Have you ever blushed in embarrassment at the end of leaving a message and realised that you forgot to include some vital information in the voicemail which has now left you in the position of sounding like you aren’t in control and aren’t professionally capable?

Voicemail is often used these days and, if you’re not prepared for it, you can end up leaving a confused message which sounds unprofessional.

Relax. Here is a handy guide to help you avoid “professional discredit by voicemail” and avoid those potentially embarrassing, frantic mumblings.

It’s called GIFTING.

Just follow the steps below and you need never squirm with professional discomfiture again.

GIFTING

Greeting (Greet the recipient. They will know the message is for them).

Identification (Say who you are. Never expect them to recognise your voice).

Frame the Message (Give some background of why you are calling).

Task (Say what it is you’re asking the recipient to do).

Information (Give the recipient the information they will need to do this).

No Need to call back (Tell the recipient only to call back if they need more information, otherwise you will assume the task has been carried out).

Goodbye (Close politely).

Try it. Test the methodology out. It works.

You could even keep a note with GIFTING written on it by the telephone in readiness for that unexpected voicemail machine.

You need never be caught out on the hop again.

Good luck.

Shirley Huntington
May 2012

So why, is networking so difficult for some people? Firstly this is because they don’t realise that they already have a network that is already working for them. Everyone has some family members, some friends and some work colleagues. As a starter, this is your network and whether you consciously use it and strengthen it, it is there and it works for you. Minimally or maximally, is often to do with your own decision and choice about activating it. But have we not all had a situation, that a friend will speak about us to another person and then we hear from them, without our even being involved? This is the power of people knowing and valuing people and people knowing and valuing you.

The object of raising the subject of networking is to cause a focus to consciously extend it, add to it and strengthen it so that it becomes something that’s reliable, useful and can be utilised to support yourself and others by it.

In all cases, none of us is an island and whatever years we’ve been alive, whether it’s 20 or 50, we’ve come to know many people;  some are closer to us than others and some we may rely on more and not so much on others;  we may feel freer to call some of them up for a chat or for help and may feel restricted in calling others. Often, however, this restriction is self-made, by how we think of the relationship with each person. If we had the courage to ask how the other person feels about us, we may be surprised at how differently they feel about us, or about what the opportunity of communicating with us, represents to them.

In my experience, people love to help, they love to be appreciated and if you ask for their help you’re obviously coming from a view of them that they can help!

For many people however, networking evokes the image of going to a ‘networking event’ to meet new people and to ‘network’ with them.  This is a scary projection and so devoid of humanity that it is not so surprising that it scares most of us. It’s also scary, because the assumption is to ‘get’ things from others, not to ‘give’.

People often discount their own accomplishments and contributions and therefore don’t consider what they have to offer. An accomplished networker accepts, acknowledges and trusts themselves to have connections, resources and experience that may be valuable to others. They are happy to network because they are comfortable that they have much to give. So their engagement with people derives from a love to contribute or to add value to others and this is so much easier than thinking that you’re somewhere because of what you want to get.  Very few of us are so cold and manipulative as to find it comfortable to speak to others with the sole object of getting something from them.

Hence, networking with ease, begins with a paradigm shift – the mindset of contributing, of adding value, of having connections, ideas and resources that others will find useful, valid and supportive. Begin by noticing the contacts that you have already made and the wealth of skills and experiences you have acquired over your lifetime.  Develop ‘possibility thinking’ so when people make requests of you, or they’re telling you about some problem they have, you can respond with suggestions, ideas and contacts that may be helpful to them. Think of networking as a form of team work that brings people together to mutually benefit from each other and celebrate their success. Offer your help whenever the opportunity arises, recognising that other people’s problems, worries, or issues are the pull for you to contribute. By committing your help to your network you will discover the power you have to offer and increase your enjoyment of the contributions you make. The more you experience the joy and power of networking, the more you will grow and the more benefits you will make in other people’s lives.

Penny Sophocleous
3 May 2012

How can you tell if an individual will be able to act responsibly and conduct themselves appropriately in the workplace?  In the real world, can they manage objectives, handle people and support the organisation?

In tray exercises have traditionally been used to attempt to assess these qualities.  Candidates are presented with a mixed pile of papers which have a range of issues from the trivial to the vitally important.  They have to sift through the in tray, prioritising, making decisions, delegating and generally dealing with as much of the issues as is possible within a time limit.  Such exercises can be difficult to assess in terms of success or failure as it can be argued that there is more than one answer to some of the problems raised.  Additionally, how do you rate one individual who deals with few problems but handles those efficiently against another individual who deals with lots of problems but whose judgement could be considered dubious?

