KaWaL Diagnostics' "Basic Skills of a Member of Society: Objective Diagnosis" for Effective Training of Younger Employees - We used it in our company [1-on-1 with Younger Employees and Supervisors] -.
What challenges does your company face when it comes to developing young employees and evaluating their performance? We often hear comments such as, “Our current assessment checklists are too abstract and difficult to use,” “How can we conduct effective one-on-one meetings?” and “Young employees don’t feel their performance evaluations are fair.” In this article, we’d like to introduce the “KaWaL Assessment”—an objective diagnostic tool that helps training managers and HR professionals facing these challenges understand young employees’ “foundational workplace skills” from the perspectives of both the employees themselves and their supervisors. We’ll also share how learningBOX members actually used the “KaWaL Assessment” and conducted one-on-one meetings based on the results. What Are “Basic Professional Skills”? First, we’ll explain the meaning and definition of the term “basic professional skills.” We’ll also touch on why these skills have gained such importance in recent years. Let’s start by reviewing the basics. “Basic Professional Skills” is a concept proposed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Defined as “the fundamental skills necessary to work with diverse people in the workplace and local communities,” it consists of three core competencies—“the ability to take the initiative,” “the ability to think things through,” and “the ability to work in a team”—along with 12 competency elements. Please refer to the figure below for the 12 competency elements. “Basic Competencies for Working Adults” Evolves into “Basic Competencies for Working Adults in the Era of a 100-Year Life” Although “Basic Competencies for Working Adults” was first announced in 2006 against the backdrop of the “Era of a 100-Year Life” and the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” its importance has grown even further in the present day, necessitating a unique approach and perspective specific to the “Era of a 100-Year Life.” In light of these circumstances, “Foundational Competencies for the 100-Year Life” has been newly defined to encompass the competencies required for individuals to continue thriving at every stage of life within their increasingly long-term relationships with companies, organizations, and society. Regarding the three competencies and 12 competency elements of Basic Competencies for Working Adults, it is considered essential for individuals to balance purpose, learning, and integration—while recognizing themselves and engaging in reflection—in order to forge their own career paths. [Reference] Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry / Foundational Competencies for Working Adults Return to Table of Contents About the KaWaL Assessment The KaWaL Assessment is an “Objective Assessment of Foundational Competencies for Working Adults” provided by Change Co., Ltd., a company engaged in human resource development and related initiatives. Here is an overview of the assessment. What Is the KaWaL Assessment? The KaWaL Assessment evaluates the three competencies and 12 competency elements of Basic Competencies for Working Adults from the perspectives of both the individual and their supervisor (or development manager). It is a questionnaire-based assessment tool that visualizes the competencies of young employees by presenting the results in comparative graphs and charts. Since this assessment tool uses “specific performance standards” as its criteria, it minimizes subjective variation and ensures an objective assessment. [Reference] KaWaL Assessment: Recommended for Developing Young Professionals By conducting the assessment multiple times—such as after a job offer is accepted, upon joining the company, and at the end of the first year—you can analyze strengths, weaknesses, areas for growth, and perception gaps between the employee and their supervisor, which can be leveraged to support the employee’s “future self-development and career planning.” It also allows for comparisons with industry averages as well as evaluations by the employee and their supervisor (or development manager), enabling an objective understanding of the employee’s standing within their industry. By conducting multiple assessments and facilitating objective self-analysis, the employee’s strengths and weaknesses become clear, and the skills that need to be developed become apparent. Back to Table of Contents: About the Objective Assessment of Basic Professional Competencies Now, let’s take a look at the content of the KaWaL Assessment’s “Objective Assessment of Basic Professional Competencies.” The questionnaire-style format allows for quick and easy completion, and results are available the same day. Contents of the Objective Assessment of Basic Workplace Competencies (Self-Assessment and Supervisor Assessment) The Objective Assessment of Basic Workplace Competencies consists of 36 questions covering the three competencies and 12 competency elements of basic workplace competencies (common to both the self-assessment and supervisor assessment). By having the supervisor evaluate the same items as the individual, any gaps in perception