How Do You Define KRAs for Key Roles in a Training and Placement Institute? Seeking Your Insights

Defining KRAs for Key Positions in a Training and Placement Institute

Can anybody help me define KRAs (Key Result Areas) for the following positions in a training and placement institute?

- Center Head
- HR Executive
- Recruiter
- Trainer
- Finance Head

Your enriched experience will be a great help in achieving perfection. Thank you in anticipation.

Do you know what KRA stands for? What is the purpose of asking this question, academic or...?

Understanding KRA and Related Terms

KRA alone stands for Knowledge Resources and Assessment/Applicability under the HR Knowledge Management System.

However, you also have KRS and KPA, where KRA will be considered as the Key Result Area and Key Performance Area. This study falls under HR Development.

Since you are referring to the second one, you may just use the findinfo option given on this site; there might already have been a discussion since this is quite a routine topic if I am not wrong.

If you are referring to the first one, we may discuss...

How do you think that has priority under Training and Development as you have mentioned above?!

Understanding the KRA Model

Well, KRA is a hardly known model where Knowledge, Resources, and Its Applicability are analyzed to observe the overall developmental aspects of the organization. This simple module has not gained much importance, perhaps because these factors are considered inevitable to be observed along with other parameters, and it has a very general application. This module is more to be observed from the employer's point of view, focusing on how the employer shall apply and utilize the KRAs where needed, especially in branches undergoing losses. This is more useful in the service sector than in manufacturing.

The employer should start with the analysis of existing and upcoming problems, followed by the appointment of suitable HR (mostly at the managerial level). This appointment should be made using the KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and Accountability) of employees who possess the capability to resolve issues as expected. Later, the resources, including existing and acquirable resources, mainly human resources and investment (finance, infrastructure, tools necessary for better service depending on the type of service), should be considered. Subsequently, the applicability and assessment of HR and resources at hand should be evaluated to execute and develop. The process may need to start over if results show the necessity, with finalization of execution.

To be frank, I had no idea about this KRA (Knowledge, Resources, and Applicability/Assessment) until I read about it in an old book as a model. Anyway, it is very simple, with wide applicability and is generally hardly recognized as a model.

But, in reference to your issues above, the Key Result Areas is the relevant one. All the best and have a nice day.

KRA

“Key Result Areas” or KRAs refer to general areas of outputs or outcomes for which the department's role is responsible. Key Result Area in simple terms may be defined as the primary responsibilities of an individual, the core area for which each person is accountable.

Why KRAs?

• To have clearly defined and achievable goals.
• To measure and communicate your progress during the year in terms of identified targets.
• To manage your skills development and identify areas for development.
• To contribute to the company's wealth creation.
• To obtain timely communications and feedback that will allow you to stay aligned and change direction when needed.
• To promote an environment of alignment and self-management.

The importance of KRA is to:
• Set goals and objectives.
• Prioritize activities, thereby improving time/work management.
• Make value-added decisions.
• Clarify roles of the department or individual.
• Focus on results rather than activities.
• Align roles to the organization's business or strategic plan.
• Communicate the role's purposes to others.

Conditions of KRAs

• Key result areas (KRAs) capture about 80% of the department's work role. The remainder is usually devoted to areas of shared responsibility.
• Each KRA should capture at least 5% of the work role.

Writing SMART Goals (also called KRAs) from Job Descriptions

Here are 9 steps suggested: Go through the employee's job description. If the job description is not updated, talk to the employee and his/her manager or maybe the manager's manager as well. Try to find out exactly what the employee is supposed to achieve.

Based on your reading and discussions, make a list of the functions and responsibilities that are critical to the employee's job. Categorize these critical functions and responsibilities into two categories:

i. (4.1) Which can be measured whether in numbers, percentages, or yes/no.
ii. (4.2) Which cannot be measured in numbers and cannot be calculated.

Those in 4.1 are the ones that can be converted to Goals (KRAs). Make a list of all critical functions. Write a self-explanatory (1 sentence) definition of each Goal (KRA). If you plan to follow the BSC (Balanced Score Card) pattern, then categorize each goal into one of the following categories: Customer, Financial, Internal Business Process, Learning, and Growth. Thereafter, describe each Goal (KRA). Make sure you mention a measurable target to be achieved and a time frame for achievement of the Goal (KRA).

