The Critical Path in Recruiting and Hiring Employees: The Job Benchmark Process Part 2, by Laura Dillingham

Last week we talked about the Job Benchmarking process and how it can be used to select the best candidate for each position in your organization resulting in lower turnover and increased employee satisfaction. (If you missed this Power Idea, click here).
This week we will describe how the benchmarking process is conducted.

Subject Matter Experts known as SME’s are critical to the process of accomplishing a great benchmark. There are usually 3-7 Stakeholders or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Each SME is asked how the success of the position supports their role’s success.

The SME’s are chosen to participate in the Job Benchmarking process because they:
• are knowledgeable about the position
• have been highly successful in the job
• have been in the job or the job reports to them
• have been a key peer to the job
• have been a customer of the job

It is critical to the outcome of the Job Benchmarking process that all SMEs go through the entire process together.

Let’s walk through the basics of the Job Benchmarking process, which are:

1. Ensure there is a valid, up-to-date job description (which Ginny McMinn discussed in her 4/16/2019 Power Idea). The job description is important because it provides critical guidelines regarding what the job entails.

2. Choose Subject Matter Experts based on the established guidelines.

3. Using the job description, work with the SME’s to answer specific questions that focus on the Responsibility, Authority, and Control the job has in six key areas.

4. Using the job description, have the SME’s define the critical responsibilities and duties that the person must perform to be successful in the job. Key Accountabilities prioritize what’s important, how much time is needed, and includes areas such as decision-making, access, consequences, and even other duties.

5. Using the job description, and the other documentation that has been developed, the SME’s work together to reach an agreement as they answer pre-determined questions about the properties of the job.

6. Once all the data gathered throughout the process has been compiled the result is a Job Benchmark, also called a Master Job Profile.

7. Selected candidates complete a TriMetrix assessment and are compared to the Job Benchmark.
NOTE: The Job Benchmark process is no more than one-third of the decision when making a hiring selection.

HPISolutions believes in using the Job Benchmarking process as it results in data for workplace success factors. The data provides information regarding the competencies needed for the job, the cultural motivators for the job and what behaviors are needed for the job.

Some may think that driving forces are the most important because they drive us to action. Others may think that how we behave is important because it is what others see in us first. Understanding what the job demands, and how far we need to adapt is critical also. The Job Benchmarking process compiles the entire view and captures all of these elements.

Identifying behaviors, driving forces, and personal skills through TriMetrix establishes the data for the candidates. The next step is to complete face-to-face interviews. If you are interested in the applicant you will still need to review their knowledge, skills, experience, education, and references prior to making a final decision.

Once you have made your decision and have selected your new hire you can use the TriMetrix Coaching report to create a development program for that employee. Most companies that use this system when hiring rarely regret their decisions.

HPISolutions can provide programs and support for your new hire’s development needs based on the results of the assessments. In fact, we can provide programs and support for all your employees! We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate the power of the Job Benchmarking process and look forward to the opportunity to work with you!

Job Benchmarking– Click to see our flyer about “If the Job Could Talk”