TMA and Toshiba

To remain distinctive as a service provider in a highly competitive market, the employee plays a crucial role. To achieve this, Toshiba TEC aims to gain insight into the talents within their organization and explore how they can better or differently utilize these talents compared to previous years.

This year, Toshiba TEC has replaced the old familiar performance evaluation form with a new conversation cycle that utilizes the TMA Talent Compass. Niels Priem, Managing Director, explains the motivation behind revamping the performance cycle and how they approached it.

"Toshiba TEC has two main branches in the Netherlands: Retail Solutions and Document Solutions (which includes cash registers and printers). We operate in highly dynamic and evolving markets. Our offerings have expanded significantly over the years, and our services have adapted to address all the changes in the market. For instance, in Document Solutions, we’ve observed a shift toward less printing and more digitization—a positive trend considering environmental impact. Consequently, we assist our clients in streamlining processes efficiently and explore how our services can contribute to that. This dialogue is quite different from the conversations we had with customers five or ten years ago when we sat down with procurement to discuss printer replacements."

From supplier to service provider requires different qualities

It aligns with our vision and strategy that, in an intensely competitive market, we must continue to evolve as a service provider to maintain differentiation. In this transformation, the employee plays a crucial role. At every customer interaction, they must be acutely aware of their role. We are no longer mere suppliers of products that can break and need repair. We are partners, integrated into our customers’ ecosystems. The context has broadened, and the dialogue with customers has become more intricate.

This shift demands different competencies from individuals, as well as greater flexibility. The beauty lies in engaging people in conversations about this. When you ask, “Does this profile align with your tasks?” it becomes evident that roles have evolved over the past years. Both individuals and our organization were not always fully aware of this. We realized that at times, we were asking too much of people, seeking the elusive “jack of all trades.” It became clear that the existing profiles no longer sufficed, prompting us to reevaluate roles and create new ones.

"It fits with our vision and strategy that in a highly competitive market, we need to ensure that we continue to develop as a service provider."

Performance cycle under pressure

Besides changes in the market, we also noticed that the performance cycle was increasingly under pressure. The Employee Satisfaction Survey (MTO) revealed that many people perceive the conversation cycle as an evaluation round and that it does not contribute to their personal development. Moreover, it consumes a lot of time during an already busy period. They prefer having multiple open conversations throughout the year. It is also more in line with the current times to engage in a dialogue with each other rather than having a one-sided conversation at a specific moment in the year.

More insight into talents needed

When you decide to redefine roles and better support employees in the changes you ask of them, you inevitably reach a point where you want to identify talents. We wanted to understand the talents we have within our organization and how we could utilize them more effectively. Perhaps differently than we have in previous years. To achieve this, we embarked on a search for a tool. Through diligent Google research and connections with other HR professionals, we discovered the TMA Talent Compass by Visma | Raet. This choice coincided with our transition to a new Performance Management package, which seamlessly integrates with this tool.

The Talent Compass creates engagement

The TMA Talent Compass is a straightforward tool that provides a positive description of an individual’s profile. Employees complete an online questionnaire, and through their personalized talent profile, they gain insights into their talents and the learnability of competencies. Armed with this understanding, we can optimize talent utilization within the organization, leading to increased engagement, both in terms of employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction.

Our organization follows a flat structure, and employees may perceive themselves as nearing the end of their career trajectory within our company. When considering intrinsic motivation, it’s not necessarily about climbing the corporate ladder; rather, many seek broader roles. This tool also helps us effectively deploy relatively senior employees, maximizing their contributions until the end of their tenure.

On the other hand, we face the challenge of attracting young talent. While we may not be Google, our strong brand name and appealing company culture still attract interest from younger employees. The availability of tools like TMA Talent Compass enhances our attractiveness as an employer

Everyone likes to talk about his or her talents

Managers have conducted the first interviews based on the Talent Compass. The reactions have been positive. Using a profile that positively articulates an employee's talents gives a boost to the dialogue about development and performance.

During the initial round of interviews, some managers took the initiative while others asked the employees, 'What did you notice, and what would you like to discuss?' The appraisal conversation used to be mainly driven by the employer and HR, but now the conversations are more balanced and positive. Previously, the employee would listen to the manager's evaluation, but now the employee has more control over the conversation. The manager gains insight into their Talent Compass, which triggers a conversation. It is worth noting that sharing the Talent Compass with the manager has not been an issue, as everyone enjoys discussing their talents.

Ensuring the scores are recognisable is also important. While no mismatches have been reported, some individuals may not recognise themselves in a particular score. In such cases, we offer insights from the tools used to analyze the structure of responses and underlying motivations. It is often found that the issue lies in specific phrasing and nuances, but overall recognizability remains high.

"A conversation based on a profile that positively describes an employee's talents can greatly enhance the dialogue on development and performance"

From wanting to really do

We have promoted our upcoming change based on feedback from the MTO survey. Our goal is to work together to achieve better results. We aim to improve the interview cycle and have communicated this during quarterly meetings and the annual kick-off. The Talent Compass was presented to employees as a positive step, rather than a tool of management. The emphasis was on the benefits for the employee. It would be a missed opportunity not to view this tool as a positive change.

In the first month, 60% of people completed the questionnaire, indicating their interest in using the Talent Compass. The results will now be used to facilitate productive conversations with employees. Our managers have received extensive training sessions on the purpose, usefulness, and necessity of the Talent Compass. The training also included conversations, making it especially beneficial for those who have progressed to managerial positions.

Positive response to the recognisability of the scores

The initial discussions between managers and employees were successful. The conversations were conducted in an open manner with the goal of identifying talents and gaining insight into the employees' development needs. Although we recognise the importance of good follow-up, we have not established a separate framework for it yet. The demand for this service is still relatively limited, and we will need to assist with meeting that demand. For instance, an individual stated, 'The talents are recognizable, I completely agree with them, absolutely great.' However, the conversation ended for the employee, leaving the manager unsure of how to proceed. Ultimately, the tool is meant to facilitate questioning of the employee.

We are pleased with the results thus far, as both employees and managers have responded positively to the recognizability of the scores. I was struck by the number of people who shared it with their family and friends, showing their vulnerability. This is a positive development as it indicates that people are becoming more accepting of their less developed sides.

The Talent Compass has already generated more discussion material and continuous dialogue, and employees are more vocal about their ambitions. This enthusiasm and passion among people will help us to achieve our goals. It is possible for employees to complete the Talent Compass more frequently using the software.

The Talent Compass is now a standard tool for newly hired employees, which reflects positively on the talent we attract and our reputation as an employer. The Talent profile serves as a solid foundation for new managers and has been well-received by employees.

Team talents as the next step

It is important to maintain momentum and engage with employees at multiple times to develop their talents. An evaluation will be scheduled and the results will be shared with employees.

Additionally, 360-degree feedback will be used and talents will be mapped at the team level. To ensure good team-level cooperation, team members must complement each other. A team with 10 strikers may be great, but midfielders and defenders are also necessary.

Source: https://www.raet.nl/klanten/toshiba-tec

Begin with TMA

Consultants

As a consultant, your role is to guide clients in implementing TMA Talent Management. The starting point is positive psychology.

Organizations

As an organisation, you may wish to implement the TMA Positive Psychology tools and TMA Talent Management Method in your own organisation.

Coaches

As a coach, you believe in positive psychology, talent, and possibilities that make a difference for the candidates you guide.