Training Magazine: Global Head of Cognizant Academy Outlines Strategies for Role-Based Professional Development

“For organizations looking to implement role-based development programs, the first step is to scope them out as an integrated talent management framework rather than limiting them to a standalone learning and development framework,” writes Hariraj Vijayakumar. “The next step is to clearly define and articulate the various tracks and roles within the organization. From there, the organization should establish a procedure to thoroughly evaluate each employee’s skills, both in the context of the current role, as well as the skills required to grow into the next role.”

In addition, writes Hariraj, organizations should develop a comprehensive employee capability profile to identify the right skills for the job; provide the right job rotation and enrichment opportunities to employees; implement planned workforce development; manage operational metrics through a focus on roles versus designations; provide for planned and structured learning aligned to performance goals; and enable right recruitment decisions based on role expectations in terms of skills and proficiencies.

Hariraj cites the example of Cognizant Career Architecture (CCA), Cognizant’s integrated talent management program that augments role-based professional development for employees. “Here, employees are provided with an individualized development plan that not only supports their long-term career goals, but also helps fulfill value and competency-based development goals, as well as corporate operational goals…CCA maps individual roles (and not designations) and brings in transparency in role-based expectations, goal-setting, and competencies required to achieve these goals, while also helping employees tailor the learning and development needs to accomplish their goals and further their careers.”

He notes, “Gone are the days when leadership meant wielding unilateral power. Present-day leaders exist at all levels and are called upon to mobilize people to face challenges that require new habits, new values or priorities, and new ways of doing business. Training and leadership are about getting things done by bringing people together and by inspiring them to take responsibility and do the best work they can.”

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