HR & HRD Consulting Services

New Directions in HR Technology

Human Capital Consulting Division

HR & HRD Consulting

Services

The competitive world that we face each day is a constant challenge to how we create values and structures that lead to superlative people performance. The term human capital management embraces those activities aimed at hiring, developing, managing and retaining the people in the organisation.

Aspiration specialises in the following key human capital interventions

Does your organisation:

• Have an effective line driven

performance management process?

• Have a skills acquisition process

reported on and driven by Line managers?

• Focus on retaining key strategic staff?

• Use HR technology to effectively drive HR processes into the business?

Aspiration Consulting is supported by the provision of Aspiration E-HR software modules that extend across the full range of Human Capital strategic focus areas. Modules include E-Performance Management E-360 Appraisal E-Succession Planning E-Skills Management E-Training Administration E-Learning Resources E-Recruitment E-Salary Review E-Employment Equity E-Leave E-Discipline

Performance Management

Skills Acquisition Processes

Succession Planning & Retention

Research has shown that organisations that focus on their human capital will perform more competitively that those who don’t.

Aspiration is able to bring proven strategic processes that offer a total solution to the effective management of Human Capital.

Our HRD and Skills Acquisition interventions have in particular been successfully deployed in SAB and SAB Africa & Asia and have had a direct influence in improved organisational performance in the business units where they have been deployed.

We have also assisted companies such as MNet, ABI, FCB, Total SA and Value Logistics with Aspiration Consulting, Training and Software interventions Aspiration has consulted on the following strategic projects

• SAPHR Software design

• Sales OD and Structure

• Skills Development Implementation

• Performance Management Implementation

• Development of Sales Academy courses for FMCG sector

• Development of HR for Line courses

• Development of Specialist HRD Training Programmes

Supported by

Aspiration E-HR

Software

Message from Trevor Gray – Plant Manager Dar es Salaam Tanzania Breweries Limited on being congratulated on winning the SABM A&A Brewery of the year award 2005

“Thanks guys, shows what in increased focus on Aspiration Competency Acquisition can deliver!”

Aspiration HRD Audits

Aspiration will undertake an audit the client organisation’s HRD practice and compile a report on specific recommendations for improvement. The audit is designed to measure specific elements of HRD Policy and practice as well as to look at the extent of Line commitment to the development effort. Aspiration will examine existing systems and processes that support the development effort and identify strengths and area for improvement.

The Aspiration HRD Audits address the following elements: HRD Policies

Strategic Skill Development

HRD Targets for Competence, Costs and Training Days Degree of Line Ownership

Efficacy of Development Initiatives Trainee programmes

HRD Professional Skills

Following the audit a comprehensive report with specific recommendations is compiled.

The purpose of the audit is to identify specific gaps in the organisational approach to HR development. Recommendations are focused on delivering the following benefits

Increase in competence acquired at a lower cost Reduction in lead time to learning

Focused interventions

Improved Internal HRD Consulting Skills capability Effective HRD reporting and audit capability

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Aspiration Skills Acquisition Process and Software

1. Process

Description

The Aspiration competency acquisition process comprises the identification of skills knowledge (competencies) for each job in the organisation. The skills are assembled into profiles (competence guides) that are in turn linked to each employee in the organisation.

For the guides we use a Unit Standard structure in order to align to the National Skills Development initiatives in South Africa. A unit of competency is a discrete component of competence within a Job. It represents the primary breakdown of the job into key competencies. Each Unit then has a number of sub elements (called outcomes); each outcome has assessment criteria (criteria used in assessment to establish competence) and learning objectives (Questions that are asked to test competence). The following example using a driver in the transport industry will elaborate:

HRD Audit - The Benefits

• Improve R.O.I on training spend

• Increase Management

engagement in developmental activity including coaching ,assessment, one on ones and individual development plans

• Manage HRD more effectively and ensure appropriate HRD budget ownership

• Optimise HRD structures and roles in the organisation

• Establish primary development focus areas

• Ensure effective trainee

programmes for graduate recruits

• Build organisational skill levels rapidly and effectively

Unit Outcome Assessment Criteria Learning Objectives

Operate a rigid

vehicle Prepare a vehicle for a trip

Vital vehicle components are inspected in a systematic way in order to comply with the Road Traffic Act of 1993 RANGE : Components : exterior of vehicle; interior of vehicle; fluid levels; brakes and vehicle equipment

Demonstrate how to prepare a vehicle for a trip and examine all the relevant components? What components are inspected and why. What are the standards that each component must meet before the vehicle can be used? Demonstrate how to record the vehicle inspection legibly and in accordance with operational requirements. Show evidence of the correct recording. etc…etc..

