H+C’s Spiegelapp: the interactive learning tool in transition and improvement programmes

The H+C Spiegelapp: the interactive learning environment for transitions

The H+C Spiegelapp offers employees an interactive learning environment for continuous personal and professional development. No need to wait for a face-to-face as per the standard assessment cycle, as people are able to step up the pace of their development and deepen their job satisfaction.

People in charge of their own growth
At the heart of the online tool is the principle of self-direction. The feedback function allows employees to choose which competencies they wish to receive feedback on, from whom they would like to receive this feedback and who is allowed to monitor the process. In this day and age, with the increasing popularity of new, flexible ways of working and rapidly changing structures, the H+C Spiegelapp meets the need for an interactive learning environment.

Customized tool
The Spiegelapp’s development functions ensure a perfect fit for anyone who uses it, complete with video options, practical dialogue functionality, insightful graphs and crystal-clear feedback reports. The user-friendly Spiegelapp makes the growth process accessible and fun! This highly secure tool is an important contribution to professional performance management.

An insight in competencies and control over development
The clear HR portal displays the Spiegelapp’s average (and anonymous) results, highlighting items that may require further training, thereby providing control over the development process in support of the organization’s transition in pursuit of the desired objectives.

Spiegelapp = SaaS: H+C makes life easy!
Organizations can rely on the Spiegelapp’s security and reliability. Software as a Service (SaaS): simply leave it with us. Our Spiegelapp helps people and organizations maintain their continuous development.

The H+C Spiegelapp: the interactive learning environment for transitions

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Stichting MedMij, de organisatie voor het veilig online uitwisselen van gezondheidsgegevens, heeft de Spiegelapp geïmplementeerd. Dit is het feedbackinstrument en de interactieve leeromgeving van H+C. Met deze tool bouwt MedMij aan een feedbackcultuur waarbij medewerkers zelf de regie nemen over hun professionele en persoonlijke ontwikkeling. De leidinggevenden hebben de Spiegelapp als eerste in gebruik genomen en de eerste resultaten zijn positief.

MedMij zorgt voor het veilig en betrouwbaar uitwisselen van gezondheidsgegevens tussen zorggebruikers en zorgprofessionals. Dit gebeurt via een persoonlijke gezondheidsomgeving (PGO) in de vorm van een website of app die communiceert met alle gezondheidsprofessionals als huisartsen, ziekenhuizen en apotheken.

De PGO’s en ICT-systemen van zorgaanbieders die aan de strenge eisen van MedMij voldoen, krijgen het MedMij-label. Dit label bevestigt dat gezondheidsgegevens binnen die platforms veilig en betrouwbaar worden uitgewisseld.

Continu leren

H+C is gespecialiseerd in de transitie van organisaties naar een cultuur van eigen verantwoordelijkheid en zelfregie van medewerkers waardoor zij zich continu blijven ontwikkelen. De Spiegelapp biedt hiervoor de (beveiligde) interactieve leeromgeving. Medewerkers vragen hiermee zelf gericht feedback op specifieke competenties, passend bij de organisatie-, team- en persoonlijke doelen. Dit is een continu leertraject, niet meer afhankelijk van de vaste gespreksmomenten in een traditionele cyclus van performancemanagement. De ontwikkeling gaat hierdoor veel sneller.

Sterke, inhoudelijke ontwikkelgesprekken

De feedback die met de Spiegelapp wordt verzameld, is belangrijke input voor de ontwikkelgesprekken met leidinggevenden. De (anonieme) data, verwerkt in rapportages, geven managers handvatten om resultaatgericht te sturen op een effectief samenwerkende organisatie. Ze vormen tevens de feitelijke onderbouwing voor het HR-opleidingsbeleid.

Hoge kwaliteit

MedMij is een professionele organisatie waarop eigentijds performancemanagement met de Spiegelapp als interactieve leeromgeving uitstekend aansluit. H+C begeleidt MedMij bij de implementatie van de Spiegelapp en de ontwikkeling van een feedbackcultuur. Beide organisaties vinden elkaar vanwege hun ambitie om altijd te gaan voor kwaliteit. Een hoge beveiligingsgraad van systemen vanwege de bescherming van persoonsgegevens is daarvan een onderdeel.

Voordelen van de Spiegelapp

opbouwen van een ontwikkel- en feedbackcultuur
regie over eigen ontwikkeling
vitale en productieve medewerkers
aantrekkelijke werkomgeving voor jonge medewerkers en trainees
Software as a Service: H+C ontzorgt

Meer weten over de Spiegelapp voor de ontwikkeling van een feedbackcultuur?

Bel Krista Beilschmidt op nummer 070-346 92 05 of 06-41 27 30 20 voor meer informatie en relevante referenties.

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“Zo’n twee jaar geleden kozen we voor een digitaal feedbackinstrument: de Spiegelapp. Deze helpt ons in onze ontwikkeling naar steeds professionelere programma- en projectmanagers. Onze projecten worden namelijk steeds complexer. De nieuwe versie inclusief doelen is uitgerold en feedback ophalen via de Spiegelapp is nu een vast onderdeel van onze performancemanagementcyclus.” Aan het woord is een projectmanager van de gemeente Den Haag, een van de enthousiaste gebruikers van het instrument.

