Assessments Branch Managers

A large temporary employment organisation wished to professionalise its procedure for selecting branch managers and to make this procedure more objective. In addition, it had emerged that "the best Intermediary was not always the best branch manager". The Development Factory's consultants designed a tailor-made assessment in cooperation with this temporary employment organisation. On the basis of discussions with the incumbent branch managers, the simulation exercises were tailored to the situation and the context of the position of branch manager. A development-oriented approach was chosen which left the management sufficient scope to take their own decisions. The areas for development offer the necessary basis for supervising branch managers and coaching them in their new jobs.

In order to obtain a better insight into the success factors for the position of a branch manager, the assessments were evaluated. What was the advice and how did they perform in practice? What personality characteristics make a positive contribution to successful performance and which should be regarded as a contraindication? In this way, a clear picture emerged of the factors for success and failure, on the basis of which adjustments were also made to the assessment.

The result of applying a consistent and objective method of assessing candidates for the position of branch manager is that this management layer was raised to a higher level, decision-making in relation to appointments has been rendered objective and there are better guarantees that these positions will be filled successfully.

 

The client was a large chemical and pharmaceutical company which operates internationally and has its head office in Belgium. Within the context of a reorganisation of the Human Resource Department, all the HR professionals worldwide participated in a development assessment.

Prior to the assessment, a new vision for the Human Resource Department and its method of operation was developed. Linked to this, the competences per job where determined in relation to the new method of operation. In the light of this, the competences of all the employees were scanned in relation to their new jobs. These assessments were carried out by a fixed team of consultants from Development Factory and Mercer, occasionally in cooperation with local consultants. Various instruments were used for the various target groups, which were matched to the competences. The assessments were made in seven languages and at the candidate's workplace.

A specific competence-based report was drawn up for each person, with concrete recommendations and advice with regard to training or coaching. These were then collected and processed into a general overview and offer of training. The result for the client was a well focused offer of training for all the employees involved. An evaluation survey showed that more than 90% of the participants had a positive experience of the assessment and were more than satisfied with the report. The assessments consequently made a positive contribution to the development of the department.

 

 

 

Development Factory carried out assessments within the framework of the restructuring of the information function within a large municipality in the north of the Netherlands. This had a twofold aim. On the one hand, the aim was to support decision-making in relation to location and, on the other hand, to boost and stimulate the development of employees. New desired competences were formulated for the new structure. The assessments were then designed on the basis of these competences. In the assessments, considerable attention was given to skills in combination with personality characteristics. This was done in order to reach conclusions on whether these competences could be developed. In addition, emphasis was placed on motivational aspects because these are inseparably related to the development of employees. Consideration was given to the motivation of the person in question and how his or her development process could best be designed.

In the reports on the assessments, concrete advice was given with regard to development. In doing so, development activities were identified which were appropriate to the person. Some people, for instance, learn through concrete training, while other people have a greater need for feedback and reflection. This gives the organisation a concrete basis on which to develop employees with a view to their new jobs.