Thanks to SHL’s Scenarios, help is at hand!

Scenarios is unique in that it measures an individual’s ability to weigh up real-life situations and decide upon appropriate and effective ways of handling them.  Individuals are placed in a number of situations in which a selection of different options is suggested.  Their responses are then compared with a set of ideal answers generated by experts – giving an assessment of their judgement.

What Scenarios measures

Scenarios gives an assessment of an individual’s overall level of Managerial Judgement.  This Managerial Judgement is made up from three sub groups which are considered important in deciding upon an individual’s suitability for a managerial position:

• Managing Objectives – making the best use of resources, consulting with others, aligning with objectives, prioritising.

• People Management – managing a team, balancing people issues with motivation and performance, leading and encouraging. 

• Corporate Management – supporting, sustaining and being positive about the organisation, managing own manager, protecting the reputation of the organisation. 

High scorers are effective at weighing up work-based situations and deciding on ways of handling them.  They possess high levels of organisational awareness and well-developed skills in learning from work situations.

Measuring Management Judgement at different levels

As individuals progress through their careers so their managerial judgement should also mature.  Hence, Scenarios is available for three different levels:

• Graduate – to assess judgement in a group which typically has limited work experience to draw from.

• Management – designed for junior and middle managers with some work and management experience.

• Executive – designed to support the recruitment and development of the most senior managers.

So what makes it different from a pencil and paper in tray exercise?

Ease of use:  Scenarios is administered online.  It can be taken by the individual at home or in the work situation.  It only takes around 30 minutes to complete.

Results:  A Narrative Report is produced which interprets the scores and provides ideas and tips on how the individual can develop further.  This can provide excellent pointers for behavioural interview questions or for an individual’s on-going personal development in an organisation.

 How can you find out more?

For further information regarding SHL’s Scenarios, please don’t hesitate to contact Shirley Huntington at Corporate Alchemy.

A family crisis, a business or financial crisis, a health scare crisis or a personal turn-your-world-upside down crisis.

Here are some effective and practical ways to manage whatever crisis happens, fast. Remember, it’s not about what happens to you that defines your life – it is how you handle the situation. At all times, do not allow yourself to think of yourself as a victim. You have choices and the choice you make, will make all the difference.
1. Take control and personal responsibility immediately:

When things start to fly, there are 5 things you should do:

1. Take personal responsibility for the crisis. Even if it isn’t your fault, the only way to sort out a problem is to be responsible for it – that way you can control it
2. Stop the haemorrhage. Damage limitation control. Put every stop loss in place to protect the downside. Preserve cash and further wastage at all costs.
3. Fact find. Get all the information from all the relevant parties. Speak to the key players, be unbiased and find out exactly how big the beast is you are dealing with.
4. Create the solution and solve the crisis. Think only about solutions and do NOT dwell on the problems. What can you proactively do right now to get to the new empowering outcome?
5. Be goal and action focused. Be focused. Think of the next steps in advance. Make decisions. Any decision is better than no decision

2. See the future – think ahead

In business language, this is “crisis anticipation.” Anticipate future problems by looking 3 – 12 months ahead. What can you see that could negatively impact you? This isn’t just a business exercise; entrepreneurs, world and military leaders and highly organised individuals are good at this too.
3. If all else fails: Execute Plan C (Your back up plan)

What’s your contingency for the crisis/emergency? What actions would you take, at what point, in what order – what is most urgent? What’s your rehearsed fire-drill? I bet the bankers wished they
had created a plan detailing a strategy for when the ‘s*** hit the fan’ and they had to face the downturn like we all have had to do, often.
4. Crisis Prevention

A crisis should only be a one off unexpected event. If the crisis occurs consistently, especially with finances, then the problems go deeper. To avoid recurring nightmares, once the problem is solved, undertake a thorough debriefing on the situation. What really happened? How? What did I learn? How do I ensure it doesn’t happen again?
5. To know and not to do is not to know: do something NOW

What are the 3 worst things that could happen in each important area of your life in the next 12 months? We’re not suggesting you dig bunkers and buy up all the cans of beans in Tesco’s, but it
certainly will help you solve any big problems in advance, or at least be ready and waiting with your 16 blade Swiss army knife.

