These could be a real opportunity to identify and build skills, capability and talent. We welcome the fact that they are underpinned by improved training and the outcomes will be linked to a BT Academy based Accredited Learning Pathway. We want to real, positive career development and learning opportunities for everyone flowing from this, including access to wider career opportunities across BT.
We are aware that some people are concerned about this process and we have reflected this back to BT and stressed the need to ensure that these assessment centres are conducted fairly and objectively, that people are given full feedback and support to enable them to pass (or even better) and that pragmatic and equitable options are made available if people fail. The new standards to apply across BI have been published and we are able to provide feedback to BT if members identify particular issues with these.
In response to Prospect, BT has also confirmed that there is "no set quota or expected number of 'fails' from the assessment centres." It has also confirmed that "The pass mark will be calibrated as lower than the job standard. It is the performance against the pass standards therefore that will determine the difference between a pass and fail." Both statements are helpful and should help build confidence in this programme.
BT has agreed to on-going dialogue throughout the process so we can raise issues as they arise on either a collective or individual basis. That will include discussion on the pass/fail calibration relative to the new standards. We will keep members updated as this programme evolves.
BI job family cleanse
As a first step in this programme BT has done a check on everyone currently mapped to a BI RF role to check that they are actually in the right job family. If they are not primarily doing BI work then they will be remapped to another, more suitable, job family.
If individuals have been remapped and have some concerns about this then please contact our helpdesk on 020 8971 6060. There is some general information about the job mapping process in BT here .
If people believe they ought to be included in the BI job family but are actually currently mapped to a different job family they should contact their HRBP to ask for a job sizing review. Equally if people don't believe their role is truly BI but they have not been remapped then you should talk to your HRBP or line manager in the first place. If you still have concerns then contact the union's Helpdesk.
Business transformation
BT also intends to run assessment centres for the much smaller Business Transformation community. We have asked BT to clarify the position and standards to apply for this group.