“We vragen met de Spiegelapp om feedback op specifieke competenties uit ons functieprofiel”, vertelt zij. “Dit zijn bijvoorbeeld de twee ontwikkelcompetenties die we in ons plangesprek aan het begin van het jaar kiezen. Collega’s met wie ik in projectgroepen samenwerk vraag ik om feedback, ook aan iemand die net nieuw is. Hun antwoorden geven me zelfinzicht en versterken me. Ook krijg ik begrip voor het gezichtspunt van de feedbackgever. Het zet dus echt wat in beweging.”

Regie over feedback en ontwikkeling

“Het is heel fijn om zelf te bepalen op welke competenties ik feedback vraag en aan wie. Dit kunnen bijvoorbeeld ook onze directies als opdrachtgevers zijn of externe partners. Wat ik persoonlijk heel belangrijk vind, is dat ik ook zelf bepaal welke feedback ik bespreek met mijn leidinggevende. Dan blijft er ook ruimte voor andere invalshoeken. Ik heb dus echt zelf de regie en dat motiveert meer. Het past ook bij ons als programma- en projectmanagers om onze eigen ontwikkeling zelf in de hand te hebben.”

Begeleidde implementatie van de Spiegelapp

“In de Spiegelapp kan de feedbackgever ervoor kiezen om zijn of haar antwoorden persoonlijk toe te lichten. Dat levert leuke en interessante gesprekken op. Ook de voortgangsgesprekken met je leidinggevende krijgen extra diepte. Dat wil niet zeggen dat het allemaal vanzelf gaat. Er is een stimulans nodig, bijvoorbeeld door de feedbackronde op te nemen in de performancemanagementcyclus zoals we hebben gedaan. Ook een goede start is belangrijk. Daarom begeleidde H+C ons bij de implementatie van de door hen ontwikkelde Spiegelapp. Dat is nodig, want vanwege de bescherming van persoonsgegevens zijn er meerdere beveiligingslagen. Bijvoorbeeld twee stappen om in te loggen of het regelmatig aanpassen van je wachtwoord. In het begin is alles even wennen. Overigens werkt de helpdesk goed en snel. De werking van de Spiegelapp zelf vind ik heel logisch, daar kunnen we allemaal goed mee overweg.”

Mogelijkheden voor de toekomst

“Binnen de gemeente Den Haag hebben we het LOES leer- en ontwikkelsysteem. Daar past de Spiegelapp goed bij. Een feedbackcultuur heeft overigens meer nodig dan de Spiegelapp alleen. Daarom zijn we samen met H+C online feedbacktrainingen aan het organiseren om op een opbouwende manier feedback te geven en te ontvangen. Dat mag wat mij betreft ook op elkaars talenten. Wat bij je past is voor iedereen een zoektocht. Bewustwording over je talenten helpt ook om te groeien.”

“Samen met Krista Beilschmidt van H+C heb ik een presentatie gegeven aan de consulenten binnen de Dienst SZW. Ook voor hen kan de Spiegelapp interessant zijn. Naar mijn idee is het feedbackinstrument op elk functieniveau inzetbaar.”

Betekenisvolle projecten bij PPM

De circa 40 programma- en projectmanagers behoren tot de sectie PPM van de afdeling Beleid, Onderzoek & Projectmanagement (BOP) binnen de Dienst Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheidsprojecten (SZW) van de gemeente Den Haag. Ze sturen grote stadsprojecten aan op het gebied van schuldsanering, bijstandsuitkering en arbeidsmarktparticipatie. Recente projecten zijn bijvoorbeeld de implementatie van de Wet inburgering, of de introductie van een monitoringsysteem om van participatieklanten hun afstand tot de arbeidsmarkt in beeld te krijgen. PPM werkt voor dergelijke grootschalige projecten een visie en een strategie uit en is verantwoordelijk voor de uitrol met pilots. Dat vraagt een flinke portie denkkracht, veerkracht en sociale vaardigheden van de programma- en projectmanagers voor trajecten met veel stakeholders en een meestal lange implementatietijd.

Meer weten over de Spiegelapp voor de ontwikkeling van een feedbackcultuur?

Bel Krista Beilschmidt op nummer 070-346 92 05 of 06-41 27 30 20 voor meer informatie en relevante referenties.

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It’s highly motivating for people to be able to determine their own development goals and growth path. Much more so than having to work towards goals that were set by a manager. The stronger its culture of self-direction and self-development, the greater the flexibility of an organization. But perfect agility isn’t something that can be forged overnight. We help organizations take a major step in this direction by empowering people and giving them ownership of their development.

Through the years we’ve worked with all possible types of organizations, from family businesses built on craftsmanship with hierarchic leadership models to start-ups with highly autonomous Scrum teams. In essence, the transitions we support are all about the same thing: increasing effectiveness and flexibility. The way we achieve this is in the first place by thoroughly embedding the concept of ownership in the organization. Employees and teams learn to take responsibility for their decisions, which allows them to better meet customers’ demands, respond more directly to change and stay on a path of continuous improvement. It won’t come as a surprise that this greatly enhances job satisfaction and commitment, while significantly boosting the organization’s performance financially and otherwise.

Taking ownership of growth
Self-direction is about more than taking responsibility for day-to-day tasks. It’s about taking ownership of personal and professional growth. Where do employees see opportunities for development and which steps are they going to take? If they can make these decisions for themselves, they can start from a much more positive attitude and their motivation will be felt more deeply. Growth curves will be steeper than ever before. The environment that allows for the greatest room for growth is an agile organization: a flexible, learning organization in which employees and teams can take responsibility in an atmosphere of open communication.

