Case studies from Southern Cross Associates.

One to One | Teams | Systems

In 2000 we undertook a project with a Top 200 Financial Services organisation. The focus of the project was to review and update their grading structure. The project had three priorities:

• To enable people to know their position in the structure and understand why they were there - Positioning.
  
• To provide a clear picture for people of their future prospects – their options and what they need to work on in order to progress – Aspiration.
  
• To develop a framework that people, in particular managers of people, could use to target their Development.
  
  

Step one was to develop an overall framework which replaced the existing pyramid of levels with a shape which came to be referred to as the rocket. We also changed the names used to label elements of the
framework in order to make them more dynamic. The new framework now gives greater credibility to certain roles, particularly admin and support, and provides a broader view of routes for progression – replacing ceilings with options.
Step two was to run a series of workshops with groups from different levels and areas of operation. In each of the workshops we asked the same basic question – “What do you do that really adds value to the
business?” – and sat back, listened and made copious notes. From those notes emerged the outlines of a set of themes which almost universally represented the core value adding activities.
Step three was an iterative process of review of the outputs and themes which emerged from step two, involving the project team, directors and workshop participants, eventually producing an operating framework comprising of three elements – Doing, Knowing and Being. “Doing” is further defined by 7 core activities which, with level specific definitions, will enable Positioning. Doing will then combine with Knowing, in circumstances where experience and/or qualification are a must, and Being to enable Aspiration and guide Development.