In true Scouts fashion: be prepared.

But in all cases, own the situation, take responsibility and do something that will move the situation forward.

Penny Sophocleous

 “Using SHL ability tests guarantees we only invite the best candidates to the assessment day. This can help select those who are objectively bright, regardless of their upbringing or educational background.”

Dermot O’Brien, Chief Executive, The Adab Trust

He’s studying Accountancy; of course he’s good with figures!

Think again.  You would be surprised, even horrified, to see some of the results of testing individuals’ numerical skills.  Never assume that, because a candidate has chosen to take a particular career path, they must be talented in the skills normally required to be successful in that field.

Let’s take an example of selecting a Sales Director.  What attributes might you be seeking?  Affability.  Social confidence.  Persistence.  The ability to seek out opportunities.  The nous to spot where compromise might clinch the deal?  The list goes on and on.  These personal attributes can be measured using behavioural interview questions, through simulation exercises and psychometric personality profiling.

You might be forgiven for taking it for granted that someone who has worked successfully and comfortably at a senior level within Sales has the ability to manage numbers in his or her head, to work out profit margins, mark ups and the rest.  He or she couldn’t make a costly faux pas with regard to numerical information, could they?

Then again, you might be disappointed.

Many organisations simply won’t leave it to chance and assumption.  They choose to test their candidates in order to weed out those who clearly don’t possess the basic abilities to do the job.  It’s only fair.  How comfortable is an individual going to be at work if they struggle with the basics?  How long will they last in the job?  How soon before you are looking for their replacement?

Why not make sure before you appoint?

SHL have a series of ability tests called Verify.  These are administered over the Internet and have built-in mechanisms to avoid cheating.  They offer a straightforward method of eliminating weak candidates at an early stage of the recruitment process.  Many organisations would not consider appointing before this checking has been carried out.

What do these tests measure?

Numerical

The Verify Numerical Reasoning test measures a candidate’s ability to make correct decisions or inferences from numerical or statistical data.  The test is intended to assess the ability to work with numerical data in a realistic workplace context.

Verbal

This test is designed to measure a candidate’s ability to evaluate the logic of various kinds of argument as presented in written form.  The test assesses the ability to determine the support for conclusions drawn using content that typifies a variety of work settings.

Inductive

This one tests a candidate’s ability to draw inferences and understand the relationships between various concepts independent of acquired knowledge.  It is often used in the selection of, for example, business analysts who are expected to be able to think of the next step in a process.

Checking

The Verify Checking test is designed to measure a candidate’s ability to compare information quickly and accurately where it is critical to ensure the quality of work.

Calculation

This test is assesses a candidate’s ability to add, subtract, divide and multiply numbers quickly and accurately.  This skill is often critical to many workplace tasks involving calculations and estimation, as well as auditing and checking the numerical work of others.

When should these Verify tests be used?

SHL Verify tests are suitable for a range of jobs, from graduate and managerial level to administrator roles.

How can you find out more?

For further information regarding the SHL Verify range of ability tests, please don’t hesitate to contact Shirley Huntington at Corporate Alchemy.

“We have been using SHL’s Verify ability tests for two years. These online ability tests enable us to more accurately assess our candidates, helping us to

manage our graduate recruitment process with greater ease and security, across the countries in which we operate.”

Carly Watkins, Human Resources Officer, Arriva

Then the man is shown a vision of heaven. Here happy people are gathered around a similar banquet table laden with an equally magnificent feast. Their elbows too, are locked. But rather than impotently complain, they reach out and feed each other! Each person feeds someone else… selecting for them exactly what they want in exactly the right amount until the other person is completely satisfied. And then, the person who has just been fed returns the favour by feeding someone else.  Thus everyone is fully fed. The room is filled with the sound of joy, rejoicing and celebration.

This story caused me to question the competitive alignment that has driven individuals and their organisations to hard decisions that isolate and drive them to be the best, to be number one, to outdo everyone else. I sometimes have difficult conversations with senior executives who feel that this competitive drive introduces all kinds of pressures and stresses upon people – not just at the board level, but even more so on middle managers and their staff.

This situation seems to have been exacerbated by the financial credit crunch over the last three years. Companies under threat of shrinkage or business failure have been merciless in cutting staff, cutting resources and generally behaving in ways that people inside the organisation feel threatened, constantly anxious and worried for their future.   It is at times like these though, that the distinction between the company and the humans that lead it become apparent. Leaders with forceful, competitive, and aggressive type natures lead to behaviours that form the character of the company and the nature of the environment.