The key to a learning organization is a feedback culture. The best way for employees to become aware of their opportunities for growth is to exchange experiences with the people around them: colleagues, managers, external relations. After all, if we don’t know ourselves, how can we know the ways in which we want to improve? As they ask and receive feedback on their actions, employees are able to deepen their self-knowledge and take control of their development, the right way.

The Spiegelapp, a valuable tool in a culture of development through feedback
H+C’s Spiegelapp is a feedback tool that is perfectly suited to the process of personal and professional growth. It provides an interactive learning environment in which employees can ask for feedback on specific competencies in their job profiles, at the time of their choosing. They can cask any question that is relevant to them. They can choose who to ask feedback from, including colleagues and people outside of the organization. They can record personal video messages to explain what they aim to develop and why – the perfect incentive for people to share their observations (feedback) and tips (feedforward). Who wouldn’t feel honoured to receive an invitation like that? It’s truly rewarding to take part in a process of feedback and feedforward in such a positive and safe environment.

The learning effect in this encouraging setting is much greater than when feedback is given only by a manager at fixed moments in the performance management cycle. Also, the Spiegelapp creates extra focus, as the person asking for feedback can point out exactly which competencies, questions and behaviours to address. This ensures that feedback and tips can be put into practice without delay. And thanks to the Spiegelapp’s goals module – combining personal growth ambitions and the objectives of teams and the overall organization – employees never lose sight of the relevant dots on the horizon. Real-time reports can be generated at any given time, which present a crystal-clear visual analysis of their results!

Self-direction, feedback-feedforward and self-knowledge contribute to an inspirational growth culture that perfectly suits an agile, developing organization.

Learning together
Here’s an example: We recently introduced the Spiegelapp in a group of programme and project managers of one of the larger municipalities in the country. The group’s manager wanted to strengthen the team by developing a learning culture with a high level of self-direction. Requesting and receiving feedback through the Spiegelapp set in motion an inspirational process of professional growth and greatly improved the quality of internal communication. In the evaluation, the manager told us that interviews in the conventional performance management cycle have vastly gained in depth. The programme and project managers are much more proactively involved in the preparation and agenda-setting of these interviews, and they are therefore much more in control. Similar results can be achieved in any organization and at any level. Not all employees will be immediately able to take the lead in the conversation, but with a little help from their managers they will certainly get the hang of it. The exchange of direction and the development of ownership is a learning process.

Thanks to the Spiegelapp, this municipality’s programme and project managers are learning all the time. Each and every one of them is positive about the freedom the app provides: they are able to ask for or provide feedback at any given time, solicited or unsolicited, and even from the comfort of their home! This makes it much easier, for instance, to share compliments when they are due. Appreciation and rewards – in any shape or form – remain an important incentive to all of us. We’re all just human, after all.

Towards an agile organization
We understand that not all organizations are ready to switch to 100% agility, in which teams and employees are in full control of their goals, activities and development. We would like to stress that regardless of the situation, the Spiegelapp can have clear benefits in embedding a degree of ownership and self-direction on the work floor – without letting go of all organizational parameters, as managers will still be able to establish team competencies or set individual competencies for their employees. Still, the more room employees can have to make their own choices, the greater their commitment and motivation. The better their ideas and achievements. The more impressive their learning and improvement results.

A coaching and serving style of leadership (which can set organizational goals to provide a clear framework without imposing a fixed route towards those goals) is the style that is best suited to this type of organization. And you know what? It is just this type of leadership that appeals to young, eager employees!

Striking a fresh balance
In the transitions we support, a fresh balance is struck between individual ownership and ‘imposed’ organizational framework. The outcome will be different for every organization, but we’re always at least a step closer to greater agility, meaning the organization becomes more flexible and future proof, with employees sharing a place at the helm of their own development. Not just for their own benefit, but in order to be able to put their wonderful talents to use for the sake of the world around them.

Next blog: Big data as a basis for HR and development policies

The HR work portal – part of the Spiegelapp – offers anonymized data analyses for further development of people and organizations.

Would you like to know more about what the Spiegelapp can mean for self-direction and self-development, along with the transition to a more agile organization?

Call Krista Beilschmidt on +31 (0)70 346 92 05 or +31 (0)6 41 27 30 20 for more information and relevant references in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Krista is an HR consultant, business administrator and organization specialist, and a managing partner of H+C.

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As the world around us is changing, the labour market changes accordingly. Positions that are vital today may be obsolete tomorrow. Traditional assessment systems with a single performance interview and a single evaluation are fast becoming outdated, is the conclusion that’s being reached by more and more organizations. How can they inspire employees and make them feel confident that they have the competencies to take up new responsibilities (should their existing positions be dissolved)? How can they know which talents will blossom where? These are some of the questions we are often asked. The answer: renew the HR cycle!

There are many possible ways to develop talent and fill roles and positions. Which makes perfect sense, as we are all unique individuals. The same solution that suits one person fine may be quite unsuited for another. And yet we often see a one-size-fits-all approach, where the focus is on presence, established competencies and expected results. Employees are literally viewed as human resources, to be deployed for optimal efficiency in order to maximize returns. This type of approach leans heavily on generic job descriptions and leaves little room to value the individual. It’s a situation that desperately needs to change.

