small, in Munich, Germany. Like so many before us, we wanted to learn about their much-vaunted dual training approach known as the Vocational Education and Training system. The companies welcomed us in, as did other system partners. They were gracious and eager to share.

    Switching Places

    The trip was co-sponsored by the American Council on Germany and by MAGNET. We were a collection of workforce development professionals mostly from a dozen Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers around the US. After the exploration, I wondered what would happen if the roles were reversed. What if it were my company and our people development system that a group of professionals wanted to see?

    Over our week-long exploration of these companies, we saw fully equipped, well-organized, and dedicated training areas with ongoing projects that young apprentices (some only 15 years old) had been working to complete. Conversations with several of these learners revealed a growing connection to the company and to the people investing in their futures. Would they see that level of investment if they came to my place?

    Seeing More

    We learned about requirements for trainers and how they are supported. We saw how the companies connected to the greater workforce development system. Leaders, from the C suite to the production teams were passionate about training the next generation. Would my visitors see such enthusiasm for developing people?

    Learning and development are valued at many different levels. In their view, this long-term endeavor connected individuals to teams and teams to industries. To our German hosts, these traditional educational efforts are important because, ultimately; they connect communities to the nation’s interests. Would such a level of appreciation for the overall impact of people development be evident in my facility?

    Walking around each factory, we experienced a bit of their cultures. In every instance, there were positive attitudes toward learning. In some cases, about half of the existing workforce had traveled the same type of career development path, which no doubt helps form bonds and provide encouragers for the apprentices. Clear development pathways were the norm. The level of commitment to learning was high and very consistent. Would my company culture send the same messages?

    Self-reflection

    These German companies let outsiders peek under the hood of their people development system. Undoubtedly, the whole German system drives the success of the VET process. However, inviting people in to see your operation is much more up close and personal. I don’t actually lead a manufacturing company, but I suspect it requires some serious self-reflection beforehand.

    Opening up your internal system for inspection and critique requires a certainty that the system is working well, that the tools are effective, and the performance is reliable. The confidence to throw open the cupboards would have to be based on clear successes and on knowing that the system is capable of serving future needs. It would take faith in your team as well. If visitors talked one on one with learners and trainers the strengths or weaknesses of the system could be exposed.

    Optimization of the PDS is the pursuit of answers to questions that force us to look closely at the whole system and its performance. Seeing it from the perspective of others is a good exercise. If it validates our beliefs and our actions, great. If sharing some aspects of our system makes us uncomfortable, these are the areas that need attention.

    What would other professionals see if they looked closely at our PDS? Maybe we should invite them in and find out. But, only after we’ve looked through the cupboard ourselves!

    Image by Tumisu from Pixabay 

  • What it Means to Optimize a People Development System

    What it Means to Optimize a People Development System

    In some instances optimization is a moving target. Continually improving a system that is influenced by several stakeholders and operates on many levels is challenging. Add in the fact that many system functions can occur at many different times – some overlapping, some sequentially, some unknown to most stakeholders – and you have an idea of how much the target can move. That is the nature of an organization’s people development system. Interestingly, these dynamics present some unique enhancement opportunities.

    The Obvious

    On one level, optimization of the PDS means striving to continuously improve the system’s functions by identifying efficiencies. For example, how people are logically and effectively moved through the system, how data is captured, how PDS tools are deployed, etc.

    There are also opportunities to engage all stakeholders through stronger communication and more robust connections. This might look like monitoring the types of messages being sent and received across the PDS, fostering relationships through mentoring, and creating strong visual communication pieces such as training matrices.

    This is the practical, operational side of the PDS. Other improvements at this level might involve upgrading tools like individualized onboarding schedules and development pathways.

    The Less Obvious

    Because the system is concerned with people, there is another level that is more intuitive and driven by emotion. On this level, optimization can mean things like strategically aligning the values of all PDS customers.

    The customers of the PDS are 1) the people being trained, 2) the organizational teams that those trained people will join, and 3) the organization itself. Each of these customers bring specific values and expectations, some of which are often unspoken. The PDS is responsible for facilitating the exchange of these ideals. This requires constant attention and constant affirmation that the value brought is appreciated.

    As the PDS continues to improve and become more effective, it allows each customer to consistently contribute value to the other customers and fulfill certain expectations of growth, performance, and of learning.

    Optimization on this level can also include creating and sustaining a very particular awareness. It needs to register with the individual at an emotional level that the organization wants them to grow and thrive. This perception feeds self-efficacy and helps create and strengthen bonds.

