Use case for behavioural factors - Recruitment process

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Background

How Behavioural Factors can support Recruitment activities

This document provides an example of how the Behavioural Factors can be used in the recruitment process. Its purpose is to serve as an example to prompt discussion of the utility or otherwise of Behavioural Factors in the recruitment process as opposed to being a definition of best practice.

A sample role of Senior Business Analyst is being used as input to this process. This definition contains Professional skills and Behavioural Factors which are mapped to level of responsibilities.

Recruitment Assessment Methods

There are a range of contemporary assessment methods including:

Interview
Role Play – Scenario
Ability Tests
Assessment Centres

For this exercise the focus will be on 2 key aspects of recruitment that can apply to any method, being:

Assessment planning: i.e., how do we plan to assess both professional skills and Behavioural Factors and
Assessment recording: i.e., how do we plan to record and document the assessment evidence.

Note: Behavioural Factors include a behavioural element as well as a scope of impact as an indicator of responsibility. By default, Behavioural Factor assessment is more focussed on identifying similar situations or scenarios reflecting responsibility than measuring ability.

Assessment planning:

Assumptions:

The primary driver is the assessment of Professional skills, however, there maybe exceptional cases where the Behavioural Factor takes precedence.
Secondary, are Behavioural Factors; these can be identified as directly impacting performance of a professional skill or could be assessed as a “by product” of the assessment process for e.g. Communication skills and levels of responsibility.

Process Steps:

Link key Behavioural factors to Professional skills, produce a mapping table.
Select methods of assessment, including if Behavioural Factors are included in the assessment of the Professional skill or as a by-product of the assessment.

Assessment recording:

Assumptions:

There is a write-up of evidence provided for each type of assessment.

Process steps:

Design a recording template for Professional skills including relevant behavioural factors.
Design a recording template for relevant behavioural factors “by product” assessment.

Worked Example

Assessment Planning

Step 1:

This table shows mapping of Behavioural Factors to Professional skills suggesting which Behavioural Factor could be assessed along side each Professional Skill and/or be combined with the organisation’s own behavioural competency framework.

The mapping was created by:

Reviewing Behavioural Factors and identifying a subset considered important for the role.
Reviewing professional skills and identifying level statements that had some relationship to the Behavioural Factor.

	Collaboration	Communication	Decision Making	Influence	Creativity	Planning
FEAS	Yes		Yes		Yes
REQM	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
UNAN	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
BPRE		Yes			Yes	Yes
BENM				Yes		Yes

Step 2:

Situation specific and not addressed here.

Assessment Recording

Examples to be provided for one Professional skill and one Behavioural Factor as a background assessment.

Example Templates

Professional Skill Assessment Record (used in conjunction with the Position Description refer below)

Professional skill: Feasibility assessment

Overall Description: Defining, evaluating and describing business change options for financial, technical and business feasibility, and strategic alignment.

Question:

Candidate Response

Asessment Comments

Professional skill: Key Activities – Level 4

· Selects relevant feasibility assessment approaches and techniques.

· Identifies the range of possible options. Undertakes short-listing of options and feasibility assessment.

· Engages with internal and external stakeholders to get the information required for feasibility assessment.

· Supports preparation of business cases including cost/benefit, impact and risk analysis for each option.

Behavioural Factors (refer to PD)

· Collaboration

· Decision making

· Creativity

Score:

Behavioural Factor Assessment Record (used in conjunction with the Position Description)

Behavioural Factor: Communication

From Generic Attribute - Business Skills: Describes the level of business skills and positive behaviours operating effectively with the required impact in the workforce.

Behavioural Factor Description:

When communication occurs, it typically happens in one of three ways: verbal, nonverbal and visual. Communicators constantly exchange information, meaning people always seem to be either receiving or giving information.

Communication skills are essential for engaging others, sharing ideas and building understanding both inside organisations and externally with stakeholders, customers and clients.

Oral: Effectively communicates with both clients and co-workers in a way that conforms to organizational norms and results in positive outcomes.

Written: Clear expression of ideas in writing and in correct grammatical form.

Presentation: Commands attention and interest when presenting information. Succeeds in providing clarity in the transfer of information.

Candidate Response

Asessment Comments

Behavioural Factors: Key Activities – Level 5

· Clearly demonstrates impactful communication skills (oral, written and presentation) in both formal and informal settings, articulating complex ideas to broad audiences.

Score:

Position Description – Senior Business Analyst

Position Dimension i.e. who reports to, direct reports, etc.