Focus on roles and value

We are seeing a new way of thinking emerge that favours roles over positions. For instance, younger generations are less inclined to accept 60-hour working weeks and less likely to be concerned with fitting a job profile. Instead, these younger employees are keen to continue their professional growth. They want to shape their roles and activities around the way they see needs change and develop.

Rather than evaluating whether their employees’ performance is ‘in accordance with the job description’, we should learn to appreciate the way each individual adds value on the basis of his or her unique talents. This will enhance both job satisfaction and employee commitment, which in turn will result in improved performance, a good working atmosphere, greater client satisfaction and sustainable deployability.

Traditional methods of performance management simply weren’t designed for this style of fostering talent and establishing potential, and therefore many organizations are looking for better alternatives. When employees can be given the confidence to take responsibility within a certain framework, they will be better able (and more motivated) to take control of their own development. As they strive to fulfil their personal ambitions, they will come up with new ways to realize the goals of their organizations.

Assessing talent to help put the right people in the right place

Optimal deployment of employees usually begins by asking ‘Who should do what?’ and ‘How to define optimal deployment?’. In order to be able to answer these questions, organizations need to define the type of behaviours they wish to see. The next question has to be: ‘How are we going to organize this?’ Still too often, organizations let this process be guided by the letter of their job profiles. Few are likely to deploy people on the basis of their talents and development ambitions. Just look at what happens in the recruitment process, where candidates are selected who tick the most boxes on a list of requirements. But no candidate ever ticks all the boxes, and the partial mismatch inevitably results in a certain amount of friction.

In addition, the person who best fits the profile will in time often be promoted to a better position. That’s because their ability to do well in one position may lead us into believing they must also have the potential to shine in other positions. But in reality, not even the best performance is a guarantee for success in those other positions. For instance, someone can be a highly rated specialist in a specific field but have no managerial skills whatsoever. If such a person were to be promoted into management, no matter how hard he or she tried, it could never be truly successful and eventually everyone involved will be worse off.

Judging talent, the right way

Another remarkable phenomenon is that only 21 per cent of assessments actually reflect people’s work performance, as was shown in the research of Mount, Scullen and Goff. To a large extent, assessments are based on subjective psychological factors, which further adds to the level of misjudgment of employees’ potential. We tend to weigh negative observations more heavily and favour people who behave most like ourselves. For instance, an assessor who has a habit of working late may feel that employees can’t be serious about their work if they are very punctual about clocking off. Even if they are highly efficient and consistently beat their deadlines, their performance may be underestimated simply because we’re not looking at them objectively.

Social innovation, the key to success

If a business aims to be successful and innovative, people are the key factor. This begins with recruitment and continues into retainment and deploying talent in the most suitable positions. We know that it’s important to focus more on talent, and to value roles over job profiles. All of this puts us on a course that calls for a greater degree of self-direction and servant-leadership. The knee-jerk response might be to let go of top-down direction completely, but that would be taking a gamble: commitment could dwindle and goals may no longer be met. But as we’ve seen before, performance management on the basis of established competencies and expected results isn’t the right way forward either. So what is? The answer: social innovation with a renewed HR cycle. This will steer the development towards an effective and future-proof organization. In reality, however, we see a great many organizations who have yet to make this conversion.

Renewed HR cycle

In the new HR cycle, managers and employees enter into a conversation with the shared objective to set the parameters and discuss what the employees want to achieve and develop. How does an employee plan to do this and what does he or she need to make it happen? What can you, the manager, do to help them? Often, employees indicate that they aren’t fully realizing the potential of their skills and their organization isn’t doing enough to put their talents to optimal use. The renewed HR cycle, with its continuous dialogue and its focus on employee talents and opportunities for growth, presents just the framework we need right now. Make sure to sit down with employees periodically at fixed times to discuss progress and see if there is anything you can do for them. Scheduling sit-downs at regular intervals makes them a part of your routine.

Tooling fortifies the renewed HR cycle

The Spiegelapp, our digital development tool for personal and professional growth, helps to organize the HR cycle for optimal deployment of talent. This tool provides the necessary input for performance management interviews, ensuring that topics are highlighted which otherwise might be overlooked. Success is no longer a matter of KPIs and statistics, but of using talents effectively, enhancing motivation and stimulating growth. Which will then result in greater job satisfaction, sustainable deployment and a successful organization. Tooling is not an aim in itself, but it can help drive the renewed HR cycle. With the Spiegelapp, employees define their objectives and the concrete behaviours that are required to realize them. With that in mind, they collect their own real-time data, which will help them explore their (hidden) talents and points for development.

Using the Spiegelapp is a dynamic process which can quickly provide an insight on the basis of objective data. As such, it answers the needs of HR professionals aiming to stimulate behavioural change and gain in-depth knowledge of employees’ potential for growth. Not by projecting potential for future roles from potential for current roles, but by analysing actual performance and frequent mutual reflection. The focus is on looking ahead and asking how employees can do better next time. This will result in improved performance and greater job satisfaction. Talents will be used more effectively.

Would you like to know more about the new approach to performance management?

Call Krista Beilschmidt on +31 (0)70 346 92 05 or +31 (0)6 41 27 30 20 for more information and relevant references in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Krista is an HR-consultant, business administrator and organization specialist, and a managing partner of H+C.

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The process of giving and requesting feedback is often experienced as awkward, complicated and time-consuming. And so when the workload requires that choices are made, feedback is often the first thing that is dropped off the list. While at the same time, more and more people are recognizing the value of feedback – provided it’s done the right way. But what is the right way? And there’s even a better way: giving feedforward!

