Management of Change and Development Leadership – Performance – Customer Focus news October 2010 2 HOGAN ASSESSMENT Systems as a tool for effective staff selection 3 Interview 4 Miscellaneous/Inside trans_m How to fill positions with the right persons Better quality of processes – making use of opportunities It is widely known that making the wrong recruitment choices may cost a multiple of annual salaries, especially when it comes to executive positions. Corporate management, HR managers and HR service providers are all equally aware of it. And yet, it is still not standard procedure in Switzerland to subject all applicants to a professional and all-encompassing process of evaluation. Much-debated national cases of recruitment failures and departures, even in a trial period, are painful reminders of just how important consistent and standardised selection procedures really are. Obviously CVs and certificates are scrutinized, structured interviews held, and employer’s references checked on. One third of all companies perform assessments while others demand to see work samples. So can anything possibly go wrong when several methods are combined in a meaningful manner? there an up-to-date job and skills profile? Does it include important indicators of personality as well as social and leadership skills over and beyond business qualifications? Does the candidate get specific information on the current situation, resources, the environment, corporate culture, generally known issues and hidden requirements? One question that should not be neglected is the candidate’s motivation to take up a new challenge: is it rooted in a current feeling of dissatisfaction, or will a change of career simply be a handy extra feature in the CV? Another aspect to be borne in mind is the relation ship between operational organisation and the board of directors: does the new executive to be recruited speak the same language, pursue the same strategy, and share the same operational objectives? And is the candidate also “compatible” with the existing crew, or a welcome addition to it, in cultural and human terms? Our experience shows that fewer instruments are used especially for recruitment of upper and top- These are a lot of open questions. We recommend management executives. On the one hand, it is to challenge existing recruitment processes, parti feared that well-paid candidates would not be cularly with regard to key positions, in order to willing to undergo an extensive selection proce- safeguard their quality and effectiveness in goal dure. On the other hand, their feeling generally is achievement. trans_m will be pleased to support that no additional information is required on such you by means of a quick analysis pointing out the candidates or that their experience suffices as a essential factors to be improved. We are looking track record. Another reason may be the general forward to having a dialogue with you! awareness that no assessment will eventually be a full guarantee for successful activity in the real Rolf Erny, MBA, world. A successful selection procedure is based Managing Director, Chairman of the Board, on much more fundamental questions though: is [email protected] Editor’s Comment Doing the right thing right: that’s what filling key positions is about! Enhancing quality of recruitment opens up new opportunities, in the market, with customers and for staff. Recruitment failures, however, not only cost a lot of money, but will also be noticed and judged by staff and the outside world. And not to forget, re-recruitment will be more demanding and constitute a challenge in terms of time. Our current news are devoted to investigating this issue. In the present Newsletter, you will find contributions from various angles on how to improve quality of recruitment. A practical example will outline to you Swiss Re’s procedure for filling key positions. Other articles from our staff highlight important recruitment components such as tools and processes. And finally, a quick analysis will help you to get an impression of how well your organisation is doing with regard to recruitment. Yours truly, Rolf Erny trans_m AG Querstrasse 4 CH-8304 Wallisellen E-Mail [email protected] October 2010 Newsletter 2 Creating transparency HOGAN ASSESSMENT Systems as a tool for effective staff selection Quick analysis in view of a successful recruitment process ❑❑ Full job description available? Company location, business area, department, team, management responsibility, reporting line, specification of responsibilities, objective, powers or proxies, preferred soft skills, development prospects, start of employment. ❑❑ Full requirements profile available? Education, additional qualifications, work experience, command of languages, computer knowledge, experience working abroad, social as well as methodological and leadership skills, entrepreneurial thinking. ❑❑ How to conduct the search? Internal/external job description, recommendations, co-operation with external suppliers, HR marketing at job-seekers’ fairs, interview, personality or performance test, individual assessment, assessment center, check on references, work samples. Personality of staff is a fundamental success driver in any company. Every day organisations are faced with the question of which applicants are most appropriate to open positions to be filled. Making the wrong choices will both come at a high price tag and lead to disappointment. This is why HR departments increasingly resort to valid test procedures when selecting staff. Successful co-operation is a function not only of job qualifications but also of staff personality. Suitable personality tests will support your recruiting process. To assess the candidates’ skills and character traits, it is no longer sufficient today to carry out one or several interviews limited in terms of time and content. And yet Hogan does not replace traditional interviews, but helps HR and line managers to better prepare for them and avoid making the wrong choices. Owing to Hogan, trans_m clients have been able to considerably reduce recruitment cost as well as the number of wrong choices and their financial consequences. Tina Maly, our Key Account Manager, will be pleased to supply further information. Hogan Personality Tests, already applied successfully by international corporations, are an effec- Tina Maly tive means of staff selection matching the candi- MA UZH, publicist, Key Account Manager, dates’ potential against specifications of the [email protected] positions to be filled. Hogan provides a comprehensive description of the candidates’ aptitude, specifying personal strengths, occupational risks and personal value systems. Using Hogan, our clients learn whether candidates are going to be successful in their companies and in the positions to be filled, and whether candidates will be compatible with certain teams or the company’s by trans_m culture in general. ❑❑ Application process defined? Responsibilities, timetable, technical sequence. PDF available from the downloads section at www.transm.ch/transm_en ❑❑ Who are the decision-makers? Executive management, line managers, HR managers, recruiters. ❑❑ What are the selection criteria? CV content/layout, application letter, certificates, references, matching with requirements profile. Frequency of use of HR selection procedures Role-playing (outside AC) ❑❑ How is the position going ❑ to evolve in future? Future requirements potentially resulting from change regarding the environment, the market, the customers and the competitors, and its impact on the candidate’s core competencies and types of behaviour. Requirements for selfdevelopment and the candidate’s change-management skills/attitude. 