Background Information

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 called upon our consultancy partner, Maximum Performance, to undertake a talent benchmarking project aiming to profile the ‘Breakfast Crew’.

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 the ‘Breakfast Crew’. This process was important in identifying a number of key behavioural characteristics that are required to be a radio presenter.

Using Audition, the role definition was then used as a talent-benchmarking tool to look at the extent to which the radio presenters within the ‘Breakfast Crew’ “fit” the profile in order to come up with an appropriate talent management and development plan.

The Outcome

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

“In the past, the Group used 16PF and MBTI which, I think, are not user-friendly and practical in the sense that you need someone to interpret the reports for you. Facet5, on the hand, is extremely insightful and useful, especially the coaching aspects in the report. We are also entirely satisfied with the technical support that both ConsultingTools and Maximum Performance have given us.”

The Group has also been using Facet5-Audition to recruit high profile individuals and for executive coaching purposes, and plan to continue doing so by converting the whole organisation to using the tool. 

To learn more about Facet5, click here.