Most people prefer to do the things they are good at and which give them pleasure. In other words: use their talents. Logically speaking, this should be what feedback is all about. When someone is trying to find out what they can do to further develop their talents, feedback and recognition are an important part of the process. Even more so now that we have moved much of our business online and we’re asking employees to change the way they work and show extreme levels of flexibility. However, under pressure of the workload, feedback is easy to lose sight of. And yet, in this online world it is no less important to give employees the feedback they need to continue their development.

The traditional HR cycle

The traditional HR approach, with its cycle of appraisal, target-setting and development interviews, is often focused on role requirements. Managers and employees alike are often uncomfortable with this, which means that instead of improved performance, the process may result in feelings of frustration and dissatisfaction. In conventional talent development, feedback may end up being a one-way conversation that is limited to specific competencies and knows only a single possible outcome, a ‘golden standard’. Pre-determined criteria for employee performance may ensure uniformity, but they leave little room for individuality. This approach is blind to the value of unique talents and the way they can enrich organizational roles. It doesn’t fully appreciate that more creative approaches can be just as successful.

Feedback: focus on strengths, not shortcomings

Rather than highlighting what people have to offer, traditional feedback often focuses on what employees should do to conform to the standard. In this way of thinking, shortcomings are considered to offer the greatest potential for growth. We’ve all seen situations in which managers suggest employees sign up for courses in which to work on their lesser strengths in order to better fit their job descriptions. It’s no surprise that such propositions aren’t met with a great deal of enthusiasm. People are happy to change, but not to be changed. They want to be autonomous and take control of (and responsibility for) their own development.

So the assumption on which traditional performance management is based – people will be keen to self-improve if they are given feedback that points out their shortcomings – is simply incorrect. As tempting as it may be to confront a person with the mess they are making, the true purpose of feedback is enabling people to learn and grow. To make this possible, feedback needs to meet certain criteria. Employees are happy to receive feedback so long as it’s constructive and helps them in their development. It’s important to be aware of the kind of feedback we’re giving and to understand the (psychological and often subconscious) mechanisms of the process. For instance, performance may improve as a result of feedback that highlights people’s strengths and points the way to growth. Feedback based on negative judgment on the other hand may even result in a deterioration of performance. The human brain is apt at ignoring and deflecting negative input, so it’s crucially important that feedback is presented in a positive way. But feedback is a two-way process, and there is also a responsibility for the receiver.

Feedback begins with self-reflection

Projection is one of the things that can distort a learning process. Even though we think we are reflecting on the other person, we may actually be seeing our own shortcomings and projecting our own feelings, qualities and hidden aspirations onto them. It’s very important therefore to always ask ourselves what we’re trying to achieve with our feedback, and if we are actually keeping the interest of the other person at heart. If our intention is to make them aware of how their actions are affecting us and to enable them to learn and grow, this is true feedback. It happens all too often, however, that we use ‘feedback’ to express a sense of annoyance and make the other person change their behaviour. For the receiver of feedback, a simple way to distinguish true feedback from projection is to ask a simple question like ‘What do you expect me to do?’

Growth begins with self-reflection and self-awareness. Self-reflection begins with looking at our own behaviour and asking for feedback in order to better understand ourselves and initiate growth. This is the key to a learning attitude. If we take time to reflect on who we are, what we do and the way we do it, we will be able to give feedback with a very different intention.

Constructive feedback means motivated employees

Constructive feedback strengthens employees’ awareness of the qualities that allow them to achieve their optimal performance. This gives them confidence. It helps them feel positive about themselves and get the most out of their personal qualities and talents. As they are able to build on their strengths, they will be more enthusiastic about their jobs and more confident about their abilities. Overall performance will improve, and absence figures will go down. The final result: people will commit to more ambitious goals, and to achieve these goals they will work harder and more collaboratively.

People who are confident about their abilities are often intrinsically motivated to continuous development. They are optimistic about the future and their opportunities, and therefore likely to set more ambitious goals and more resourceful in finding strategies to reach those goals. When posed with unexpected challenges they take this in their stride, without worrying about possible shortcomings or allowing themselves to be discouraged. If they feel they need help, they are more likely to ask for it. In other words: confident employees are innovative, willing to help each other and ready to seek out new opportunities!

Feedforward: look to the future, not the past

Feedback is a good thing, especially when it’s aimed at creating opportunities for the future rather than looking back at things that went wrong in the past. Negative feedback triggers a response in the brain that is similar to physical pain. This creates fear, and once fear takes hold it can be very persistent. People who are afraid find it much more difficult to be creative, to work collaboratively and to make balanced decisions.

Even better than feedback is feedforward: where the focus is not on employees may have done wrong in the past, but on what they can do differently in the future. It’s about the way employees see their own development. It empowers them to have a maximum say in what to develop and how to develop it (self-direction). This increases their opportunities for future success. Their brains are energized and triggered in more positive ways, which means they are more likely to take action. All of this explains why feedforward is so perfectly suited to a renewed HR cycle.

The Spiegelapp, our interactive tool for talent development, ensures that this type of future-oriented feedback is available at any time, thereby encouraging the continuous development of talent. As a result, organizations will notice that not only are their employees more committed, happier and more productive, they will also see a rise in client satisfaction.

