Assessments

Comprehensive assessment embraces the whole system of assessing understanding and application of skills. Standardized tests aren't the only way of gauging capability and performance. Companies are using a myriad of assessments, including selection, training and performance assessments to measure current and future capability.

Effective assessment should measure the full range of ability - social, emotional, and capability. Through various measures, including assessments, presentations, and tests, multiple learning styles are supported.

Types of Assessments

Stratecent Consulting's Assessment Centre covers the concept of assessment in its entirety. Assessment can be threefold:

1) Assessment for the purpose of Recruitment and Selection

2) Training Need Assessment and Training Effectiveness Assessment

3) Performance Assessment and Capability Building

1) Recruitment and Selection Assessments

With organizations competing fiercely in the war for talent, many invest large amounts of money, time and resources in recruitment and selection strategies in order to attract and retain the best candidates. Human resources continues to be the most important resource an organization can invest in.



Despite this, most organizations employ elementary or haphazard approaches to selecting this prime resource. Organization's need effective human capital management in order to improve their competitive advantage. The failure to use scientifically valid assessments to make selection decisions directly results in decreases in productivity, higher costs, increased attrition and other cascading organizational outcomes. Thus, effective recruitment and selection assessments impact bottom line financial results directly and indirectly.

We offer a range of selection and assessment systems. These systems include pre-employment testing and workplace attitudinal testing for managers, administrators, sales professionals, as well as management and professional selection & development. To know more, contact our sales advisor or send an email to: sales@stratecent.com

2) Training Need Assessment and Training Effectiveness Assessment

The purpose of Training Needs Assessment is to identify performance requirements and the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by an organization's workforce to achieve the requirements. An effective training needs assessment will help direct resources to areas of greatest demand. The assessment should identify the skills and capabilities required to fulfill the organizations mission, improve productivity, and provide quality products and services.

A needs assessment is the process of identifying the "gap" between performance required and current performance. When a difference exists, it explores the causes and reasons for the gap and methods for closing or eliminating the gap.

Designing a training and development program involves a sequence of steps that can be grouped into five phases: needs assessment, instructional objectives, design, implementation and evaluation. To be effective and efficient, all training programs must start with a needs assessment.

There are three levels of a training needs assessment:

• Organizational assessment evaluates the level of organizational performance. An assessment of this type will determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities an organization needs. Organizational assessment takes into consideration various additional factors, including changing demographics, political trends, technology, and the economy.
• Occupational assessment examines the skills, knowledge, and abilities required for affected occupational groups. Occupational assessment identifies how and which occupational discrepancies or gaps exist. It takes into account
• Individual assessment analyzes how well an individual employee is doing a job and determines the individual's capacity to do new or different work.

The results of the needs assessment allows the HR manager to set the training objectives by answering two very basic questions: what needs to be done, and why is it not being done now? Then, it is more likely that an accurate identification of who needs training and what training is needed.

For more details on customized training needs assessment, contact our sales advisor or send us an email at: sales@stratecent.com.

3) Performance Management and Capability Building

Performance Management and Capability Building extend beyond simply providing an annual review for each employee. It's a continuous process that enables employees to identify strengths and weaknesses in their capability, and develops their potential and capability to be more productive and efficient. Setting and clearly communicating performance standards and expectations, observing and providing feedback, and conducting appraisals enables you to achieve the best results through managing employee performance.

a) Evaluate the existing process: The first step in developing a robust performance system is to evaluate the current assessment process. Determine if it yields parameters that judge an employees contribution to the overall organizational mission and goals. You may need to build on what you already have, or develop a new system altogether.

b) Identify broad organizational goals and objectives: Performance management systems can help rally an organisations workforce towards the broader organizations goals and objectives by helping them understand how they are involved in reaching that goal.

c) Set performance expectations: Performance objectives and standards need to be decided and set clearly. Specific job descriptions as well as higher order tasks provide a map for employees to directly contribute to organizational excellence.

d) Monitor and develop specific capability: Once performance objectives and standards are established and clearly communicated, employee performance needs to be observed periodically and feedback provided. It is important to recognize and reinforce strong performance by an employee, and identify and encourage improvement where it is needed. Observing and providing detailed feedback, plays a critical role in the employee's continued success and motivation to meet performance expectations.

e) Evaluate performance and set future development goals: Goals and objectives are discussed periodically, providing a framework to ensure employees achieve results through coaching and mutual feedback. At the end of the rating period, the employee's performance will be measured against existing standards, and new goals will be established together for the next rating period.