How do you know if you have the right person in the right position? How do you know if your employees and leaders are successful? How can you tell if they are achieving what you expect of them? More importantly, how do they know if they are focusing on the right activities? The truth is, unless you have defined realistic yet challenging success metrics for each position you have no better idea of your employees’ success rates than they do. This is the basis of Human Capital Management.
Creating employee success starts with the hiring process. It starts with writing the best possible job description—I call it a position profile. The difference between a standard job description and a position profile is huge.
Position Profile vs. Job Description
Typically, job descriptions are used in job posts to advertise an open position, to determine compensation, and/or to establish a basis for performance reviews. However, job descriptions are not constructed in a manner that allows for the vetting of potential candidates or the measuring of performance—a position profile does.
The position profile identifies a role in the context of the organization, and communicates the link between business strategy, internal processes and your people.
In short, a position profile:
- Documents the expertise, skills and experience needed to perform the job
- Communicates expectations for performance and results
- Detailed description of the job from three key perspectives:
- Supervisory (Strategy & Direction)
- Employee (Role & Responsibilities)
- Customer (Quality & Acceptance)
By clearly defining each employee’s role in the context of the organization, and providing detailed success metrics and milestones that employees and managers agree on, you will not only target the right candidates for open positions, but you will also understand your overall team performance.
To learn more about creating a performance-based talent system for your organization, download the free eBook on Human Capital Management from our homepage.
Howard Shore is a human capital management expert and sought-after business coach based in Miami, Florida. His firm works with companies to deliver transformational management and business coaching to their executive leadership. To learn more about human capital management through AGI, please contact Howard at 305.722.7213.