Competitive behaviours produced for external companies, leak out into the internal ways of working, even banishing collaboration within the organisation itself, causing the formation of silos and the withholding of information, assistance and help that could be given. Hell indeed, at an experiential level for some of the individuals working within that competitive environment.

The collaborative model suggested by the story from the Talmud suggests that there is enough to eat for everyone. There is enough business for everyone to eat and to survive and thrive. And everyone can eat as much as they like, but only if they assist each other to eat and to take their turn. Perhaps to offer help first, before being helped?

Revolutionary thinking perhaps…

 Penny Sophocleous

This week, the International Coach Federation (ICF) issued its Global Coaching Study 2012. Commissioned last year, the research was undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers and represents one of the most comprehensive researches conducted about the coaching profession worldwide. The survey drew responses from 12,133 professional coaches in 117 countries, representing all the major world regions. Of these, 63% of respondents were ICF members and the rest were non ICF members, thus providing a wide reaching perspective on the profession’s current status.

Some of its most significant findings are summarised below:

Growth of the profession

Despite the economic downturn beginning in 2008 and continuing to this time, the  coaching profession appears to have continued to expand, evolving in terms of the number of coaches worldwide, global revenue and the  demographic location of coaches. Though in some areas such as Western Europe and North America, there are signs of contraction – most probably due to the economic downturn. The ICF membership numbers grew from 11,000 in 2006, to almost 19,000 by the end of 2011. Although the precise number of professional coaches worldwide cannot be confirmed, it is estimated that there are presently  47,500 worldwide.

Location of coaches

The geographic location of coaches are highly concentrated in the high income regions of North America, Western Europe and Australia/New Zealand. These three regions account for 76% of the estimated global total of professional coaches. And perhaps not surprising, the profession is showing more rapid growth in emerging regions, such as Latin America and the Caribbean.

Annual revenues

Close to $2 billion dollars are generated in the industry overall. This represents a significant growth over the last five years. Survey respondents with active clients were asked to provide their annual income generated by coaching only. Average annual revenues calculated worldwide were  $47,900 and reflect the diversity that exists in the type of clients served, levels of fees they can charge due to experience and education.   The highest average incomes were from Australia/New Zealand at $66,200 whilst Western Europe averaged only US$52,100.

Total revenues geographically

When determining how total revenues were split in the seven regions, PricewaterhouseCooper multiplied the regional number of active coaches by the average annual revenues from coaching. This showed that Western Europe’s share of global revenue $828 million (42%) is in excess of its share of the number of coaches (38%) because annual revenues per active coach ($52,100) are above average ($47,900).

Trend Indicators

The research also asked some significant questions about growth or otherwise on four key indicators – clients, fees, sessions and revenues. This showed that the slowest growing region was Western Europe, where fewer than one in five coaches reported an increase across all four key indicators. The next slowest was North America; and perhaps in both cases, this reflects the general economic slowdown in these regions.

Personal reflections

The survey brought home to me that the coaching profession is as subject to the economic downturn as any business and that managing to grow in this climate requires determination, resolve and intelligent working.  Also, that alongside our clients, we must focus on what needs to be done now to conserve morale, support our staff to work at their best and manage the current hardships, whilst we prepare for better times.

William Wallace

The latest research on what drives employees and makes them really motivated at work suggests that the organisation for whom they work having a purpose that they can believe in and support, is one of the most significant factors for creating strong commitment and motivation.

Dan Pink, reporting at the RSA has condensed the findings of a research commissioned by the Federal Reserve Bank on what really motivates us, and put it as an animation on YouTube. Follow this link if you’d like to see it; it’s fun and will only take 10 minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=youtu.be

A purpose is the reason why you do what you do. Sometimes organisations call this their mission statement. An organization invariably has one, which it expects every employee to live up to. Sure, the employee will do what he/she is told to do, but he is motivated to work for a different reason. He works because he has to support a family; he has to work in order to survive. Although the employee is committed to the work, there is often no alignment between the employee’s mission statement and that of the organizations. Without this critical alignment, there is little motivation for the employee to do more than he should, or to help the organization achieve its greater goals.