Encourage working from strengths

It’s therefore important to always make time for reflection, even when workloads are heavy or when interaction mainly takes place online. Because good-quality feedback and feedforward will help your organization bring hidden talents to light, improve collaborations and strengthen the organization as a whole.

Would you like to know more about feedforward in a renewed HR cycle?

Call Krista Beilschmidt on +31 (0)70 346 92 05 or +31 (0)6 41 27 30 20 for more information and relevant references in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Krista is an HR-consultant, business administrator and organization specialist, and a managing partner of H+C.

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When the workplace is home to a mix of generations… it can be a challenge! The Spiegelapp is able to bridge this diversity in competencies, communication styles and attitudes to life. It is a digital development tool that enables people and teams to grow together, even when the generation gap would seem unbridgeable.

With Generation Z already finding its way into the labour market, age diversity in the work environment is on the increase. It’s important that those in the oldest group, the baby boomers, share their knowledge and experience with younger colleagues who are eager to learn and develop. This can only happen when both groups understand each other’s preferences and are able to communicate.

Typical generations

Baby boomers tend to be loyal employees with a preference for long-term jobs. They are used to working in hierarchical structures and have an abundance of knowledge and experience. It’s important for organizations that this group shares its expertise and baby boomers are happy to do so. For some of them, digital skills are a weak spot.

The gap between baby boomers and Generation X is rarely an issue. People in this age group are hard workers just like the baby boomers, with a no-nonsense approach and the same sense of hierarchy. The generations behind them, Y and Z, have a very different attitude to life, which is more likely to result in clashes between generations. They show greater flexibility, including in their jobs, but only if it fits their general lifestyle. They prefer four-day weeks while retaining full pay and ‘daddy days’. The work-life balance is their number one priority.

In the eyes of millennials (Generation Y) and the even younger whizz kids of Generation Z, the things that matter are freedom, flexibility and participation. They don’t like long meetings and slow decision-making. They abhor authoritative leadership and top-down management styles. Working hard is not something they do because it’s what the boss wants, but because it’s their own choice. These generations believe the way to learn things is not by following a senior’s example, but by simply doing. Learning is a dynamic and interactive process, and knowledge is acquired at the moment it’s needed. Feedback is part of the process; these younger generations learn from their mistakes. They are flexible and seek out change, for instance by working in different positions, within different departments and in short-term employment.

Learn together

Many organizations expect generations Y and Z to adjust to their existing cultures. But predominantly hierarchical ways of working may result in generational clashes and insufficient use of the talent that is readily available.

For instance, baby boomers may tend to work long hours while younger generations are used to new ways of working and manage their time differently. Open communication about this creates new possibilities, such as the option to work from home. Once the older generation gets used to this idea, it’s something they too can whole heartedly embrace. The younger generations, in turn, won’t mind working longer hours when necessary.

Baby boomers often have highly organized and systematic styles of working. Younger generations may ask more critical questions, forcing organizations to be more reflective. Don’t think of this as criticism and don’t brush them off with platitudes such as ‘this is based on many years of experience’. Be open to each other’s talents and include the input of younger people in your decisions.

Baby boomers and Generation X can help the younger generations learn to see things in perspective and develop their social skills. In fact, millennials and Generation Z are happy to accept the guidance of experienced colleagues, so long as they feel their voices are heard. Personal contact with managers and senior colleagues can be especially helpful to younger generations as they further develop their soft skills, such as communication and creativity. In their turn, the new generations can help older colleagues expand their digital skills.

The Spiegelapp bridges the gap

The Spiegelapp is an innovative, digital reflection system that brings generations together. Young people grew up with applications such as this one, and research has shown over and over again that older employees are willing to move with the times and expand their digital skills. The Spiegelapp, our interactive learning environment, is perfect for this: it is a low-threshold tool that is inspirational and fun to use! It allows employees to take control of their development as it allows them to decide which competencies within their job description to receive feedback on and from whom. Requests for feedback can be made at any time, making it possible to receive a continuous stream of input from managers, colleagues of all ages and others. The feedback received is laid down in clear reports, and the result can lead to new and valuable insights for personal and professional growth.

Engage in conversation

Asking for feedback and receiving tips for learning via feedforward can take place at individual or team levels or even on the project level. Talents and opportunities for development are brought to the surface, ready to be put to use and taken to the next level, resulting in growth for the individual, the team and the organization as a whole. In addition, the Spiegelapp fulfils the desire of younger generations for regular feedback and swift development. The reflection is an important conversation starter: Which values are important to you and how can you make optimal use of them? How can you and your team utilize the competencies, knowledge and experience of the different generations to ensure that you all grow and succeed together?

Share knowledge and grow

The Spiegelapp is the connecting factor that enables generations to engage in conversation. Older generations are keen to share their lifelong experience and sense of perspective, which makes them perfect as coaches. Younger employees like to receive feedback and coaching to speed up their learning process. The Spiegelapp stimulates the communication between generations with different styles and preferences, thereby opening the door to collaboration and knowledge sharing. As a result, the entire organization will grow.

Curious about our Spiegelapp development tool?

Call Krista Beilschmidt on +31 (0)70 346 92 05 or +31 (0)6 41 27 30 20 for more information and relevant references in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Krista is an HR-consultant, business administrator and organization specialist, and a managing partner of H+C.

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Our feedback system is an important instrument for nurturing talent. The feedback is given online and shows employees which competences need more targeted training. This is also valuable information for our clients, who as employers steer the transition to an effective organization - an organization in which cooperating and taking responsibility are key skills.

