TRAINING & EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
Our Training and Employee Development service line is dedicated to identifying client organisations’ areas of particular need and offering interventions to enhance effectiveness. These range from training and development assessments/needs analyses to psychometric testing, and from competency evaluations and succession planning to the design of highly customised training programmes.
Organisational & Employee Training / Development Assessments
Consistent with your organisation’s strategic objectives, we apply a systematic and structured approach to the assessment of training and development requirements. Our assessments are made in the context of organisational KPIs and employee skill, responsibility and authority levels. READ MORE ⇒
Training & Executive Education Programmes
In designing and developing customised programmes to meet the specific requirements of individual clients, we ensure that related interventions are: (i) focused, (ii) interactive and (iii) provide measures against which progress and performance improvement can be assessed. READ MORE ⇒
Psychometric Testing & 360° Feedback
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Competency Definition, Development & Assessment
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Career Development & Succession Planning
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Organisational & Employee Training / Development Assessments
At RA Consulting, we apply a systematic and structured approach to the evaluation and assessment of training and development requirements. In determining such requirements, we first consider organisational goals, objectives, strategy and competitive positioning. This foundation is critically important in order to ensure that training and development interventions are assessed on the basis of an organisation’s specific requirements and not simply chosen from a generic list which fails to reflect underlying needs and hence offers little return on investment.
High level role requirements are considered in the context of incumbents’ knowledge, responsibility, competency, decision making and authority levels. Existing and necessary key performance indicators (KPIs) which drive the business and employee performance are then identified; associated training and development requirements are assessed in this context.
An assessment of the competency requirements necessary to support organisational efficiency, effectiveness and competitive positioning is undertaken. Through this process, training, development and competency requirements are defined in the context of a client’s particular business strategy and operating circumstances.
In addition to determining the training and development requirements necessary to support your business, we also identify the training interventions and specific pedagogical methodologies which are necessary to promote the development of both individual and organisational capabilities. This process is designed to ensure that in addition to identifying strategically integrated training and development requirements, appropriate training interventions and solutions are also determined.
Psychometric Testing & 360° Feedback
We identify the tools which are appropriate to meet your organisation’s particular circumstances and project objectives. Whether you require assessments to support recruitment, performance improvement or individual/team development decisions, our range tools includes, for example:
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Widely used for individual, group and organisational development, the tool evaluates dispositions and requirements for e.g. communication, conflict management, innovation, team building and career growth.
FORTE Communication Tool
Widely used for individual, group and organisational development, the tool evaluates dispositions and requirements for e.g. communication, conflict management, innovation, team building and career growth.
Emotional Intelligence
Widely used to drive personal growth and team productivity, the emotional intelligence questionnaire supports the effective management of e.g. conflict, stress, self-realisation, etc.
16PF
A measure of 16 separate personality traits, 16PF may be used to support recruitment and personal development.
FIRO-B
Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation – Behaviour or FIRO-B assess our behaviour and preferences during the course of interpersonal interactions. Feedback may be used to e.g. optimise personal impact, increase job satisfaction/productivity and identify alternative behavioural styles.
360° Benchmarks
The Benchmarks questionnaire is a 360° feedback instrument which offers key insights to support management development. The tool assesses self-perceptions against those of peers, subordinates and superiors, i.e. while providing a basis for individual growth/ development.
Competency Definition, Development & Assessment
We work with clients not just to identify operational training and development requirements, but also to define the particular competencies which are critical to support their organisation’s competitive positioning and operational success.
In identifying and defining competency requirements, we first consider the client organisation’s strategy and then review its competitive positioning. Internal systems and methods of operation are also considered in order to identify the behaviours and competencies which are required to support efficiency and productivity improvement. Depending on the client’s particular operating circumstances, competency requirements may be identified and defined for areas including customer service, problem solving, communications, leadership, teamwork, interpersonal ability, etc.
Once supporting competencies have been identified, we develop detailed competency dictionaries which define expected behaviours in practical and understandable terms. Competency level requirements are assigned to roles on the basis of, for example, associated leadership and customer services requirements. Incumbents’ competency levels/deficits are assessed by considering competency definitions; training requirements are identified through the same process.
Career Development & Succession Planning
Consistent with the philosophy which is applied when determining training and development requirements, our approach to the assessment of career development/succession planning requirements is informed by the client organisation’s strategy and competitive positioning. This approach is adopted in order to ensure that career development and succession plans are assessed on the basis of the organisation’s specific requirements and ultimately support the retention of intellectual capital in key business areas.
After specific requirements have been clearly identified and agreed, we design individual career development plans which meet the requirements of first and second level incumbents/candidates. Personal career development plans are agreed with target personnel and action plans/ timescales are also developed.
This approach is adopted in order to engage succession candidates in the planning process. It also serves to gauge their interest in specific career development opportunities, increase retention levels, provide recognition and generally elicits higher levels of commitment and motivation.
As skill and capability gaps are identified, we consider the specific job and person specifications which are required to address such gaps as well as the potential vulnerability which would otherwise arise for the organisation.