The challenge of an executive or manager is helping the staff find a higher purpose in their work. Let the staff see the bigger picture behind the job and the greater good that the work can achieve. If your company is in the business of manufacturing environmentally friendly products, announce any findings of the benefits that your products have achieved. The facts, not the sales pitch. A staff will be thinking how his little contribution towards saving Gaia can ensure the survivability of his children and grandchildren and the people around the world.

If the company deals in pharmaceutical products, point out how lives are saved or suffering alleviated. The higher purpose in jobs in such industries, as in professional jobs like doctors and nurses, is being able to save a dying person, or relieve the suffering of an ailing patient, who could very well be the staff’s next of kin.

What do companies manufacturing security cameras, seat belts, fire extinguishers and circuit breakers have in common? Their products keep us safe and secure. The people who work towards bringing these into our lives ought to be revered as our protectors. Let the staff feel that way about themselves and appreciate the importance of their job in relation to other people’s safety.

An office cleaner might see the sweeping, mopping, cleaning duties as a chore. One day, a pregnant lady stepped on a slippery patch, rolled down the stairs, and lost her baby. Suddenly, the job was no longer a matter of cleanliness, but one that could lead to significant harm if not done well.

A telephone operator thought she had a thankless job on hand. That was until she took a call from a prospective customer and handled the call so professionally that the customer was happy to let the company have a multi-million dollar contract. The contract translated into immense profits for the company, but more importantly, increased salary and bonus payouts for everyone.

A hotel concierge found a briefcase of old books left over by a hotel guest. They were not limited editions, and looked rather worthless. Nevertheless, he arranged for the briefcase to be couriered to the guest, who was already back in his hometown. It turned out that those books were the only memories the guest had of his late father and to him, they were priceless.

A worker in a canned food factory was merely one of the hundred hourly-rated workers, taking charge of a tiny segment of the canning process. Instructions to adhere to health guidelines like wearing gloves and face masks had fallen on deaf ears. This changed when reports on people falling ill as a result of unhygienic ally prepared food in China surfaced. Workers realized that how she/he worked had a direct influence on other people’s health.

All these are stories you can tell. They remind the staff of the need to look for a higher purpose in their actions beyond the call of duties or instructions from their boss. There must be something worthwhile pursuing, something which will
motivate and inspire them, give them satisfaction and happiness, meaning and direction in life. With the higher purpose as a motivating factor, any work can be rewarding and enjoyable.

Penny Sophocleous

Take responsibility for the experience you have and will have throughout the year. Don’t allow yourself to think that it’s other people’s faults for what occurs to you – whether it’s the state of your diary, poor performers at work or the wayward behaviours of your boss.  Believe that you have the power to make it different. Take action to discuss, make requests, challenge and change whatever you would like to change.

Complain to those who have the power to make things different, rather than to those who can’t, (but who will sympathise and empathise with you,) but in whose remit the change can’t happen.

And, if something can’t be changed or it’s outside of your circle of influence, develop the serenity to accept the things that can’t be changed and be at peace about it.

2. Have your own vision

Take time to build a vision of the life and experience you would like to have, in terms of family, social, work, career and personal development. Then, hold the vision whilst you take appropriate actions to have those things happen for you. Mind your own business, as well as your company’s business, which means take time to develop goals and take actions to improve the quality of your family interactions, your friends and social activities. Make plans to see friends you don’t often see and plan for breaks with your loved ones. Take care of your finances and ensure that you’re saving for the future that you’d like to have, rather than spending only on the present you now have. Keep in mind that your family, home and social activities are often more important in providing the emotional well-being you need to be effective in work, let alone the energy, self-esteem and respect to progress successfully into the future you’d like for yourself.

3. Keep work in perspective

Your company got on very well without you before you arrived and will get on very well without you when you’ve gone.  Remember that your time with it is temporary, and therefore it is only about the contribution that you make to it whilst you’re there that will count.  You’re not its whole life and therefore don’t make it the whole of yours. Work-life balance will not be an issue if you get and live this perspective.

 4. Enjoy yourself

Remember that enjoyment is a valid and important clue of what is right for you. You are entitled to have a good time, whether it’s at work or in your family, and feeling good about what you’re doing is fundamental to stability, balance and good performance. If your work is characterised by challenges, difficulties and problems; if you’re beset by negativities and depressions, take time to consider whether you’re

a)      In the right place/role?

b)      Doing the right job?

c)       In the right company?

