ATD Blog
Aligning Talent Development With Compensation, Performance Management, and Recruiting
Wed Mar 18 2015
Content
Few interactions between learning and development (L&D) organizations and their human resource counterparts are as important as compensation, performance management, and recruiting. All employees, for that matter, would probably say that compensation and how their performance is measured is a top priority. For new hires and hiring managers, the only other area of equal importance might be the quality and integrity of the recruitment and onboarding process.
Few interactions between learning and development (L&D) organizations and their human resource counterparts are as important as compensation, performance management, and recruiting. All employees, for that matter, would probably say that compensation and how their performance is measured is a top priority. For new hires and hiring managers, the only other area of equal importance might be the quality and integrity of the recruitment and onboarding process.
Content
These areas either work seamlessly or haphazardly. The level of alignment between L&D and HR can be the deciding success factor.
These areas either work seamlessly or haphazardly. The level of alignment between L&D and HR can be the deciding success factor.
Content
Some Examples
Some Examples
Content
Have you ever been part of a hiring process where the job requirements weren’t clear? Perhaps you joined an organization or brought in a new hire where the initial skill requirements were different than those they actually needed. Or worse, they were misleading?
Have you ever been part of a hiring process where the job requirements weren’t clear? Perhaps you joined an organization or brought in a new hire where the initial skill requirements were different than those they actually needed. Or worse, they were misleading?
Content
To be fair, this mismatch could have been your fault—as either the new hire or hiring manager. Maybe you didn’t conduct sufficient due diligence. More likely, there was a lack of alignment between L&D and HR. Whatever the reason, the job description, skill requirements, performance metrics, training offerings, and interview messaging were out of sync.
To be fair, this mismatch could have been your fault—as either the new hire or hiring manager. Maybe you didn’t conduct sufficient due diligence. More likely, there was a lack of alignment between L&D and HR. Whatever the reason, the job description, skill requirements, performance metrics, training offerings, and interview messaging were out of sync.
Content
Similarly, have you ever been asked to work on one task or project, but measured on another? Perhaps you were even given a paltry raise because of it? Maybe you were told that you needed to learn new skills and behaviors, but were measured on results that were inconsistent with those skills.
Similarly, have you ever been asked to work on one task or project, but measured on another? Perhaps you were even given a paltry raise because of it? Maybe you were told that you needed to learn new skills and behaviors, but were measured on results that were inconsistent with those skills.
Content
Again, it could have been your fault for not clarifying measurement factors. More likely, though, training was out of sync with the objectives and measurements or the performance appraisal metrics and process where misaligned with the realities of the business.
Again, it could have been your fault for not clarifying measurement factors. More likely, though, training was out of sync with the objectives and measurements or the performance appraisal metrics and process where misaligned with the realities of the business.
Content
The Cause
The Cause
Content
There are many potential reasons for misalignment between L&D and HR. The obvious culprits include lack of communication, conflicting management directives, and differing reporting structures.
There are many potential reasons for misalignment between L&D and HR. The obvious culprits include lack of communication, conflicting management directives, and differing reporting structures.
Content
When you dig deeper, however, you might uncover opposing philosophies. You find people who want to put checks in boxes rather than put in the effort to synchronize talent development initiatives with the business. You find people who lack a detailed understanding of the business putting theoretical rather than practical systems in place. Indeed, there are people who develop expertise in their own learning or HR specialist domain at the expense of understanding the bigger picture.
When you dig deeper, however, you might uncover opposing philosophies. You find people who want to put checks in boxes rather than put in the effort to synchronize talent development initiatives with the business. You find people who lack a detailed understanding of the business putting theoretical rather than practical systems in place. Indeed, there are people who develop expertise in their own learning or HR specialist domain at the expense of understanding the bigger picture.
Content
Misalignment often masquerades as a system, process, incentive, or metrics problem. These areas—when not properly defined or consistently applied—can cause significant problems, but they are typically signs of a deeper root cause.
Misalignment often masquerades as a system, process, incentive, or metrics problem. These areas—when not properly defined or consistently applied—can cause significant problems, but they are typically signs of a deeper root cause.
Content
People make the decisions that create the systems, processes, incentives, and metrics. People create the messaging. People decide how employees are hired, compensated, and managed. People decide to follow or not follow organizational processes.
People make the decisions that create the systems, processes, incentives, and metrics. People create the messaging. People decide how employees are hired, compensated, and managed. People decide to follow or not follow organizational processes.
Content
Granted, the processes, systems, and metrics may need adjustments, but probably not before the people do.
Granted, the processes, systems, and metrics may need adjustments, but probably not before the people do.
Content
The Remedy
The Remedy
Content
When L&D and HR are not well-aligned with both each other and the needs of the overall organization, it’s important to realize the potential negative impact. In other words, misalignment will inhibit employee engagement, hiring effectiveness, retention, and overall business results.
When L&D and HR are not well-aligned with both each other and the needs of the overall organization, it’s important to realize the potential negative impact. In other words, misalignment will inhibit employee engagement, hiring effectiveness, retention, and overall business results.
Content
Here are 10 principles your organization can employ to create alignment between L&D and HR. Follow them to increase harmony and efficiency across your organization.
Here are 10 principles your organization can employ to create alignment between L&D and HR. Follow them to increase harmony and efficiency across your organization.
Content
Establish regular (for example, quarterly) reviews between L&D and HR to share strategies, action plans, issues, and updates.
Establish regular (for example, quarterly) reviews between L&D and HR to share strategies, action plans, issues, and updates.
Content
Involve L&D and HR in key decisions. Solicit input before changing systems, processes, incentives, metrics, or important employee messaging.
Involve L&D and HR in key decisions. Solicit input before changing systems, processes, incentives, metrics, or important employee messaging.
Content
Measure L&D and HR staff on their level of alignment and collaboration with their cross-functional peers.
Measure L&D and HR staff on their level of alignment and collaboration with their cross-functional peers.
Content
Institute a method to capture feedback from line-of-business managers regarding the value and alignment they experience from L&D and HR.
Institute a method to capture feedback from line-of-business managers regarding the value and alignment they experience from L&D and HR.
Content
Coach L&D and HR staff on how to reach alignment. Shape their individual philosophies on collaboration and reaching alignment.
Coach L&D and HR staff on how to reach alignment. Shape their individual philosophies on collaboration and reaching alignment.
Content
Create a common competency model that consistently guides selection, hiring, onboarding, performance management, career planning, and ongoing development.
Create a common competency model that consistently guides selection, hiring, onboarding, performance management, career planning, and ongoing development.
Content
Regularly review, update, and reinforce the competency model to keep it current and in alignment with the overall needs of the organization.
Regularly review, update, and reinforce the competency model to keep it current and in alignment with the overall needs of the organization.
Content
Design training curriculum and offer training programs that are aligned to the competency model and realities of the business rather than the latest whims that are based on ideal scenarios.
Design training curriculum and offer training programs that are aligned to the competency model and realities of the business rather than the latest whims that are based on ideal scenarios.
Content
Design compensation and performance management systems that are aligned to the competency model and realities of the business.
Design compensation and performance management systems that are aligned to the competency model and realities of the business.
Content
Maintain common objectives, systems, approaches, and operating principles that sustain alignment between L&D and HR.
Maintain common objectives, systems, approaches, and operating principles that sustain alignment between L&D and HR.
Content
Best of luck!
Best of luck!