Work & Career Architecture

How is work delivered today in your organization? How will you need to transform in the future? We lay it all out in a structure that works for the long term and tailor it to you.

To do that, we measure jobs—by size and shape, accountability, problem-solving and know-how. We link those jobs to the competencies, skills and personal characteristics your people need, so you can match the right talent with the right roles and identify the real value of work—so you know you’re paying what you should be.

Define grade structures and unearth unconscious biases that might mean you’re not paying fairly. We categorize jobs using proven, bias-free criteria so you’re offering equal pay for work of equal value and use diversity and inclusion as a competitive advantage by highlighting your fair pay practices.

Build a career framework that communicates how work value is created, and identify what employees need to do to advance their careers. When your people know the skills, competencies and experiences they need to progress, it’s easier to set goals that help them get there.

A career architecture is how an organization structures its career paths. It’s a roadmap that outlines the different levels of jobs in an organization plus details the competencies, skills, knowledge and experience required to progress through each level of responsibility. A work architecture is important because it allows employees to understand the potential opportunities available so they can set developmental goals and aspirations. In short, a career architecture gives employees a strong sense of purpose.

There are six key components of a career architecture:

• Job families: A job family is a group of jobs that shares similar responsibilities and requires similar skills or qualifications. For example, in a technology company, job families could be software engineering, product management and data science.
• Job levels: A job level is a hierarchical position within each job family. Each job level has a set of specific requirements that employees must have or develop before progressing to the next job level. The requirements typically consist of experience, skills and competencies.
• Competencies: A competency is the knowledge, skill and ability required to perform a job effectively. Competencies are the building blocks of job levels and job families.
• Career paths: A career path is the route that an employee takes as they progress through job levels and job families. A career path can be vertical, meaning that it progresses within the same job family, or horizontal, meaning that it crosses different job families.
• Performance management: Performance management is the process of evaluating an employee’s work and offering feedback on opportunities for improvement. It helps employees identify areas where they can develop and improve their skills so they can progress through the career framework.
• Talent development: Talent development is the set of programs and activities that an organization offers to help employees develop the skills and knowledge they need to advance in their careers. Talent development programs may include training, coaching and mentoring, among many other options.

Organizations with an effective work architecture set themselves up to deliver on their mission and achieve their strategic goals. Here is a list of the typical steps that organizations should follow to develop a robust work architecture:

• Define job families and levels: The first step is to define what job families and job levels align with your organization’s strategic goals. Each job family should represent a unique set of skills and competencies. Each job level should represent a clear progression in an employee’s responsibilities, skills and experience.
• Identify key competencies: Next, decide which competencies are required for success at each job level within each job family. Clearly define the competencies and link them back to the organization’s strategic objectives.
• Create career paths: The organization needs to set a career path that shows how employees can progress through each job family and job level. Every employee should be able to access and understand the career paths available to them.
• Align performance management processes: It’s essential that performance management target the competencies that employees need for success at each job level and each job family. This alignment will ensure that employees are progressing and motivate them to continue working toward their goals.
• Develop talent: Offer training and development opportunities that align with the competencies required for success at each job level. These opportunities may include coaching, mentoring, job rotations and other development programs.
• Monitor and refine: Organization leaders should regularly review and refine the work architecture to ensure that it remains aligned with the organization’s strategic goals.

A career framework is a valuable tool for succession planning and talent management. It identifies key skills and competencies that employees need at each level. It also helps eliminate bias from career progression, ensuring that all employees are evaluated on the same criteria. Organizations can use this information to develop training programs and initiatives that cultivate these competencies in both current employees and future hires.

Employees also benefit from a clear career framework, because they know what skills, knowledge and experience they need to progress in their careers. They better understand their current level of competence and identify their development opportunities so they can plan how to advance in their job.

Establishing a career framework also signals to employees that an organization takes their development seriously. Thus, it serves as a powerful tool for recruitment, attracting candidates who know they have the qualifications to succeed in a role. A career framework also plays a critical role in employee motivation and retention. Employees are more likely to be committed to an organization that gives them a sense of purpose and direction in their careers.