Developing an Agile Workforce
At a time when competitive forces have forced Pfizer to reduce its workforce by 10%, it is also facing pressure to move faster than before with less than before. They are responding by moving to a "just in time" approach to talent. Instead of hiring for specific jobs descriptions, they are establishing an employee selection and placement system based on competencies. Travis Sinquefield over at Disorganizational Behavior points to a recent article from Workforce Management.
"In recruiting, this means Pfizer, which used to hire candidates according to job descriptions, now evaluates what competencies the candidate demonstrates
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Similarly, Pfizer is focusing on developing employees based on competencies rather than grooming them for a specific role, he says. "
Travis points out that:
"When you hire a person based on the job description to be filled, you will probably end up with someone who has the skills to do only that job. Instead, Pfizer is taking a different approach, creating a flexible workforce where people with the skills and competencies needed can be moved into a position where those skills will be of value."
Without a clear understanding of the competencies needed in your organization, your employee selection process will select based on job skills and hope for a good fit. If you based your employee selection, employee placement, and employee development processes on competencies, you can develop a more agile workforce. This interchangeability increases the businesses ability to respond to the market without having to add as much overhead. Do you have a clear picture of the competencies needed in the jobs in your organization? How could you implement this concept in your business?