Online Assessment/ Development Centre

Backdrop: Potentia has been associated (close to a decade) with a global company operating in 80+ countries for conducting talent assessments for career growth.  Backed by a robust competency model, their world-class process has won international recognition. Employees hugely respect the potential assessment practices, however, the costs have also increased significantly, requiring global travel.

Challenge: In 2019, a need arose for assessing a group of 12 middle management cadre professionals spread across three continents. Time was short, and the company sought to leverage our ePDC platform. The requirement was to conduct the assessment process online, replicating the rigor and robustness of an in-person process.

Solution: We customized the assessment center with activities comprising an In-tray, video-based simulation, role-play, group-work, and competency-based interviews.  The electronic medium with recording and in parallel submissions helped us evolve a broader range of assessment points. The computer-aided design for articulating the IDP (Individual Development Paths) made relevant information at the fingertips of assessors (aka observers).  The psychological safety provided by the process and credible observers ensured a high level of expressive participation, authentic and natural sharing, just as it would occur in the in-person mode.

Results: The three-day ePAC yielded faster turnaround, higher participant engagement in individual exercises & feedback discussions, and significant cost savings.  A few Participants regretted that they missed traveling to different geography; adjusting to time zones from Shanghai to Paris meant readjusting personal commitments. Encouraging feedback from participants and the outcome akin to the in-person practice made the organization future-ready. Once the pandemic hit, this was one organization that never had to worry about assessing the potential of its employees.