Online platform for talent development

We have developed this feedback system, the Spiegelapp (mirroring app), as an interactive learning environment in which staff are given continuous feedback from their manager, colleagues and others involved. There is no need to wait for the traditional performance interviews of the assessment cycle and as a result, the employees’ development is much faster.

Competence development with the Spiegelapp

Staff direct their own development because they themselves decide which competences in their job profile they would like feedback on and from who. The feedback they receive can then be presented in clear reports. The results provide new insights that are of great value to the development interviews with the manager. These interviews subsequently require far less time to prepare because staff members are in control of their own development. And they can work on furthering their development with renewed energy.

Online feedback via handy app

Receiving feedback is essential. This is underlined by the personalized video that employees can add to their feedback request – it acts as an added incentive to the ones giving the feedback. All done using the app of course, quickly and easily and in your organization’s house style. What is more, the app works on any smartphone.

Other practical features:

· chat feature to share knowledge and experiences with colleagues;

· interview cycle sends reminders of appointments made from performance management;

· feedforward and development tips for competences and skills still to be developed.

Insight via the HR portal

HR managers receive anonymized data presented in clear dashboards that provide answers to: How often is the app used? Which app features need to be highlighted? What is the average score on the various competences – organization-wide, for each department or at job level?

When a company is transitioning to a more effective and cooperative organization, managing performance goals and being cooperative are important skills for programme and project managers to have. How they score is shown anonymously in clear graphs in the dashboard and that also illustrates where further training and development is required in line with the organizational objective. As such, the Spiegelapp offers a sound foundation for HR training policy.

HR portal contributes to organizational development

For a report, the HR manager can easily select any graph to be presented automatically in PDF format and used to support presentations aiming to initiate follow-up steps. The Spiegelapp feedback system gets organizations moving in the appropriate way.

Our feedback method encourages:

· control over the own development

· insight into and development of talent

· an open feedback culture

· full cooperation in merger processes

· young people to apply for a job or traineeship

Additional benefits of the Spiegelapp:

· substantive development interviews

· saves time and costs

· energetic and productive employees

· Software as a Service: H+C offers peace of mind

Curious about our Spiegelapp feedback system?

Call Krista Beilschmidt on +31 (0)70 346 92 05 or +31 (0)6 41 27 30 20 for more information and relevant references in the commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Krista is HR-consultant, business administrator, organization specialist and managing partner of H+C.

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In one of the largest municipalities of the Netherlands, programme and project managers are handling ever larger assignments: complex projects with a range of differing interests, large budgets and tough responsibilities. That calls for specific skills and a tight rein. To help them develop their talents, they are asked to look into a mirror…

That mirror is the Spiegelapp (mirroring app): a feedback tool that allows employees to ask for information and comments on their performance and specific competences. The app goes beyond traditional coaching. Of course, we still train managers, professionals and employees. And yes of course, we develop their talents and determine their development potential. But when a pool of high potentials wanted greater self-direction and interim assessments of their development, we took on the challenge to develop a tool that would have not only the required features but that would also be inspiring, accessible and plain fun!

Personalized tool
And so a team of people from a variety of disciplines set to work to build the tool our client needed: an innovative, fun and practical tool with handy features that would really help programme and project managers get set up. The Spiegelapp was born: an online feedback system that – following an extensive testing phase – was introduced to the municipality. Technology, design, safety, protection of personal data, certified hosting – every aspect was carefully considered.

Competence development starts with you, the Spiegelapp is there to help

The Spiegelapp encompasses the organizational competences and those competences inherent to the various job profiles. As an employee, you can ask for targeted feedback on competences specific to your job profile.

Within that same secure environment, you can:

chat with colleagues to share your knowledge and experiences,
include a personalized video message with the invitation for feedback,
download reports about any required period, without limit,
use feedforward and receive development tips.

The innovative Spiegelapp offers a range of possibilities and acts as a mirror to help you keep control over your professional development. You can read the feedback on your mobile phone or in clear feedback reports and then discuss it with your manager. Do you want to film your presentation and ask for live feedback? No problem, Spiegelapp makes it possible. Another neat feature in the secured environment is that you can create a group app for a project team or as part of training and managing a specific job group or team.

At the start of this year, the tool went live for a large team of programme and project managers of one of the largest municipalities of the Netherlands.

In-depth development interview
Soon after the kick-off meeting, we received the first positive reports from the manager; the programme and project managers coming to their development interview were well-prepared and had clear insights thanks to the feedback. The manager told us that the interview had become an in-depth dialogue and there was room for coaching. The conversation quickly focused on the real issues and that generated new energy.

‘The added value of the Spiegelapp is great. The development interviews require less of the manager’s time, provide higher quality and puts the accountability where it is supposed to be’

Inspiration and motivation are reflected in energetic and productive staff
The Spiegelapp’s feedback system makes staff more productive and motivated. Take the maintenance mechanic who works on-site during the day. He no longer has to sit at his computer in the evenings but can now ask for feedback on his performance via his mobile phone at any time of the day. He gets immediate feedback and can download a report instantly. The feedback gives him insight into his specific behaviour and how others see him. Specific behaviour examples help him recognize his talent and show him where he can develop further.

