In a changing work environment organisations need to look at hiring a new type of individual to help them achieve business goals – but who are these individuals and how can you spot them?
The working world is changing – workers are more geographically dispersed, have to handle more information and technology advancements have increased working hours. But in times of limited resources how can you increase productivity without asking more of your employees?
According to research by CEB, SHL Talent Management Solutions, businesses need to look at employing a new hire types known as ‘enterprise contributors’.
Stephanie Christopher, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand at CEB, SHL Talent Management Solutions, explained that there are two parts to an enterprise contributor. Firstly they have a high individual task performance in which they achieve high output per hour worked, effectively manage time and meets targets. The second part is network performance.
“That’s how well an individual works beyond their own position in the organisation; how well they collaborate and search for networks within their business as well as outside. It’s not just about old-fashioned networking – making contacts – it’s how much the individual makes contact with people collaborates and brings the benefit of that contact back into their organisation and back into the work that they do,” Christopher told HRM Online.
Someone who achieves highly in both these areas will contribute overall more to the organisation than someone who is a “lone wolf and just does their own job” she adds.
In comparison to other hire types enterprise contributors do four things differently to other employees.
“One is prioritisation. They’re really able to prioritise what’s best for the organisation, not just for them individually. [Second is] teamwork, so they have knowledge of how their peers work not just how they work. They have a strong organisational awareness, so they understand the context of the organisation not just what the structure is… and finally the fourth thing is problem solving – their able to identify and initiate change not just react to change positively,” Christopher said.
When it comes to identifying these individuals, Christopher recommends using psychometric assessment and objectively measuring the behaviours and competencies important to networking and how well an individual demonstrates those.
By bringing these people into a business will have only a “positive effect” Christopher said as not only are they productive they will help contribute to the culture of enterprise contribution.
