Last year, this government authority decided to test their employees’ knowledge.  The background for this decision was their designation as a knowledge centre, which NIPO wanted to ensure they were qualified to use.

“The recommendation caused quite a stir when it was first launched, but things have worked out very well, says Siri Skaare-Botner, HR Manager at NIPO.  “The test became quite a hot topic among the employees, who reminisced about school exams from the past.”

Patent Ambassadors

“I think these kinds of tests are fun, but there were certainly some who were sceptical,” says Siri Leander, an executive officer who has already completed the test and works in the department that scored highest.  “It was a good way to ensure that my knowledge is solid.  If I hadn’t passed, it would definitely have been a little embarrassing,” says Leander.

Skaare-Botner says that many people are curious about the Norwegian Patent Office, but their knowledge is often limited to comments from cartoons and films.  The object is to make the employees NIPO’s ambassadors and public face.  “Our employees get a lot of questions about NIPO, even when they are off work.  Not everyone knows that we work on several very different fronts.  We wanted to use this test to see whether our employees were familiar with the company, also outside their own areas of expertise,” says Skaare-Botner.

Study or Gamble?

In the USA, employee testing is common practice, and that trend has now spread to Europe.

“There is no culture for testing employees here in Norway, and we were ready for resistance,” says Windingstad.

There was no mandatory preparation work for the test.  Employees were told when the test would be and then it was up to them to prepare.  They were also at liberty to decide what time of day they preferred to take the test.  Some took the test during the work day; others wanted to take it after work, when things had calmed down.

“Some studied a lot; others gambled that they knew their workplace well enough and took the test without studying,” says Skaare-Botner.  She tells that employees needed a score of 75 per cent to pass.  The employee average ended up at 85.3 per cent.

“Some of the employees who didn’t manage a good enough score asked to take the test again,” says Windingstad.  “In any case, employees who don’t satisfy the minimum requirements will be encouraged to improve their knowledge and take the test again at a later time.”

Won’t Loose their Job

The test results alone will not result in anyone losing their job, but managers at NIPO will receive coaching reports for employees who have completed the test, with detailed results.  These reports can form the basis for competency discussions in follow-up meetings and performance appraisal interviews.  A large number of the employees also have career plans written into their contracts, and the test results will also be helpful when looking at employee career plans.

By Marius Mørch Larsen, Aftenposten
Article previously published on www.aftenposten.no