4.6 % Medical check-up 5.6 % Trial days Presentations (outside AC) 11.9 % Biographical questionnaire 12.7 % 16.5 % Graphological analysis 19.6 % Performance tests Criminal records/character reference 23.8 % Work samples 25 % 30.9 % Assessment center 33.2 % Personality tests ❑❑ Any further aspects relevant ❑ to filling the position? 88.9 % Check on employer’s references 99.4 % Interview 99.6 % Analysis of application documents 0 % 2 Source: study by Matthias Berchtold on the most frequently used procedures in HR selection 6.9 % trans_m AG Querstrasse 4 CH-8304 Wallisellen E-Mail [email protected] 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % 70 % 80 % 90 % 100 % October 2010 Newsletter Interview “Exchange of ideas clearly went beyond the scope of the assignment.” Rolf Erny talking to Mr Gian Paul Ganzoni, Lead Human Resources Business Partner, Swiss Re, Zurich. Mr Ganzoni, you performed a special selection process for the role of Human Resources Business Partners in the course of reorganisation of Swiss Re’s Human Resources department. Why did you choose this particular function to undergo in-depth scrutiny? The Head of HR and myself as his HR Business Partner had come to the conviction that, in reorganising HR, we should have a closer look at the profile of requirements for future HR Business Partners and enhance it. As the planned reorganisation was going to considerably reduce the number of prestigious HR Business Partner functions, it was all the more important to design a careful, credible and well-embedded selection process. consultants and myself in my capacity as the HR Business Partner in charge supervised each AC. The selection process included a specific assessment center scrutinizing the skills required. What was your experience of this particular AC, and how did the candidates respond to it? Basically, my experience of the AC was very good. It resulted in an intense dialogue with the assessors and stakeholders on how to concretely design the profile of requirements by means of specific and realistic examples of behaviour. Gian Paul Ganzoni Lead Human Resources Business Partner Swiss Re, Zurich www.swissre.com You chose the services of trans_m AG to carry out the ACs. What was the main reason for this decision? There were two reasons for choosing The candidates experienced solid, broadly-based trans_m: Swiss Re had had a positive and largely objective assessment summarized in a experience working with trans_m on short report. In the run-up to the AC, the candi- an earlier project, and trans_m was We began by defining the future profile of require- dates were sceptical and nervous as most of them flexible enough to develop and conments together with relevant stakeholders, and had not had a personal AC experience yet. How- duct the ACs together with us within went on to carry out a one-day assessment center ever, on the day of the AC and following the indi- a period of some two months. vidual feedback talks with the trans_m assessors, (AC) with the help of trans_m. almost all candidates rated their AC experience trans_m has implemented our ideas in positive and valuable. One of the key factors of a professional and factual manner, and What did your selection process involve, this success certainly was the tailoring of all ex- has shown the necessary flexibility and how did you proceed? Initially, we chose the applicants to be invited for ercises to Swiss Re’s HR Business Partner function. in a variety of situations. The process the selection process, which we did by analysing of preparation and our co-operation their CVs shortening down the long list. The In hindsight, would you use the same process conducting the five ACs have produced selection process as such consisted of online again? What findings did you have? a valuable exchange of ideas that simulation performed by the candidates at home I would basically work with the same process clearly went beyond the scope of the and in advance followed by a one-day assessment design again. However, it took more time than original assignment. on site. originally planned to match the profile of requirements with the specific skills inside HR, to develop Mr Ganzoni, thank you very much The selection process was approved, the AC exercises, to investigate compliance with for your comments. We wish you all and consistently applied worldwide, by the labour law of online simulation and the U.S. AC, the best in implementing your HR Management Team. How did you ensure demanding approach! and to draft the individual reports. equal opportunity? We used identical criteria globally as well as a consistent timeline. One half of the assessors were recruited from the HR Management Team, the other half from among highly committed line managers. To make sure the assessors actually provided objective and unbiased views, the trans_m 3 Miscellaneous Anniversary year A Master’s candidate at the University of Zurich has been identified to take on the “Return on Development” project, as announced in our April 2010 News. trans_m actively contributes to Sporthilfe, a Swiss fund-raising foundation supporting up-and-coming athletes and celebrating its 40th anniversary, by means of a donation extended to Sporthilfe’s charity GOLF-MASTERS on July 2nd 2010. We are pleased to help young and committed sports talents realise their dream of becoming top-level athletes. Co-operation Early in the summer of 2010, trans_m carried out its first-ever joint consulting project for a pharma ceutical company in co-operation with papilio AG. The project featured 360° feedback with an ensuing executives’ workshop for the top three levels of management. Upon successful completion of this assignment, we are now embarked on a joint future, looking forward to continuing fruitful and inspiring co-operation. Downloads Our website at www.transm.ch now comes with a downloads section where you will find helpful information and documents to assist you in your day-to-day work. The current offer features a quick analysis in view of a successful recruitment pro cess, which is also covered on page 2 of the present News. Furthermore www.transm.ch includes descriptions of all trans_m services as well as an archive of all Newsletters issued so far. Inside trans_m trans_m AG Querstrasse 4 CH-8304 Wallisellen Switzerland phone fax e-mail url Last but not least, we congratulate very cordially Mrs Sandra Fischer Christen, a member of our team, and her husband on the birth of their son Jonas. All the best! +41 43 233 32 13 +41 43 233 32 15 [email protected] www.transm.ch Member of CNI CareerNet International 4 trans_m AG Querstrasse 4 CH-8304 Wallisellen E-Mail [email protected] October 2010 Newsletter