GCap Media chooses Facet5 to support its Talent Strategy

Background
GCap Media was formed from the merger of Capital Radio plc and GWR plc in May 2005, creating the UK’s leading commercial radio group representing approximately 30% of the total commercial radio industry. With Group headquarters in the heart of London’s Leicester Square, there are GCap stations in currently 47 other locations around the UK covering many of the major conurbations and key advertising regions. Among the 55 analogue licenses owned by the Group, there are among their portfolio strong, nationally recognised brands such as Classic FM, Xfm, Capital 95.8 and Choice FM. They also have over 90 digital stations including award-winning Planet Rock and Chill. 

GCap Media has 1,400 employees and engages approximately 600 freelancers and contractors. GCap Media embraces a culture where employees can grow and develop as individuals and fulfil both their personal and business potential. This commitment is a key part of their strategy to win the 'war for talent’ allowing them to attract, retain and develop the most creative and talented people in the industry. 

Considering the importance GCap Media places on talent management and selection, the Group engaged our consultancy partner, Maximum Performance, to partner them in talent benchmarking projects with the aim of building and strengthening teams in a number of their radio stations.

The Tool Used 
Facet5-Audition was used for the project. This innovative tool is part of the Facet5 suite of products and is one of the most modern and advanced measures of human personality available. Having said this, it might be helpful to provide a brief overview of Facet5. 

Five factors are now widely accepted as the fundamental building blocks of personality. These ‘Big 5’ have consistently emerged from research around the world as the irreducible minimum needed to give a comprehensive description of someone’s personality. The factors are: 

·         Will (determination, confrontation, independence) 
·         Energy (vitality, sociability, adaptability) 
·         Affection (altruism, support, trust) 
·         Control (discipline, responsibility), and 
·         Emotionality (anxiety, apprehension), which interacts with the other four affecting stability, confidence, emotional state. 

Facet5 measures these five factors precisely and quickly to give the most accurate and easily applied portrait of individual differences in behaviour. Facet5 also allows a detailed breakdown of the five factors into 13 sub-factors (facets) to explore subtleties of behaviour at an individual level. 

Audition is a process within Facet5 that, on the basis of research, identifies a specific Facet5 profile that is linked to the behavioural requirements of a particular “role”. 

The Approach 
Maximum Performance asked the radio station directors and managers to complete the role definition for some key roles including Station Managing Director and 'On Air Talent' roles.  This process was important in identifying a number of key behavioural characteristics that are required to improve the chances of success in that role and environment. 

Using Audition, the role definition was then used as a talent-benchmarking tool to look at the extent to which the internal and external candidates 'fit' the profile in order to come up with appropriate talent management and development plans.

The Outcome 
GCap has been using Facet5-Audition for coaching purposes on a regular basis. Viv Miles, Head of Performance Development at GCap, has commented on the tool saying: 

“In the past, the Group used 16PF and MBTI which are less user-friendly, visually appealing and practical.   Facet5, on the other hand, is extremely insightful and useful, especially the coaching aspects in the report which are set out in easy to understand language and constructed a suseable tools for Managers rather than Psychologists!  We have found that the administrative and technical support and insight that Maximum Performance in conjunction with Consulting Tools have given us have helped with a smooth adoption of these tools into the Business".

The Group is increasing it's use of the full suite of Facet5 tools to recruit and develop high profile individuals and plan to continue doing so by increasing the number of 'Accredited Users' of the tool in the business, so helping them to become more self sufficient in the future.