If your direct boss doesn’t appreciate you and your talents, find another who will. It will save you many sleepless nights, erosion of your self esteem and could significantly improve your financial well-being.

5. Identify your important goals

Each year brings new opportunities and 2012 could be a life enhancing experience for you and those important to you.  In December 2012, what achievements would you like to look back on and say you’ve accomplished this year? Be bold and set aside fear, so you can look clearly at what wishes and desires you may have suppressed and let them surface. Give yourself permission to dream of new journeys you may wish to take, new cultures or places you may want to experience, new relationships you may want to form and new conquests you want to make. Perhaps you can fulfil a major wish of a loved one? Or you have one highly significant, break-through goal you’d like to undertake? Write all of these down as things you’d like to accomplish, and check them off as you do them during the year. Then in December you can review them, congratulate yourself and celebrate their achievements. This will contribute greatly to your self-value and esteem.

 6. Become an inverse paranoid

Purposefully and consistently, chose to believe that the world is plotting to do you good. W. Clement Stone (businessman and philanthropist) saw every difficult and challenging event as something that was meant to help him, empower him and advance his cause. Such a positive attitudinal stance caused him to take positive actions that catalysed even more good things to happen for him. This is possible for you – change your mind today and believe that your success is being plotted by all those people who know you (and even those you don’t)!  Believe that we are all working to support you, to enhance your opportunities and expand your life in positive ways. You will find that your interactions with people will improve dramatically. Such positive expectations will make it easier for all of these good things to happen and for you to be willing to receive them, when they do.

7. Remember to remember to be grateful

We are all gifted with a supreme gift – life and consciousness – and we didn’t have to do very much to get this.  Yet every day, we awake and have another opportunity to breathe, see our loved ones, work and contribute to the benefit of others, be creative, learn and grow. Sometimes we forget how rich these things make us. We forget that all of these important things are mostly free and available to us and our habitual familiarity with them strips away their value from ourselves.  So, remember to remember to be grateful. Some people choose to write a Gratitude journal so they can remind themselves of what they have to be grateful for, others choose to pray or meditate. Whatever tool you use, remember to be grateful in yourself, and you will make your own life very rich.  If you then pass on to others these sentiments, you will make their life rich.

Penny Sophocleous January 2012

Oh, yes?  If the employer doesn’t appraise such routine objectives and provide thorough feedback, what will be being wasted is an opportunity to improve employee engagement, employee contribution and the success of the organisation.   

Every mundane and everyday type of work contributes to the whole quality and standards of an organisation and every employee can be committed to delivering the very best of themselves in doing what they are employed to do.

So, think again.

How is it possible to set meaningful objectives for a really routine job?

How can an individual excel at certain tasks which might be perceived as routine and either simply achieved or not achieved?

Individuals need to understand that they can excel at work, even if they are simply cleaning the floor.  How they might enhance or excel in their achievements should be considered by their manager in order to differentiate between
satisfactory and superb performance.

Reflect on your own experiences when visiting the Reception Desk in any organisation.  The Receptionist acknowledges your presence, signs you in and distributes a Visitor badge. Job done.  Except that it’s not quite as simple as that, is it?

Consider:

• How
  you were greeted?  Did the Receptionist smile?  Did he/she immediately give you their attention?
• What
  was their demeanor?  Did you feel important or just a nuisance?
• How
  efficient or helpful was he/she in ensuring that the person you were visiting knew you were there?
• What
  concern did he/she have for whether you had parked safely and in the correct space?
• Did
  he/she tell you where the cloakroom was or offer you some refreshment?

There is more to this, isn’t there?

Soft skills and how they can help.

Soft skills are all about how things are done as opposed to what things are done.

Think about the soft skills surrounding actions and those behaviors which change an acceptable service into a great one.  What other duties surrounding the simple washing of a floor makes one operative a “better” operative that the next one?  How can we differentiate?

Soft skills include behaviors such as customer service, inter-personal dealings, handling change, team working, and communication.  These are vitally important because your approach to a task makes a huge difference to the recipient of your task.

Here is a simple appraisal form which is based on a document from ACAS. It should help you to meaningfully assess performance in a routine job.

Appraisal For Routine Jobs

Assessment of Performance (tick as appropriate)

If people in organisations were to monitor the mundane, but with the eyes of value and a concern for quality, providing feedback that recognises the contributions of people from this perspective will ensure greater engagement, satisfaction and enjoyment for all employees.

Shirley Huntington