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    Dual Career Paths

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    patriciasantosx
    The document discusses Dual-Career Paths (DCP), an organizational structure that provides equivalent career progressions for both managerial and technical roles. DCP aims to reward technical experts without requiring them to pursue management. It benefits recruitment, costs, productivity, and development by attracting more applicants, reducing turnover, improving training focus, lowering management costs, and increasing productivity. When considering DCP, organizations should determine if technical skills can continuously grow and if technical competencies are critical to success. DCP requires careful design involving different representatives to define evaluation factors, career levels, and communicate the program.

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    Dual Career Paths

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    patriciasantosx
    661 views5 pages
    The document discusses Dual-Career Paths (DCP), an organizational structure that provides equivalent career progressions for both managerial and technical roles. DCP aims to reward technical experts without requiring them to pursue management. It benefits recruitment, costs, productivity, and development by attracting more applicants, reducing turnover, improving training focus, lowering management costs, and increasing productivity. When considering DCP, organizations should determine if technical skills can continuously grow and if technical competencies are critical to success. DCP requires careful design involving different representatives to define evaluation factors, career levels, and communicate the program.

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    The document discusses Dual-Career Paths (DCP), an organizational structure that provides equivalent career progressions for both managerial and technical roles. DCP aims to reward technical experts without requiring them to pursue management. It benefits recruitment, costs, productivity, and development by attracting more applicants, reducing turnover, improving training focus, lowering management costs, and increasing productivity. When considering DCP, organizations should determine if technical skills can continuously grow and if technical competencies are critical to success. DCP requires careful design involving different representatives to define evaluation factors, career levels, and communicate the program.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf or txt
    661 views5 pages

    Dual Career Paths

    Uploaded by

    patriciasantosx
    The document discusses Dual-Career Paths (DCP), an organizational structure that provides equivalent career progressions for both managerial and technical roles. DCP aims to reward technical experts without requiring them to pursue management. It benefits recruitment, costs, productivity, and development by attracting more applicants, reducing turnover, improving training focus, lowering management costs, and increasing productivity. When considering DCP, organizations should determine if technical skills can continuously grow and if technical competencies are critical to success. DCP requires careful design involving different representatives to define evaluation factors, career levels, and communicate the program.

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    DUAL-CAREER PATHS

    Prepared by PS

    Introduction & General Overview


    Hill (1992) defined the Dual-Career Paths (shall be referred to as DCP in the entire
    text) as a track providing two equivalent career progressions, one to recognize managerial
    progressions and one to recognize technical contributions. Also called the Dual-Career
    Ladder, it is an innovative organizational structure that aims to give opportunities to technical
    experts who do not intend to pursue managerial positions, without compromising a possible
    hierarchical advancement and a higher compensation. The Dual-Career path is tailored for
    organizations composed of technical experts such as engineers, scientists, computer
    programmers, and the like, who possess technical competencies that can significantly
    contribute to the organization but not necessarily equipped with skills needed to take
    managerial positions.
    The DCP is more commonly used in organizations that require technical training and
    expertise beyond the basic level, known for rapid innovation, and those whose employees
    receive licensure or national credentials (Career Development: What Is A Dual-Career
    Ladder?, 2012). James R. Bowers, vice-president for chemical industry consulting at Hay
    Group, a Philadelphia-based human resources consulting firm said,
    ...the dual approach says that you can move up the scientific track and be paid at an
    equivalent level to a supervisor or a manager by being a really excellent scientist and
    bringing value through innovation, ideas, and scientific leadership. In a different kind
    of way, it's a manager of ideas, technology, or intellectual capital rather than a
    manager of people with the administrative activities typically associated with
    [management] (Farren, 2008).
    The restructuring of an organization through the implementation of the DCP is
    executed to boost the organizations success through appropriately rewarding its technical
    experts by giving them an alternative promotion that is not restricted in the traditional
    managerial upward mobility of employees. Hence, it can be an effective program for utilizing
    talents in the technical field and maximizing their skills.
    Figure 1. Sample organizational hierarchy in Dual-Career Path (Hill, 1992, p. 16)

    The Need for the Dual-Career Paths


    Hill (1992) formulated benchmark questions to determine whether it is beneficial for
    an organization to implement the DCP or not:
    1. Is the technical field or profession deep enough that knowledge and skills can
    reasonably be expected to grow (and therefore allow the individual to
    contribute at increasingly higher levels) throughout a career?
    2. Are attracting, retaining, and developing these technical competencies critical
    to the success of the organization?
    It is important to note that the DCP is not a substitute for merit pay, therefore,
    organizations that consider having this track without affirming the aforementioned questions
    are most likely exhausted by the annual merit increase ritual, and the DCP is not for them
    (Hill, 1992).

