To recognize talents, you need to test their skills and also their way of thinking. It sounds simple, but... what does it look like in practice? In a conversation with Dražen Kvež, Executive Director of Human Resources at Addiko Group, we discovered how an assessment center is conducted, one of the most reliable tools aiding in selecting the right person for a specific position as well as in succession planning.
1. Why is an assessment center important?
These comprehensive mechanisms help ensure genuine individual development. Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses, as well as so-called "blind spots" which, as the term suggests, we're unaware of. This is precisely where the value of an assessment center lies, ensuring participants receive objective feedback and a clear insight into their strengths and weaknesses, aiming to achieve their full potential. Such an approach to investing in employee growth benefits not only individuals but also strengthens the collective knowledge and values of the organization. Successful use of an assessment center leads to the creation of a successful organization with high-quality and motivated employees.
2. You conducted SELECTIO assessment centres before setting individual development goals for employees. Why?
Last year, at Addiko Group, we focused extra attention on developing key employees and launched the Addiko Lead WISE (Wisdom In Strategic Excellence) development program. Participants in this program are our key employees, members of boards, and first-level directors below the board in our banks who are identified as potential candidates for positions in Addiko Group's boards.
From the inception of the program, the idea was to develop it based on real needs (both organizational and individual participants') as well as the potential and competencies of the participants. In other words, we didn't want to create "just another general leadership program." Therefore, to tailor the program to actual needs, competencies, and identified development areas, before crafting any development plans, we decided to conduct a SELECTIO assessment center adapted to Addiko Group's competency and value system. In that way, through various activities, we obtained an objective assessment of the participants' potential, competencies, and career aspirations. From our perspective, this is a crucial step because the assessment center focuses not only on the current developmental stage of the individual but also assesses potential for future positions, which is extremely important for succession planning.
It's also important to note that the SELECTIO assessment center provided consistency in assessment because all participants were evaluated based on the same criteria. This allows informed decisions about the direction of talent development and ensures that development plans and further development of desired competencies are aligned with the candidates' individual goals, as well as with the bank's strategic objectives.
3. Which employees did you include in the assessment centers? How did they accept participation?
We allocated SELECTIO assessment centers and the Addiko Lead WISE program to potential successors for positions in Addiko Group's boards. Specifically, we conducted assessments with members of our Boards and first-level directors below the board in our banks. In this process, we didn't encounter resistance from participants; on the contrary, in most cases, this program was recognized as a form of acknowledgement for already achieved excellence. Since the goal of the SELECTIO assessment center was developmental, rather than selection-oriented, participants accepted it in that tone, at least according to the reactions we received.
We communicated the program plans, the process, and the assessment goals right from the beginning, which was an important step for acceptance. When we provide clear goals and expectations to people, we lay a solid foundation for success and collaboration. Besides clearly presenting everything at the beginning, we also gave candidates the opportunity to confirm whether they wanted to be part of this Addiko development story, which then added another dimension to the candidates' commitment.
I would also highlight your involvement from the very beginning, as organizers and implementers of the SELECTIO assessment center, which was extremely important. Regardless of the maturity of the program's participants and our (genuine) statements that these were objective assessments of development needs, collaboration with renowned external collaborators provided additional assurance to program participants that the assessments would be independent and objective.
4. What was the feedback from participants after the assessments?
I would say very positive 😊! Our goal was to create diverse groups, so colleagues from different countries and business areas had the opportunity to work with each other, which turned out to be an excellent approach. Participants went through assessments with colleagues with whom they don't necessarily collaborate (some didn't even know each other), which was a step out of their comfort zone but also an entirely new experience, from which we received a lot of positive feedback. Besides getting to know each other better and building connections, participants also appreciated the diversity of the assessment itself, specifically going through different formats - testing, interviews, role-playing, and group activities.
In general, I believe that all candidates appreciate assessment processes that are clear, targeted, and transparent, providing valuable feedback and revealing opportunities for professional development. And what we can say with certainty is that the SELECTIO assessment center we conducted was an example of such a process.
5. What specific steps or measures do you take after the assessment center to ensure that the results are effectively implemented in setting individual development goals?
We integrate the assessment results, combined with feedback from annual reviews, guidance from direct supervisors and HR, business strategy, and of course the desires and attitudes of the program participants themselves, into individual development plans.
We believe that such a comprehensive and rounded process is crucial in "personalizing" the development of each employee. Additionally, besides creating individual development plans, the feedback from the SELECTIO assessment center has allowed us to identify common development needs across Addiko Group, and we will further develop our executive leadership training based on these guidelines within our Addiko Lead WISE program.
Apart from planning development activities based on identified development areas, we will also utilize the strengths of our candidates in a way that "knowledge circulates within the organization," meaning that candidates will mentor each other, act as trainers, or mutually transfer knowledge from specific areas.
I would say that individual development plans and investment in employee development, in general, are very important for overall employee experience in the organization - engagement and belonging, development, retention, employee satisfaction improvement and well-being, and precisely for this reason, Addiko systematically and continuously works on the development of its employees.
SELECTIO Assessment Center
As part of the assessment center, a structured testing process is conducted to assess employees or candidates to determine competencies, leadership potential, and hidden talents. The potential is assessed through competency analysis, BELBIN team role questionnaire, DNLA assessment of leadership and social competencies, as well as situational activities such as role-playing, case studies, and in-tray exercises. Of course, tools and activities are selected according to the client's needs, and tasks are adapted to the candidates' actual job tasks. At the end of the assessment, a detailed report is created highlighting strengths and areas for further development. More information about SELECTIO Assessment Center.