regarding these competencies are made visible, enabling appropriate development. In the “Self-Assessment,” you select the option that best matches your daily behavior to proceed with the questionnaire. In the “Supervisor Assessment,” you select the option that best describes the assessment subject’s current work style to proceed with the questionnaire. Once you’ve answered all 36 questions, click the “Take the Assessment” button to complete the process. Here are some sample questions. learningBOX members—Inori Hirota, a junior staff member in the Marketing Department, and Yoda, the Marketing Department Manager—actually took the assessment themselves! Marketing Department, Inori Hirota (Junior Staff) ★ Impressions after taking the assessment: I thought it might be quite a challenge with 36 questions, but since I could answer intuitively, I was able to complete it without much difficulty! Marketing Department Manager, Saori Yoda (Supervisor) ★Impressions after taking the assessment: The process of answering the questions while reflecting on Ms. Hirota’s day-to-day work allowed me to organize my own thoughts as well! Results of the Objective Assessment of Basic Professional Competencies The Objective Assessment of Basic Professional Competencies features an intuitive UI that makes the results easy to read, and the score report is available immediately after the assessment is completed. Scores are broken down by the three core competencies and 12 competency elements of Basic Professional Skills, and comparisons with the supervisor’s assessment and industry averages are presented in tables and graphs, making the results easy to understand intuitively. The intuitive UI and easy-to-read report make the results clear and inspire action. This assessment is designed to determine the current stage of development of the participant’s foundational workplace skills—the abilities necessary to succeed in the professional world. The results help participants identify specific areas they should focus on to continue growing in the future. learningBOX members—Inori Hirota, a junior staff member in the Marketing Department, and Saori Yoda, the Marketing Department Manager—took a look at the assessment results! Marketing Department: Inori Hirota (Junior Staff) ★ Thoughts on the Assessment Results: The tables and graphs are very easy to read, and it’s fun to go through them! It highlighted aspects I hadn’t even considered—such as my strengths and weaknesses—which led to some new discoveries. Marketing Department Manager Saori Yoda (Supervisor) ★ Thoughts on the Assessment Results: I particularly liked how the results of the employee’s self-assessment and the supervisor’s assessment were clearly displayed side-by-side on the chart. It makes it easy to see right away where there are discrepancies. Back to Table of Contents: Utilizing the Objective Assessment of Basic Professional Skills in 1-on-1s The Objective Assessment of Basic Professional Skills evaluates employees from both the employee’s and the supervisor’s (or development manager’s) perspectives. This helps identify gaps in perception between supervisors and employees early on and clarifies which skills need development. Use the assessment results to conduct effective one-on-one meetings. Below, we’ll share an example of a one-on-one meeting between Hirota, a junior employee in the Marketing Department, and Yoda, the department manager. Align Perceptions of Behavioral Standards Where Discrepancies Exist In the performance report, if there is a discrepancy between the supervisor’s and the employee’s perceptions, an item labeled “Competency Elements with a Gap Between Supervisor and Employee” will be displayed. This makes the discrepancy in how the supervisor and employee perceive their day-to-day behavior immediately apparent, allowing you to consider the next steps for the employee’s growth. Let’s resolve these discrepancies through 1-on-1s between managers and employees to foster the professional development of young employees. From actual assessment results ★ A look at an actual 1-on-1 session: Since Hirota (a young employee) works at the headquarters in Hyogo Prefecture and Yoda (his supervisor) works in Tokyo, they held their 1-on-1 online. Yoda (Supervisor): “It shows there’s a gap in ‘Planning Skills,’ doesn’t it? I think you understand that setting goals is important when moving forward with tasks. From there, let’s start by communicating with the relevant stakeholders to establish a shared understanding of the goal we’re aiming for!” Hirota (Young Employee): “That’s right. There have been times when there was a discrepancy between my own perception of the goal and others’, so I’d like to start by being mindful of that!” Yoda (Manager): “Once we have a shared understanding, let’s break down the tasks and clarify what needs to be done to achieve the goal. If you run into any problems or have questions, I’m always here to help, so don’t hesitate to reach out! Let’s identify your strengths and weaknesses and determine the necessary actions. The performance report displays three “strengths” and three “weaknesses” for each employee, based on the results of both the supervisor’s assessment and the employee’s self-assessment. The chart also allows for comparison with the “group average”—such as within the