2. Line Accountability

The process has as a key principle the transfer of employee development to Line Management. This is achieved by training line managers to assess their own employees (with the help of experts if required), by getting line managers to capture the results into the system and for line managers to report monthly against sign off targets that they have agreed to pursue.

The learning objective in the process therefore has three important uses.

• It is used by the learner to prepare for assessment and therefore encourages self directed leaning and also is valuable in describing the required competencies

• It is used by the manager as assessment questions to test if the employee has the necessary skills

• It forms the basis of a short interval measure to drive competency acquisition into the business.

3. Aspiration E-Skills Software

To manage the process our clients can choose the option of implementing the Aspiration E-Skills software module to manage the process. Competencies are loaded onto the software. Employee details including departments, job titles etc are loaded as well and the system manages the compilation of competence profiles and the linking of these profiles to the employees in that job.

Each employee then has a number of learning objectives (normally between 50 and 100) against which he or she must be assessed as competent. The number of signed off learning objectives out of the total number of learning objectives

represents the progress that the employee is making towards acquiring competence. The learning objectives are aggregated by region, department section etc. to show progress of sign off at these regional /departmental levels. In other words a

packaging department in total may have signed off 2000 objectives out of 10000 and is therefore at 20% signed off competence.

Learning Resources Module

Aspiration also provides a learning resources module which could be described as a training solution document management system. Solutions such as training manuals, web sites, e learning can be linked and categorised by subject and search words. Information about learning solutions can also be linked e.g. subject expert names, book details etc.

These solutions can be electronically linked to the competency profiles to provide “answers” to the questions posed by the learning objectives. These solutions can be opened on line in Aspiration.

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Key Features of Aspiration E –Skills Software Module

• Aspiration has the capability to capture unit standards, specific outcomes, assessment criteria. For each outcome any number of learning objectives can be loaded.

• Once these are loaded the system provides the facility to select any combination of outcomes or objectives to assemble the

competencies for a job. Once the job competencies are assembled into a competence guide, any number of employees can be linked to that guide.

• The departmental structure can be changed to suit the particular region /area.

• The system provides drill down reporting on learning objectives assessed over the total objectives. The drill down operates from Major Department e.g. Packaging to Department e.g. Line 8 to Sub Department e.g. shift A. to specific employees and their details.

• The system also provides reports and graphs over a period with a similar drill down capability e.g. assessment sign off’s over the past year.

• Aspiration has the capability to capture assessment comments as well as the sign off of specific LO’s

• Manager’s Portal where all critical management functions and reports are listed.

• Reports can be generated that provide a summary of outcomes signed off by employee that can be captured into other systems.

• Duplicate Jobs can be captured i.e. if the competencies for one operator differ from another operator to another, the original guide can be duplicated under the new job title and then adjusted accordingly.

Aspiration Performance Management

Performance Management is an absolute necessity in the current competitive business world. As companies flatten their structures they need to have employees who understand what is expected of them and can focus on delivering results. Individual performance contracts define the outputs and expectations of individuals and provide a more objective mean of evaluating team an individual performance Aspiration provides a proven methodology for aligning organisational goals and translating these to cascade down through the organisation.

Strategic Workshops

We facilitate strategic workshops to that establish the critical strategic company focus areas and assist managers to turn these into strategic goals with specific measures and timelines.

Goal Setting

Aspiration has more than 10 years experience in training managers to set goals. Our approach incorporates the use of vision and mission statements as well as defining quality criteria for performance. We use an output based format that focuses on internal and external customer expectations and includes team goal generation and accountability matrices.

Appraisal

We present training to managers on conducting effective performance appraisals. Included is how to distinguish between performance issues and competence or skills issues. We also coach managers on how to deal with problem employees. An effective appraisal will include specific follow up action steps and an individual development plan

Communication

The Aspiration performance management process is supported by a

communications skills programme designed to create open honest communication within the organisation.