    Advantages
    Hill (1992) also pointed out the advantages of implementing the DCP in organizations
    involving technical expertise. The DCP benefits recruitment, costs, productivity, and
    development.
    1. More successful hiring practices
    Can attract a larger pool of applicants (who do not have managerial ambitions)
    2. Reduced turnover
    DCP can lead to higher job satisfaction because employees with technical
    skills will be given the opportunity to choose their own career paths
    (whichever they prefer), hence, turnover can be reduced.
    3. Improved training and development focus
    Training can be focused on improving the technical skills of employees, rather
    than making them well-rounded (because managerial skills are not very much
    necessary for them).
    4. Lower management costs
    The rise of high-level technical ability can minimize the need for managerial
    positions in the departments involved.
    High-level technical contributors have high levels of problem solving
    skills, autonomy, and leadership.
    5. Higher productivity
    Mentioned advantages can lead to higher technical productivity.

    Designing Dual-Career Paths


    In developing a DCP system, a work group should be comprised of different
    representatives: individual contributors, managers, and human resource representatives (Hill,
    1992). According to the same source, the individual contributors and managers need to bring
    technical knowledge and business requirements in creating the program, whereas the human
    resource representatives should contribute in job evaluation and ensure internal pay equity.

    Steps to take when considering to develop a DCP:


    1. Select and define evaluation factors
    Construct a methodology to break a job down into factors relating to value and
    contribution.
    Ex. Knowledge and skills, decision-making, innovative thought, etc.
    2. Define factor degrees
    Factors should be separated in degrees.
    Management factor degrees vs technical factor degrees
    3. Evaluate and define career levels
    Uses factors to assist in the actual evaluation of job
    Enough technical career levels to cover advancement of outstanding
    professionals
    4. Develop career-level descriptions
    Contains title, career-level evaluations, advancement criteria, educational
    requirement, & experience
    5. Classify individuals
    Comparison of current position duties and responsibilities to career path levels
    The needs of the business at each career level
    6. Develop a schedule of salary grades and ranges
    Compare each level to the market to determine competitive wage
    Relate range of pay to length of time the organization expects the professional
    to stay in a particular position
    7. Communicate the program
    Present to managers to be acquainted to the program
    One-on-one meetings between managers and subordinates
    Each employee should be given an organizational chart. See Figure 1.

    Conclusion
    The Dual-Career Paths are alternative organizational structures that have implications
    mainly on technical experts and their upward mobility in an organization. Literature has
    shown that it is effective in reducing turnover by a possible higher job satisfaction, can
    narrow and streamline work focuses, lower costs in management, and eventually improve
    productivity. It can impact both the internal and external operations of an organization
    involved in technical processes. However, it should be carefully designed by a work group
    involving individual contributors, managers, and human resource representatives.
    References

    Career Development: What is a dual career ladder? (2012, November 27). Retrieved June
    1, 2016, from https://www.shrm.org/templatestools/hrqa/pages/termdualcareer.aspx

    Farren, C., Ph.D. (2008, November). Career Paths: Mapping Ladders and Lattices. Retrieved
    June 01, 2016, from
    http://www.masteryworks.com/newsite/clientimpact/impact_archives_nov08.html

    Hill, R. (1992, July/August). Dual-Career Paths: Recognizing the Technical Contributor.


    Journal of Compensation and Benefits, 10-16. Retrieved from Hill, R. (n.d.). Dual-
    Career Baths. Retrieved June 1, 2016, from http://www.tandehill.com/pdfs/dual-
    career-paths.pdf

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