‘The Spiegelapp prompts employees to become aware of their development and offers managers leads for coaching-based development interviews’

The Spiegelapp provides higher quality interviews and saves on costs
Thanks to the Spiegelapp, the development interview between staff member and manager gains in substance and focuses on the skills required in a specific job. The feedback report acts as a starting point for the interview and the interview consequently requires less preparation time from the manager. As the staff member is the owner of his development, it is easier for the manager to conduct the interview. During the interview, the 360 degree feedback provided by the employee’s working relationships can be discussed leaving the manager free to focus on a coaching style of management.

‘The Spiegelapp offers greater quality of interviews and saves time for managers. The useful feedback report saves costs’

H+C support for excellent organizations
Our clients are always looking for the best solutions. We contribute by offering a comprehensive approach combined with effective tools such as the Spiegelapp. For over 25 years, clients have expected us to develop excellent organizations and we aim to live up to those expectations. That is why we also take a regular look in the mirror ….

Krista Beilschmidt,
H+C managing partner

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The Spiegela pp is a secure, customized, business software application for developing talent and improving joint performance. The tool generates a continuous stream of anonymous data which creates a realistic picture of the organization’s need for development and training. In addition, the feedback system supports HR training policy. Based on the information provided by the app, management can take appropriate strategic decisions and chart the course of the organization.

‘Spiegelapp: online platform for talent development and work portal for HR and management’

Spiegelapp = SaaS = H+C makes life easier!

Companies are increasingly using Software as a Service (SaaS). Take Gmail, for example, or Microsoft Office, which can be operated from the web browser. One benefit of SaaS is that you don’t have to worry about updating, maintaining or renewing the software, because the supplier does that – in this case Google or Microsoft. It is about the service, not the software.

Similarly, the Spiegelapp deals with all our clients’ worries. Organizations do not want to ask themselves if the Spiegelapp is safe, if it is working properly or if it needs maintenance. We take care of all that and that is one less worry. Updates, new developments in the feedback system, security, pen tests … that is our responsibility and we develop the system continuously.

We are organization changers and experts in the field of process optimization, behavioural change and talent development. It is important to us to contribute ideas and offer our clients high-quality service.

Our feedback method encourages:

· insight into and development of talent

· an open feedback culture

· full cooperation in merger processes

· young people to apply for a job or traineeship

Benefits of the Spiegelapp:

· substantive development interviews

· saves time and costs

· energetic and productive employees

· Software as a Service: H+C offers peace of mind

[link] => [url] => /en-US/spiegelapp/the-spiegelapp-and-business-intelligence-spiegelapp [image] => /var/www/clients/client34/web77/web/beheer/upload/1/list/images/13november.jpg [type] => News [head_title] => [meta_keywords] => [meta_description] => [images] => Array ( ) ) [9] => stdClass Object ( [id] => 184 [date] => 2019-07-16 [title] => Successful implementation H+C Spiegelapp – continuous learning and goal attainment [subtitle] => [text] =>

We have done the kick-off and completed the security – the first copies of the Spiegelapp (mirroring app) proudly feature on the smartphone screens of our clients’ employees. Thanks to this new tool provided by H+C, these employees are now actively involved in their professional growth. The first evaluations are positive: direct online feedback results in continuous personal and professional development. Company goals are now within reach.

In traditional assessment cycles, performance interviews are only held a few times a year. They have a tendency to be rather one-way with a focus on shortcomings, which is unlikely to help employees to perform better. The H+C Spiegelapp, however, gives employees instant feedback from their managers, colleagues and selected others. No more long waits between scheduled interviews in the assessment cycle – the app triggers fast development in a way that hugely increases job satisfaction.

Self-direction

The essence of the online tool is self-direction. Using the feedback feature, employees can decide which competencies they would like feedback on and from who they would like to receive this feedback. In traditional planning, progress and assessment interviews, any agreements on personal development are usually imposed by the manager rather than initiated by the employee. Nowadays, with the flexible ‘new way of working’ becoming ever popular and structures changing more rapidly, there is a greater demand for interactive learning environments. The H+C Spiegelapp meets that need.

Personalized Spiegelapp

The H+C Spiegelapp is a developmental tool tailored to the user. Employees can add a personal video clip to present their objectives for personal and professional growth. That way the person providing feedback has a clear understanding of what motivates the employee. In turn, the employee can respond directly, using the handy dialogue feature, to the feedback provided, for example by asking for a specific explanation. And the app instantly makes results available in easy-to-read graphs and feedback reports. These and many other practical features make the Spiegelapp accessible, user-friendly and a lot of fun!

The H+C Spiegelapp is available as web application and as app on any smartphone. The design can be customized to fit your organization’s house style. Naturally, the app is also secure against unwanted access. This personal development tool regularly provides the employee with new insights, earning it an important place in professional performance management.

Static reports in neatly arranged dashboards offer HR managers an anonymized view at the use (and the results) at job level of the mirroring app. Automatic alerts keep them up to date on new developments, so that they can make adjustments necessary to support the organization’s transition. The hands-on experts of H+C are glad to offer specific advice in this respect.

Would you like to know more about the H+C Spiegelapp for effective collaborative organizations?

Call Krista Beilschmidt on +31 70 346 92 05 or +31 6 41 27 30 20 for more information and relevant references in the profit and non-profit sectors. Krista is an HR consultant, a business administrator, an organization specialist, and managing partner in H+C.

The H+C Spiegelapp: the interactive learning environment for transitions

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The H+C Spiegelapp: the interactive learning environment for transitions

‘Spiegelapp: online platform for talent development and work portal for HR and management’