This workshop is designed to:

• Create awareness that honest workplace communication is critical to creating a culture of learning and participation.

• Help employees understand the link between perceptions and

communication

• Provide skills that help us to express our views honestly

• Provide insights to the link between HWC, organisation values and the company vision and mission.

• Emphasise the link between effective performance and honest

communication

Honest Workplace

Communication

A Dynamic One Day Programme

Did you know that……

Managers and Engineers responsible for the 1986 Challenger Space Study programme knew about the problem that caused the disaster before the launch. However they were unable to overcome organisational barriers and express what they were thinking. The decision to go ahead with the launch was made and the rest is history.

“In all organisations certain things remain undiscussed and their undiscussability is not discussed”

Chris Argyris, Harvard University

Do your employees say what they think...or what they think you want to hear? Are your managers able to confront employees on issues of poor performance? Do employees tell managers what is really going on?

As organisations flatten their structures and focus on the customer, the barriers created by outdated politics and status need to be removed. The dynamic nature of business requires that people say what they think without fear of reprisal.

Organisational learning is also greatly facilitated by open communication practices at all levels.

Organisations are also faced with the need to embrace diversity and cultural differences and too often the important communication is withheld or misunderstood

Using an innovative case study based on the Challenger Space disaster this dynamic communication course provides delegates with skills to overcome organisational communication barriers and improve their self directed learning ability. Supported by Aspiration E-Performance Management E-360 Appraisal Software Modules Performance Management

•

•

• Aligns individual effort behind organisational goals and focus areas

• Facilitates Performance appraisal and performance link to

remuneration

• Ensures managerial engagement with employee on performance

•

Aspiration Consulting Services

Aspiration provides proven processes for the effective implementation of an effective Career Planning, succession and retention strategy for the organisation. The process focuses on the effective capture of employee biographical and career information and the analysis of employees against the following key parameters Potential

Likelihood to Leave Difficulty of Replacement Value Add

Performance

Employees can also be effectively categorised by the above parameters using a unique employee grid structure. The process assists organisations to identify and retain talent and provides a means of ensuring effective job cover for strategic positions in the organisation.

About Brian Fenton

Brian Fenton has 25 years experience in HR Development Processes and Systems. Before starting his own company he was employed by S.A. Breweries where he held a number of senior HR and Training positions. He was very influential in the design of the SAB competency acquisition process that is used in that organisation up to the present. He has designed a number of software packages and was contracted by S.A. Breweries to design their HR Development software module in SAPHR. In addition Brian Fenton has had previous experience in general HR systems including Payroll systems. He holds a B Arts degree with majors in Psychology and Economics and an IPM diploma in HR

He has written a number of articles for HR journals (People Dynamics and Black Leader) and has been invited as a speaker at the National IPM convention. He was also invited as the keynote speaker for the Zimbabwean IPM convention (1998) where he shared the podium with Morgan Tsvangarai. He is a past winner of the People Dynamics HRD article of the year award

He is the founder of Aspiration a company specialising in HR strategic consulting, Training, Competency Acquisition, Performance Management and Web based HR Software.

Aspiration provides software and consulting services to a number of top South African companies including SABMiller, Total SA, PG Bison, Value Logistics and FCB. Aspiration has also consulted extensively with companies in other African countries including, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Building 1, Bartlett Lake Office Park Boksburg 1400 Gauteng South Africa

Tel

+27 11 918 5984

Fax

+27 11 918 5305

www.aspiration.co.za

Aspiration Succession Planning & Retention

•

Who are the high flyers in your organisation and when will they

be ready for promotion?

•

Does your organisation have a strategy and process to identify

and retain talent?

•

Do you have adequate cover for the key jobs in your

organisation?

Supported by:

Aspiration E-Succession

Software

A unique state of the art software solution to manage career planning, succession and retention

Aspiration HR for Line Programme

• Develop increased awareness of the effect of world trends on the human resources function

• Become aware of the impact that these trends are having on the role of line management in HR

• Develop a clear understanding of the difference in roles between line managers and HR specialists in the management of HR

• Acquire skills and knowledge that will aid you in managing the four critical human resource areas line managers need to focus on. These are:

• Recruitment and Selection

• Development

• Performance Management