    This is more than overt communication. This type of awareness is ultimately fed by the culture, the level of enthusiasm that leaders exhibit about learning, the consistency of the expectations to learn and grow, and even the amount of money invested. These types of signals speak volumes about the organization’s level of commitment to developing people.

    At this level of the PDS, personal commitment and a willingness to engage are nurtured. Optimization requires first that leaders understand the nuances of this level of performance in the PDS and second that they maintain a commitment to constantly monitor it for improvement.

    Appreciating the Levels

    Due to multiple levels of complexity, it takes a very focused effort to see the complete PDS that operates within an organization. Seeing the obvious opportunities as well as those less obvious but still powerful movers requires that all stakeholders have a holistic understanding of the system, including those influential levels where bonds are created and emotions are engaged.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

  • Just how Powerful are Your People?

    Just how Powerful are Your People?

    Everyone has some amount of power – even if it isn’t much. I remember discussing this idea on several occasions in my graduate studies in educational psychology. The learner has power in the system meant to grant them access to knowledge.

    They have the power to choose to participate; they can determine at what level to affect outcomes within the class; and, if given the opportunity, they even have the power to shape the curriculum.

    The point is; they bring something to the table that is important for the system’s success and survival. They also bring this type of power to the workplace. 

    Some may look at an organization’s people development system and think that generally the power flows in one direction. After all, the organization offers training, development, and other growth opportunities. Employees receive these benefits and find security, safety, potential success, etc.

    However, the caretakers of an optimized PDS understand the nature of shared power and seek to use it to continuously improve their system.

    According to the American Psychological Association, reciprocal determinism, “…maintains that the environment influences behavior, behavior influences the environment, and both influence the individual, who also influences them.” A concept largely attributed to Albert Bandera’s work in social learning theory.

    The people served by the PDS are beneficiaries but also benefactors; customers but also value adders; free agents that can either help or harm.

    Respecting and enabling these give-and-take relationships can help ensure that the undeniable power possessed by employees gets invested back into the organization.

    The Power to Choose

    People get to decide whether or not to contribute; they can selectively add value; they can deliberately enhance organizational pride; they can intentionally choose to be a positive force in the culture. They can do all of these and more – or not.

    They can choose to learn, to strengthen communication, or to underperform. They can elect to exercise their power to help attract talent, to help train that new talent, and to help retain it. Even if they are not directly involved as stakeholders of the people development system.

    The best people development systems use tools like development pathways that help clarify available choices and encourage greater engagement. These top-notch systems acknowledge contributions and are careful to recognize the value that each person chooses to bring.

    The Power to Effect

    The collective motivations of individuals drive an organization’s efforts. Inspired people pour extra energy into their work and their teams. That extra energy underpins stronger relationships, fuels creativity, or simply adds to a heightened level of determination to excel. Uninspired people are generally unconcerned about the affect they might have on the team and the organization.

    Leaders of an optimized PDS develop a new appreciation of the idea of engagement. They understand that the power of influence ripples throughout the organization and can enhance the environment even more.

    The Power to Change

    Being adaptable in today’s workplace is a much-desired skill. People who possess the power and willingness to change, continuously upgrade, and repeatedly step out of their comfort zone are highly valued.  

    Yet change requires support from the organization. It requires a culture that celebrates learning and, to a great extent, a culture that embraces failure as a means of moving forward.

    Development processes that not only support these ideas but actively encourage them can attract people who are excited by change and motivate those who might be intimidated by it.

    Recognizing that every individual has some degree of power is a sign of respect. It is an acknowledgment that everyone involved brings something valuable to the table. And that can make a people development system more effective.  

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

  • A System That Never Quits… or, Shouldn’t Anyway  

    A System That Never Quits… or, Shouldn’t Anyway  

    In some systems, processes can be easily followed from a beginning point to completion. For example, production systems tend to have a start-to-finish flow. Raw materials come in, modifications occur, and finished goods exit the process. Service delivery processes can often be easily traced within systems designed for that purpose. In these systems, it is fairly easy to understand what is happening at any given time. It is not so easy with the people development system. If leaders do not understand the dynamic behaviors of the PDS, opportunities could be missed, system performance could be limited, and poor decisions could harm the system’s effectiveness.

    Phases of Activity

    I have made the case that the PDS is difficult to see in operation. This is due to non-linearity and to multiple variables that come into play sight unseen. An important implication of this is the need to recognize what parts of the system are active and when those activities are taking place.

    As an open system, the PDS operates in and is influenced by its environment, taking feedback from other organizational systems and adjusting. The system is always active at some level. When headcount is unstable, recruiting and onboarding efforts are more active. Think of this as phase one system activity.