Difference between KRA and KPI

Each role in a company generally has a number of KRAs, which define the key areas that the employee needs to produce results in (for example, for an HR Manager, one of the Key Result Areas might be Recruitment). Typically, organizations like to define a set of KRAs for each role in a company, so that everybody's clear on the exact areas that the role is responsible for, and the incumbent is clear where they need to focus their attention.

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator – KPIs describe the indicators of performance or success for an employee. Again, using the example of the HR Manager who has Recruitment as one of their KRAs, a typical KPI for this HR Manager might be “Recruitment of Level 1 Positions within 3 months of notified vacancy and within 90% of budget.”

Many companies have slight variations on this theme, and sometimes KPIs/KRAs get mixed up and combined. This is not always a major problem, as long as in the end, people understand what their jobs are (KRAs) and what results they need to deliver (KPIs).

Difference between JD and KRAs

JD stands for Job Description – It will give the broad description or picture of any job. KRAs are very specific to the organization's short-term and present goals.

Please ignore the above write-up, as I have made some necessary changes.

Key Result Areas or KRAs refer to general areas of outputs or outcomes for which the department's role is responsible.

Key Result Area in simple terms may be defined as the primary responsibilities of an individual, the core area for which each person is accountable.

Why KRAs?

• To have clearly defined and achievable goals.
• To measure and communicate your progress during the year in terms of identified targets.
• To manage your skills development and identify areas for improvement.
• To contribute to the company's wealth creation.
• To obtain timely communications and feedback that will allow you to stay aligned and change direction when needed.
• To promote an environment of alignment and self-management.

So the importance of KRA is to

• Set goals and objectives.
• Prioritize activities and, therefore, improve time/work management.
• Make value-added decisions.
• Clarify roles of the department or individual.
• Focus on results rather than activities.
• Align roles to the organization's business or strategic plan.
• Communicate the role's purposes to others.

Conditions of KRAs

• Key result areas (KRAs) capture about 80% of the department's work role. The remainder is usually devoted to areas of shared responsibility.
• Each KRA should capture at least 5% of the work role.

Writing SMART Goals (also called KRAs) from Job Descriptions

Here are 8 steps suggested by going through an employee's Job Description. If the Job Description is not updated, talk to the employee and his/her manager or maybe the manager's manager as well.

1. Try to find out exactly what the employee is supposed to achieve.
2. Based on your reading and discussions, make a list of the functions and responsibilities critical to the employee's job.
3. Categorize these critical functions and responsibilities into two categories:
i. (4.1) Which can be measured in numbers, percentages, or yes/no.
ii. (4.2) Which cannot be measured in numbers and cannot be calculated.
4. Ones in 4.1 are the ones that can be converted to Goals (KRAs).
5. Make a list of all critical functions.
6. Write a self-explanatory (1 sentence) definition of each Goal (KRA).
7. If you plan to follow the BSC (Balanced Score Card) Pattern, categorize each goal into one of the following categories: Customer, Financial, Internal Business Process, Learning, and Growth.
8. Thereafter, describe each Goal (KRA). Make sure you mention a measurable target to be achieved and a time frame for achievement of the Goal (KRA).

Difference between KRA and KPI

Each role in a company generally has several KRAs, which define the key areas that the employee needs to produce results in (for example, for an HR Manager, one of the Key Result Areas might be Recruitment). Typically, organizations like to define a set of KRAs for each role in a company so that everybody is clear on the exact areas that the role is responsible for, and the incumbent is clear where they need to focus their attention.

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicator - KPIs describe the indicators of performance or success for an employee. Again, using the example of the HR Manager who has Recruitment as one of their KRAs, a typical KPI for this HR Manager might be "Recruitment of Level 1 Positions within 3 months of notified vacancy and within 90% of budget."

Many companies have slight variations on this theme, and sometimes KPIs/KRAs get mixed up and combined. This is not always a major problem; as long as, in the end, people understand what their jobs are (KRAs) and what results they need to deliver (KPIs).

Difference between JD and KRAs

JD stands for Job Description - It provides a broad description or picture of any job.

KRAs - They are very specific to the organization's short-term and present goals.