same department—enabling you to objectively assess your current standing. This will allow your manager to provide feedback based on your actual day-to-day behavior, rather than vague impressions. From actual assessment results: Strengths From actual assessment results: Weaknesses ★A scene from an actual 1-on-1 meeting Yoda (Manager): First, let’s start with your “strengths.” In terms of “flexibility,” you don’t stick rigidly to past methods but adapt your approach flexibly depending on the situation. I also think it’s wonderful how, especially when opinions clash, you try to understand the other person’s perspective and the context behind their arguments as much as possible to find a mutual compromise! Hirota (Junior Employee): Thank you. I try to put myself in the other person’s shoes as much as possible to ensure the work goes smoothly. Yoda (Manager): That’s a great attitude! To grow even further, why not try accepting the differences in other people’s ways of thinking and values, and then incorporate and make use of the things you don’t have yourself? Hirota (Junior Staff): I’ll give it a try! Regarding “Weaknesses” and creativity—I actually feel that I’m lacking in this area myself. I enjoy researching various topics that interest me, but… Yoda (Supervisor): That’s true—our scope of work is very broad, and of course, there are bound to be topics that don’t really spark your interest. We cover a variety of subjects in our department’s study sessions, but why don’t you try keeping an eye out for the latest trends and technologies, adding your own perspective, and sharing them with your colleagues? Hirota (Junior Employee): Yes! I’ll do my best, always keeping in mind the need to broaden my horizons and expand my thinking! Let’s visualize growth by comparing results with past assessments. If you take the assessment multiple times, you can compare both your supervisor’s assessment and your self-assessment with past results. Since your growth is visualized for each of the three competencies and 12 competency elements, the results of your development and any remaining challenges become clear. To drive the PDCA cycle of your development plan, you need to conduct assessments on an ongoing basis. By regularly checking whether you’ve truly acquired the competencies you need to develop, you can determine your next steps. From actual assessment results: Comparison with past assessments ★A scene from an actual 1-on-1 meeting: Yoda (Manager): “It looks like your ‘Ability to Identify Challenges’ has dropped slightly. Looking back since the last assessment, what do you think happened?” Hirota (Young Employee): “I feel like I was so caught up in my daily tasks that I wasn’t able to maintain the perspective of asking, ‘Is there anything I can improve?’ or ‘How can I improve next?’” Yoda (Supervisor): It was a hectic time, wasn’t it? Even when there are issues, it takes effort to identify their root causes and try to resolve them. As you mentioned earlier, when you face a problem, let’s start by adopting the mindset of “Is there anything I can improve?” and “How can I improve next time?” and try to figure out the root cause of the issue on your own! Marketing Department, Inori Hirota (Junior Employee) ★ Thoughts After Trying the 1-on-1 It was a very refreshing experience to gain an “objective” understanding of my current foundational professional skills, since the assessment included not only my own results but also my manager’s. Also, discussing the results during the 1-on-1 helped me visualize specific actions I can take next—that was really helpful! Marketing Department Manager Saori Yoda (Supervisor) ★ Thoughts on Trying the 1-on-1 Session Unlike traditional assessments, the provision of objective metrics allowed us to discuss daily behaviors more concretely during the 1-on-1 session. I felt this is a tool that can be useful for junior employees’ self-development and career building, so I definitely want to continue using it in the future! Back to Table of Contents: Incorporating Objective Metrics into Talent Development We’ve introduced the KaWaL Assessment—an objective diagnostic tool for measuring foundational professional skills—along with feedback from learningBOX members. What did you think? Whether talent development is successful or not, objective data is essential for accumulating that knowledge as best practices. By accumulating objective and quantitative data on employees, the process of developing young talent can be transformed into a company asset—namely, development know-how. If you’re looking to strengthen the development of young employees at your company or organization, please take advantage of “learningBOX ON,” which offers a variety of training content essential for businesses. It includes the “KaWaL Assessment,” and we also offer a free trial course (the free version allows you to try out some of the KaWaL Assessment’s features). Please see this article for registration instructions. Even if you haven’t registered for “learningBOX” yet, we offer a Free Plan that allows you to use almost all features (excluding paid options) for free and indefinitely for up to 10 users, so please feel free to contact us. For more details on the KaWaL Assessment, please visit this page. ▼Recommended! Related Articles Return to Table of Contents