Role Purpose xxxxx

SFIA Skills for a Senior IT Business Analyst

SFIA Skills	Levels
Feasibility Assessment	4
Requirements Definition & Management	4
User Experience Analysis	4
Business Process Improvement	5
Benefits Management	5

	Level	Generic Attribute
Collaboration Engages with and contributes to the work of cross-functional teams to ensure that customer and user needs are being met throughout the deliverable/scope of work. Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who share common objectives. Participates in external activities related to own specialism.	4	Influence
Communication Clearly demonstrates impactful communication skills (oral, written and presentation) in both formal and informal settings, articulating complex ideas to broad audiences.	5	Business Skills
Creativity Creatively applies innovative thinking and design practices in identifying solutions that will deliver value for the benefit of the customer/stakeholder.	5	Business Skills
Decision Making Autonomy: Uses substantial discretion in identifying and responding to complex issues and assignments as they relate to the deliverable/scope of work. Escalates when issues fall outside their framework of accountability. Influence: Makes decisions which influence the success of projects and team objectives.	4	Autonomy / Influence
Influence Influences customers, suppliers and partners at account level.	4	Influence
Learning and Professional Development Business Skills: Maintains an awareness of developing practices and their application and takes responsibility for driving own development. Takes the initiative in identifying and negotiating their own and supporting team members’ appropriate development opportunities. Contributes to the development of others. Knowledge: Is able to apply the knowledge effectively in unfamiliar situations and actively maintains own knowledge and shares with others. Rapidly absorbs and critically assesses new information and applies it effectively.	4	Business Skills / Knowledge
Planning Plans, schedules and monitors work to meet given objectives and processes to time and quality targets.	4	Autonomy
Problem Solving Engages and coordinates with subject matter experts to resolve complex issues as they relate to customer/organisational requirements.	5	Complexity

Optional to include in PD

Levels of Responsibility	Level
Autonomy Works under general direction within a clear framework of accountability. Exercises substantial personal responsibility and autonomy. Uses substantial discretion in identifying and responding to complex issues and assignments as they relate to the deliverable/scope of work. Escalates when issues fall outside their framework of accountability. Plans, schedules and monitors work to meet given objectives and processes to time and quality targets.	4
Influence Influences customers, suppliers and partners at account level. Makes decisions which influence the success of projects and team objectives. May have some responsibility for the work of others and for the allocation of resources. Engages with and contributes to the work of cross-functional teams to ensure that customers and user needs are being met throughout the deliverable/scope of work. Facilitates collaboration between stakeholders who share common objectives. Participates in external activities related to own specialism.	4
Complexity Implements and executes policies aligned to strategic plans. Performs an extensive range and variety of complex technical and/or professional work activities. Undertakes work which requires the application of fundamental principles in a wide and often unpredictable range of contexts. Engages and coordinates with subject matter experts to resolve complex issues as they relate to customer/organisational requirements. Understands the relationships between own specialism and customer/organisational requirements.	5
Business Skills Demonstrates leadership in operational management. Analyses requirements and advises on scope and options for continuous operational improvement. Assesses and evaluates risk. Takes all requirements into account when making proposals. Shares own knowledge and experience and encourages learning and growth. Advises on available standards, methods, tools, applications and processes relevant to group specialism(s) and can make appropriate choices from alternatives. Understands and evaluates the organisational impact of new technologies and digital services. Creatively applies innovative thinking and design practices in identifying solutions that will deliver value for the benefit of the customer/stakeholder. Clearly demonstrates impactful communication skills (oral, written and presentation) in both formal and informal settings, articulating complex ideas to broad audiences. Learning and professional development – takes initiative to advance own skills and identify and manage development opportunities in area of responsibility. Security, privacy and ethics – proactively contributes to the implementation of appropriate working practices and culture.	5
Knowledge Has a thorough understanding of recognised generic industry bodies of knowledge and specialist bodies of knowledge as necessary. Has gained a thorough knowledge of the domain of the organisation. Is able to apply the knowledge effectively in unfamiliar situations and actively maintains own knowledge and shares with others. Rapidly absorbs and critically assesses new information and applies it effectively.	4

[PL1]

Let me check my understanding..

The table called Behavioral factors is a selection of the available BF descriptions (at level 4 & 5).

So the process is to identify BFs and levels in a similar way that we identify SFIA skills and levels.

We're not saying the full LoR descriptions are not applicable - but by prioritising specific BFs & levels we have something that is more tailored/customized to the behaviours required for this particular role (Senior IT Business Analyst).

To test (and demonstrate) this we would expect to see a different mix of behaviours for different roles (e.g. Project manager, Service Manager etc)

Phil and I can verify your assumption as correct i.e. the BFs selected could differ for each role and will not capture the full LoR descriptions. [PC2]

I think this is rather smart: [IS3]

Selecting the most relevant 'components' (BFs) from the GAs is a good thing (isn't it?).

It allows the Professional Skill Levels to be used with 'most' of the GA Level but in a more focussed manner - for those that want focus.

It allows an optional approach that some might find more useful, relevant and usable for them.

Some will prefer one and some the other but it allows a level of comparison. We generally say ~80% of ... this allows you to chose the most relevant 80% to your needs ...

This works very well for the current structure/presentation (SFIA 8) .. does it suggest any ways the current presentation could/should be changed to accommodate this more effectively - from a user perspective?