Case Studies

BeTalent were invited by Visa Europe to define and develop a High Potential Talent Identification and Assessment process. Over 1,500 employees were invited to take part in a 180 process using the BeTalent Talent Fit tool. A total of 429 employees from Visa Europe fully participated in the process. 62 individuals were identified as having potential and were selected to take part in the High Potential Assessment event. The assessment event was designed to incorporate a combination of assessment and development activities, challenging individuals and creating stretch in order to identify strengths and developments, along with step-up potential indications. The delegates completed the Strengths questionnaire in order to better understand their personal Strengths. From this, the team generated personal development reports and the delegates were offered the opportunity for a feedback and coaching meeting in order to progress their development planning. This process was automated through the BeTalent online platform and talent assessment processes were used to create an automated platform that could be updated as new performance and potential data is gathered.

Result: “The talent days have been excellent. The questions posed by Chris King and your expert team and the opportunity to reflect and consider how they behave and what their strengths are. I have also received glowing feedback from candidates in terms of how well organised the days have been in the lead up and during the assessment so please ensure your team know this”. James, Talent Manager, Visa Europe

There was a business requirement within HSBC Insurance UK to conduct a review of the organisational design of the Sales Development Function. HSBC Insurance UK and their HR function worked together to design this new structure and had a clear vision for the Target Operating Model (TOM). Zircon the sister company of BeTalent was hired to identify and design 2 new roles within the team, and also assess the potential and performance of the current sales force, in order to identify their suitability for the new roles. HSBC were seeking to establish a cost effective but reliable and valid assessment and development process, using a range of tools for the assessment. The assessment process included the use of psychometric evaluations, a potential interview, a 360 intervention and a validation interview. Honest evaluation of the validity of the assessment exercises led to a reduction of the process and utilising some elements as a screen to further assist with containing costs. A total of 47 HSBC employees completed a variety of online psychometric questionnaires, were assessed by their managers and participated in a 4-hour assessment session for the new roles.

Result: Since the implementation of the Wealth Business Development Manager (WBDM) model there has been an average increase of 12% pure growth in sales across the network on Insurance products, a 21% increase in value and 22% increase in volume of sales from coached individuals (by WBDM's), compared to colleagues not coached by a WBDM.

American Express requested BeTalent's support to identify the high potential competencies and create a set of assessment tools for the recruitment of international Gold, Platinum and Centurion Card customer services consultants in 17 Countries. We identified the critical behaviours for success for the sales operatives, and designed a virtual assessment process including an interview, a series of customer facing role play exercises and the Decision Styles questionnaire. These exercises were being used globally to select, develop and retain the best customer services talent possible. The Decision Styles questionnaire was used to understand how the sales operatives helped their high net worth customers make decisions and how they would advise them to make decisions. We also trained all of the Band 30 Managers in the skills of assessment, competency interviewing, Level A test administration and providing feedback. The training was conducted in the main American Express offices throughout the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Singapore, Australia and Japan.

Results: Following the project, the organisation saw a 45% increase in turnover and a 37% increase in sales over a 3-year period.

Royal London contacted BeTalent to undertake ongoing talent assessments for internal succession, planning, personal development and talent programme placement. The process involved working with Royal London to evolve and validate their assessment methodologies; utilising their internal talent frameworks and applying principles of high potential to interview techniques. The senior leader assessments were 3-hour long executive style assessments incorporating the use of the Hogan Personality Inventory, the Hogan Development Survey, the Motives, Values Personality Inventory and the SHL verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning tests. Royal London employ a Strengths approach, which required the report and feedback process to include discussions around Strengths, permissible weaknesses and capability to deliver expert roles in areas of scarce market talent. The process consisted of a personal report, which identified talent outcomes at 3 levels, as well as opportunities for development.

Result: We have conducted 73 senior level individual talent assessments across the UK, against the strict SLA delivery times agreed by both organisations. We will continue to work with Royal London within this project but so far the feedback and progress reports have been fantastic!

Zircon designed and delivered a process for identifying ‘hidden gems’ at all levels of Rank Group. The assessment process was based around the Rank Group Model of Talent, which encompasses Behaviours, Expertise, Strengths, STARs (Values), Aspirations, Engagement and Intelligence, which were identified as crucial for success in an ever-changing retail market. A large population of 350 individuals went through an initial screening process, using an online 180 Talent Fit assessment. The top 69 individuals from this process were then invited to complete an assessment for the development event in order to learn more about their Strengths and development areas. The identification process was designed to assess all elements of the Blueprint in a vigorous and valuable manner. The two-staged assessment process employed a combination of technology-enabled assessments, such as the Talent Fit assessment and an online case study, as well as face-to-face exercises.

Result: The HRD noted the benefits of our work: "talking more about using talent to succession plan, we have ended up in a place that helps shape what we do next, it now feels like a more objective view to talent and talent planning.”