    When headcount is stable, the emphasis shifts to retention and performance management – phase two. Training processes support both phases of the PDS, with these activities fluctuating based on several system variables.

    Something is Always Happening

    No matter which phase is dominant, activity in the less dominant phase should still be present. Does the act of recruiting ever really come to a complete stop? In an optimized PDS, there is always some effort made to improve and refine sources, improve materials, and identify potential audiences, even if there are no current job openings to fill.

    Is the training program constantly evaluated for efficacy and efficiency? No matter where the greatest workforce development activity is focused, continuously improving training should be of paramount importance. Good training has far-reaching impacts on the organization.   

    Development pathways are a tool that should be used in all phases of the PDS and are especially important in bolstering retention and performance management. Are these pathways being actively managed? It doesn’t matter where the overall system emphasis is; this training map is most effective when used at the opportune time along the individual’s journey.

    Before or After

    Typically, when there is a contraction or spike in some system performance, stakeholders respond after the fact. For example, if attrition numbers change, attendance issues suddenly develop, or some quality issue points to the need to revisit the training processes.

    The optimized PDS proactively monitors data and interacts with stakeholders and the individuals served by the system to get out in front of any potentially harmful issues.

    Why it matters

    At any given time and at various levels, the PDS is active, or should be. These activities might involve both the initial phases of adding people or the secondary phases of training and retaining them. Or, it could include robust efforts in both. An awareness of the fluctuating dynamics of the system is vital to managing it well and improving overall system performance.

    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 

  • Four Important Characteristics of a People Development System

    Four Important Characteristics of a People Development System

    Some are open, some are closed. Some are simple, while others are complex, ranging from a mostly linear flow to interwoven layers of relationships and connections. Systems come in all shapes and sizes. An organization’s people development system is a great example of a complex and interrelated system. These internal efforts at workforce development have certain characteristics that make it challenging to optimize them.

    The People Development System

    Difficult to See the Action

    There are usually artifacts that help leaders see what the PDS is doing. Training matrices, development pathways, and performance management tools provide some visibility. However, the actual operations of the system, the functioning of various elements, are scattered around the organization and can happen at various times.

    The recruiting process occurs at different levels, at various locations, and in different ways. Training schedules share some insight; however, some valuable training activities may take the form of a one-on-one encounter on a production line. Other forms of training come from informal learning opportunities, mentoring or coaching interactions, or even self-directed learning.

    Retention might be strengthened through a simple conversation or in a review of a team member’s development pathway. Many of these important PDS functions are facilitated without schedules or plans and are done with little or no fanfare.

    Plays out Over Time

    When does recruiting, onboarding, performance management, retention, and training happen? When each one needs to. When other organizational systems send signals. When the market sends signals. All five functions could potentially be operating at different places and at different times due to a wide variety of factors that moves the system to act or to react.

    Several of the outcomes of these functions, although connected, sometimes develop slowly; for example, communication, relationships, and engagement. These can all happen unpredictably and at varying speeds.

    Results come at staggered intervals too. The impacts of training require follow-up to show effectiveness. Time to fill an open position is an important metric for recruiting. The effects of performance management become evident only after some interval of time has passed.    

    Multifaceted

    People entering the PDS, eventually work their way into all five functional areas of the system. Some of these interactions occur simultaneously in multiple parts of the PDS. For example, they will experience training at the same time as they experience retention efforts and at the same time that performance management support is given. Recruiting, onboarding, and retention are all tied together in the optimized PDS.

    Multiple stakeholders

    Many people play a role in the optimized PDS. As the system supports each team member, various leaders connect with those team members and with other leaders involved in worker development.

    Direct supervisors encourage training and influence retention. Department heads along with supervisors get involved in the early stages of recruiting and onboarding. Senior leaders make decisions based on the performance of the PDS. Essentially, everyone is involved with the human resource management function.

    ­­­­Let These Characteristics Guide

    Optimization requires making the invisible visible. Map the PDS and show how data flows, where communication should occur, and where leaders need to collaborate in support of the system and of the team members.

    Greater visibility gives stakeholders a more holistic view of the system and allows for better and more timely decision-making. Honoring the interconnectedness of the PDS helps team members experience a smooth development journey and it promotes deeper levels of employee engagement.

    Developing and maintaining an engaged workforce requires a dynamic and complex blend of processes that occurs across the whole organization. To continuously improve this internal workforce development system, it is imperative to appreciate how interdependent it really is.

    Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay