CASE STUDY

A PROJECT OF IMPROVEMENT
ON THE DESIGN OF JOBS/WORKS FOR PROFESSIONAL WORKERS
AT PT. BUKIT BATUBARA TBK THE YEAR OF 2011/2012
WITH RECOMMENDATION:
IMPLEMENTATION OF A CONTRIBUTOR MODEL IN CAREER MANAGEMENT
FOR PROFESSIONAL WORKERS

Paper Presentation for:

10th International Annual Symposium on Management
Bali - Indonesia
Symposium Conference: March 16th , 2013
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE LEADING EDGE
IN WORLD CLASS SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT"
Sub-Topic:

Human Resources Management and Organizations Behavior

What make a company competitive?

Surabaya, 13 January 2013

Drs. T. Soemarman, M.S.Ed
Faculty of Bussiness and Economics, Universitas Surabaya

ABSTRACT
This paper explains the results of A Case Study Project of Improvement on the design of
jobs/works for professional workers in a Coal Mining Industry, PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk (November
2011 through March, 2012). The aim of study is to answer a question: What make a company or firm
competitive, specifically related to the needs to enhance the competitiveness with the use of career
management as called "contributor model " for professional workers?
Important findings of the study indicated that the project of improvement on the design of
jobs/works for professional workers has given greater impacts on the firms competitiveness,
especially through enhancements of professional workers performances. The results of study have
recommended PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk to enhance its competitiveness through implementation of a
career management model called a Contributor Model. Such career management as called "contributor
model " will improve the job design for professional workers as best partnershsip with managerial
workers within the same company.
It has been reported that giving opportunities for professional workers to re-design their jobs by
themselves will give more power and competences for them to improve their works agenda with better
quality and greater performances. They have, also, greater opportunities to develop their
works/activities, which match their most specific needs, and at the same time, they are more capable
to elaborate the best practices agenda in the implementation of their professional competences as well.
It means for them that career development can be understood as developing the agenda of their
professional best practices within the context of job re-design and development.
The case study, although undertaken in one company only, but has been very deep and intensive.
Therefore, the study recommends that any company or organization may implement career
management as called "contributor model" for professional workers. Any company or organization
will get many benefits from professional workers who have greater opportunities to develop their
work/activities, which match their most specific needs. Those workers as professional will be more
capable to elaborate the best practices agenda based on their professional competences within the
framework of career management as called "contributor model. At the same time, the company or
organization will get greater productivities and best contribution from their performances as
professional.
Consultant Team has undertaken the study as participatory research, which involve professional
workers of the company as participative researchers and job knowledge experts as well. The study has
applied a Triangulation Methodology in the process of consulting and researching, which includes
observation, interview, or focus-group discussions, and the study (review) of company documents.
Keywords: Career Management, The Design of Job, Professional Workers, Contributor Model of
Career Management
Surabaya, January 13rd, 2013
Drs. T. Soemarman, M.S.Ed

TABLE OF CONTENT
Abstract ..

Table of Content

ii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..

II. INTRODUCTION ..

III. LITERATURE REVIEW AND RELATED RESEARCH/FINDINGS ..

IV. METHODOLOGY .

V. RESULTS OF CASE STUDY ..

VI. ANALYSIS OF CASE STUDY AND DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS ..

VII. RECOMMENDATION: A CONTRIBUTOR MODEL OF CAREER MANAGEMENT

CONCLUSION ...

10

BIBLIOGRAPHY .

11

I.

ii

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Consultant team proposed the results and
findings of the project Improvement on Job
Design for Professional workers (nonmanagerial workers) in the interim reports of
Term I and II at March 27, 2012. The
completion of the project (Term III and IV)
was reported on May 24, 2012 as follow:
1. The completion of Term III: Finalization
of the planning for the system-design of
career management was customized
according to the needs of PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk. It includes the creation of
an instrument (sample/model) Skills
Analyzer to match the placement of
employees (professional workers) with the
new design of works and their career
paths.
2. The additional works for completion of
Term III: Analysis and Review on
Competences Requirements of Job
Designs as included in Job Specifications
and Job Descriptions.
3. The Final Works of Term IV:
Verification of Job Descriptions for
professional workers and at the same time
the verification was undertaken as a
process of assurance and approval to the
validity and reliability of competences
catalog.
4. The validation process as mentioned in the
agenda number 3 above was also done as a
process of assurance that give approval to
the validity and reliability of assessment
system (also performance appraisal
system) being applied at PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk Some important assessment
tools were under special consideration for
further improvement.
Consultant Team has recorded important
findings that indicate the design of works for
professional workers being applied at PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk for past several years have
been inconsistent with career management
system. It can be concluded that PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk has never developed a specific
model of career management system for
professional workers. Therefore, it is important
for the company to consider completion of the
project with creation of more consistent model

of career management system for professional

workers.
Before continuing the program of placement,
which matching the specific jobs for
employees as professional workers, with new
job design, as well as career paths for them, the
company must ensure the creation of specific
model or career management system for
professional workers. In response to this kind
of needs, Consultant Team has proposed a
career management system A Contributor
Model, which is suitable to implement at PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk. The proposal provides
and facilitates the company with two
complementary programs: a). Job Matching
Program, and b) Talent Search and
Development Program. The proposal also
includes some samples of Skill Analyzer,
which are modifiable and suitable to needs of
the company.
It is important to consider that PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk needs to continue providing
professional workers with authorization and
opportunities to develop their career within the
context of Job Design and Development. The
contributor model of career management
system will help the company to provide those
opportunities for professional workers.
II. INTRODUCTION
PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk a public company
of Mining Coal Industry in Sumatera and
Kalimantan, has executed a project of
improvement on the design of jobs/works for
professional workers under cooperation and
consultancy with consultant team from
Surabaya on November 2011 through March
2012. The project, which includes four steps of
consulting processes, has achieved the results
on March 2012. The corporate management
representative of PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk
(Director of General Affairs and Human
Resource) accepted the results as presented by
consultant team in Jakarta, on May 24th, 2012.
Background of the Project: Improvement on
The Design of Job/Works for Professionals
At the beginning of the project, the tasks of
improvement on the design of jobs/works for
professional workers as it was planned for PT.
Bukit Babutara Tbk, primarily based on the
concern to re-arrangement of job titles and the
1

validation
of
job
descriptions.
The
improvement Project at PT. Bukit Batubara
Tbk started for the first-time with certain
reasons, which explained that mostly
professional workers have suggested the
company management to undertake the
improvement on the quality of their working
life (QWL). Especially, they have asked the
company management to give respects and
recognition concerning their professionalism
and their daily hard-working. They have
requested some kind of appreciation, which
would provide increases of remuneration for
professional workers at least but not the last as
similar with financial rewards as being applied
for managerial workers. Most importantly, they
have also requested that the management of
PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk provide professional
workers with improvement of their job-designs
that give more assurances on career paths and
career development.
Considering the above background, the
company management eventually had decided
the best choices, which focused to the
improvement project on the design of
jobs/works for professionals workers, by
which the company would be able to support
the review and development for effectiveness
of human resources management (for
professional workers) with some important
issues and strategic values as follows:
a. The
company
should
undertake
assurances on job-analysis which will
provide job-designs for professional
workers with more systematic, wellstructured system, and more related with
clear
career
paths
and
career
development;
b. The improvements on the design of
jobs/works for professional workers must
support the synergy of employees
performances,
especially
between
professional workers and managerial
workers;
c. The new creation of design of jobs/works
for professional workers should support
the
development
of
criteria
or
measurements by which professional
workers get clear measurable and fair
appraisals in the enhancement of their
contributions to the company;

d. The improvements on the design of

jobs/works for professional workers will
provide employees with the new system
and design of career-management, which
may help the company more capable to
make justification and to do fairness of
appraisal upon the performances of
professional workers according to the
level of their specific contributions.
III. LITERATURE REVIEW
The strategic issues by which PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk has undertaken the project
of improvement on design of jobs/works
for professional workers seems to reflect
the development of new changes in
relationship between the company
management and employees (professional
workers). The changes have been similar
with the findings of DeSimone and friends
in 1998 (pp 343-344). Those findings have
indicated that today, the strategic human
resources management has proposed new
relationship between employees and the
company with the changes from
traditional-paternalistic approaches into
exchange relationship for mutual benefit
of both parties. (Houston, 1999: The
Human Resource Function Audit).
Therefore, the case study of improvement
on job design for professional workers at
PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk seems to be
similar with the reflection of new
approaches in strategic human resources
management (David, 2009: Chapter 3 and
Armstrong, 2000: pp 9-10). The findings
of case study at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk
explained that the policy to improve the
design of jobs/works for professional
workers has been coming out from the
philosophy of changes in the relationship
between management and employees as
mutually shared responsibility. Such
phenomena have taken place worldwide
since the year of 1990s (DeSimone et
al,1998). Another findings (Mathis et al,
2004: 247) explained the reasons beyond
the rises of philosophy in HR management
mutually shared responsibility, as
indicated in the following notes: in some
industries, changing jobs and companies
every year or two is becoming more the
norm than exception. ...... Even though
2

attempts to limit employees ability to

change jobs through use of employment
agreements containing noncompetition
clauses put some restrictions on job
hoppers, these clauses must be enforced in
court, taking time and organizational
resources. All of these factors and more
are changing how careers are defined and
viewed. The notes of Mathis et al (2004)
have given new outlook that the changes
of career understanding and its
development have influenced today human
resources management. Mathis (2004:
247) noted further explanations about the
changes of today career management with
the following understanding:
a. Career ladder in middle-management has
been associated with horizontal movement
of
career
changes
rather
than
vertical/structural movement in many
companies;

b. Many companies prefer to hire employees

who support more on the accomplishment
of bussiness objectives, and give more
priorities on recruiting human resources
who are professionals and excellent in
their core competencies;

c. The growth of many different jobs and

occupations in todays world reflects more
on the kinds of jobs with project bases;
and, such this growth provides career
choices for employees with more on a
series of project, not just steps upward in
a given organization.

and, those companies must also modify their

strategy to accommodate gender issues;
c. The changes of HR market conditions have
forced the companies to review their
strategy in dealing with the practices of
Human Resources Recruitment and
Selection Policy, especially providing job
seekers with opportunities to get better
terms of employment.
It seems the management of PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk have considered the importances
of those two notes as described above: a) the
new philosophy of mutually shared
responsibility in employing people, and b), the
changing conditions of human resources
market. Both of the two issues play important
role in the improvement on the design of
jobs/works
for
professional
workers.
Therefore, when the company management
started the similar project, firstly they should
set up the agenda with reviewing the design of
jobs/works, which focus on the best job
analysis and suitable to accommodate the
needs of professional workers (Plumlee, 1983).
Now, other companies may learn from the
results of case study at PT. Bukit Batubara
Tbk, specifically about how any similar project
of improvement on the design of jobs/works
for professional workers must pay attention to
varying ways to set up career management for
professional workers (Giovanni, 2010). It is
important, therefore, to consider the following
critical issues of career management:

Since the year of 1980s, according to Tan

Chwee Huat et al (1998: pp 71-81), many
companies in United Kingdom and some other
Asian Coutries have experienced some
breaktrhoughs which explain Changing ways
of employing people. Such changes have
influenced the strategic human resource
management in certain issues as follows:

Before a company start setting up the new

a. In response to the market conditions of

human resources, most companies set up
more flexible strategy of HR recruitment
and employees placement programs
according to the changing conditions;

The ways

b. In the year of 1990s, most companies have

worked hard to handle the problems of
demographic changes and the short-run of
HR supplies, especially the short-run of
potentials and qualified/skillfull workers;

system-design of career management, it is

important to redefine the concept of career
which must satisfy the expectation of
employees, including such a complex
problem
as
relationship
between
employees career and any activities
outside of daily works (Giovanni, 2010);
to establish career paths and
career ladder for professional workers
must be agreeable for both employees and
company management, because the
establishment of system-design in career
management will reflect the ways that a
company implement new philosophy of
mutually shared responsibility in
employing people;

 Career planning with organizational-based

approach and/or individual employeesbased approach must be synergistic; it is

necessarily important that all those
approaches will give greater respects and
appreciation to the principles of mutual
benefits
and
exchanges
between
employees and company management
(Walker, 1980).
The

company must also provide

employees with Career Development
Program and Job Matching Program,
which support the process of career
management, especially when the new
system-design
being
implemented
(Giovannini, 2010).

In general those critical issues of career

management have proposed the most strategic
framework of thinking in career management
within which career planning and human
resources development must be effective in
organizational level and individual level as well
(Walker, 1980).
The following figure: The concept of
philosophy mutually shared responsibility
from James Walker et al (1980: 253) has been
very helpful for company management when
dealing effectively with career planning and
career development for professional workers.
Organizational

Individual

Perspective

Perspective

Identify future

Identify

organizational staffing
needs

personal
abilities and
interests

Plan career

Plan life and

ladders

work goals

Assess

individual
potential and
training needs

Match

organizational
needs with
individual
abilities

Audit and

develop a
career system
for the
organization

Assess

A
Persons
Career

alternative
paths inside
and outside
the
organization

Note changes

in interests
and goals as
career and life
stage changes

Adapted from Walker (1980) by Mathis et al (2004: 248):

Figure 10-1

It is recorded in this case study that such

similar conceptual framework has applied very
well at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk.
The applicability of framework mutually
shared responsibility has reflected the
following strategic reasons:
1. The conceptual framework as applied in this
case study has mapped out the significant
similarities in job values between the design
of jobs/works for professional workers and
the design of managerial works. The
significant similarities between the two job
families have reflected solid foundation in
the implementation of new philosophy
mutually
shared
responsibility
in
employing people.
2. In line with the first reason above, this case
study has supported the project with carefull
practices of job analysis and job evaluation,
which also applying procedures of
validation with strong discretion as required
by policies audit (Houston, 1999);
3. The application of conceptual framework
and the implementation of strong validation
procedures have resulted in the significant
findings on the design of jobs/works
suitable for professional workers. The
findings satisfied the requirements for
further investigation, especially in mapping
out job titles of professional workers at PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk within more structured
and systematic job family (Mathis et.al,
2004 and Walker, James W. et al, 1980:
253);
IV. METHODOLOGY
Steps of improvement and detail procedures,
being used for reviewing the design of
jobs/works suitable for professional workers in
this case study, consistently rely on the
methodology of triangulation, which involve:

Interviews

Survey/Field-observation (Forum Group

Discussion and/or Consulting Sessions

Review of company documents.

The participation of employees (individual

persons and representatives of work units) as
participative researchers and job-knowledge
experts as well in reviewing their job designs
had been the key for success of this case study.
4

The following explanation will describe the

steps of improvements on the design of
jobs/works for professional workers at PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk.

There were three important findings being

mapped out from this step:
a) the feasibility of job descriptions used by
the company management currently,
b) the perfection of job specification, which
explained the job design for professional
workers with more detailed professional
qualification,
c) the justification of performance standards
suitable with job designs for professional
workers.
Step I.3 : The List on the design of jobs/works
for professional workers
This step made the arrangement of job designs
for professional workers available for further
verification.
Data and accomplishments required in the
process of Stage I.3. include:

The Steps of Improvement in reviewing job

designs for professional workers

Step I.1: Identification of job designs for

professional workers

a) The use of Vision-Mission Statements and

Bussiness Strategy, which apply to PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk, to test the suitability
of the results and findings of Step I.1. and
I.2. above,

This step put the focus on identification of all

job-titles, which play functional roles as nonmanagerial job holders in the organization of
PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk The identification
observes carefully the design of management
system by which all those functional roles have
taken part of operational activities. The
observations were conducted as a process of
discretion. Such discretion defined the quality
of review in this case study "whether the
review was to recommend the creation of new
job titles or to abandon the old ones because
the job titles are not relevant with certain
reasons."

b) Mapping out Companys Business Process

in compliance with and related to the
functional areas in each Work Units,

Step I.2: The arrangement of characteristics

related to the design of jobs/works
for professional workers.

e) At this step, team consultant also

conducted verification of job description
for professional workers, which require reevaluation of their job values according to
Hay-point System. Included in the
verification of functional positions are
some proposed job titles as new positions.

The focus of this step was to make

arrangement of characteristics, which relevant
to job design for professional workers. The
company management expected that the results
of arrangement would support
the
development of those job designs in the future.
Therefore, the arrangement used extensively
the data that support the contextual use of
those new characteristics of job design.

c) Various kinds of rules/policies that affect

the implementation of functional job
designs and their performances.
d) The results of reviewing the job positions
as expected at this step are: i) list of job
positions that otherwise still valid to this
day and are still needed for the future, ii)
list of positions that should be there but is
not currently exist, and iii) list of proposed
new positions if any.

Step II and Step III:

Implementation of Job Evaluation and
Validation of Job Descriptions for
professional workers
The methodology in Step II and III used the
approach of Hay-Point System (job evaluation
method) comprehensively to re-examine the
implementation of rewards system and
remuneration. The activities of re-examination
observed carefully the consistency of company
management in installing the Hay-Point
System (job evaluation method) into rewards
system and remuneration policies for
professional workers. Furthermore, team
consultant developed the results of reexamination to validate all job descriptions of
professional workers. Hence, the works of Step
II and III finally produced a map of job titles
for professional workers in compliance with
new improved job family at PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk for future enhancements.
Step IV. Assurances in the implementation of
new model of career management with
recommendation for future enhancement
In Step IV, the corporate management of PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk continued developing the
advantages resulted from job design
improvements in Step II and III as foundation
for further improvement, especially in
enhancing the roles and contribution of
professional workers. Therefore, the aim or
purpose of further improvement in Step IV was
to make assurances on the implementation
feasibility of a contributor model into the
system-design of career management for
professional workers at PT. Bukit Batubara
Tbk
In this case study, team consultant has
proposed a model of career management called
Contributor Model as developed by Global
Novations at http://www.globalnovations.com
(Desember 2011). However, team consultant
also proposed some modifications in the
implementation of career management
contributor model according to special
caharateristics
and types of professional
workers at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk. Upon
completion of the proposal, team consultant
has provided the agenda of implementation
with a certain model of career management
called contributor model," which involve two

integrated programs: Job Matching Program

and
Talent
Search
and
Employees
Development Program.
V. RESULTS OF CASE STUDY
The results of improvement project on the
design of jobs/works for professional workers
at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk have complied with
the current human resources development
program that puts employees as a strategic
partner. Based on such this strategic
partnership, the results of improvement have
supported the development level of awareness
and commitment of employees to the
organization's Vision-Mission and Business
Strategy prevailing in todays business
operation.
Therefore, the company management of PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk had the opportunity to use
the Vision-Mission formulation, Business
Strategy, and organization structure as standard
measurements towards improvement results on
the design of jobs/works for professional
workers. All of these strategic considerations
are feasible to use as test for defining the
results quality of improvement project in this
case study.
At the time of improvement activities on the
design of jobs/works for professional workers
and the results are described in the list here, all
the existing functional units scattered at
different work-units (five Directorates and a
group consisting of 3 sub-units for Service at
Director's Office). In the meantime, anyone
acting as functional workers (associated with a
list of improvements as reported here) are
bound and committed toward business policies
listed below. Because, the business policy play
important roles in guiding and giving
references to the governance of PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk as it is valid as operational
policy.
Some business policy at PT Bukit Batubara,
being considered important for reviewing the
strategy of human resource management as
follows:
1. Functional job title expected to be carried out as
activities of employees with the level of good
independence and critically accountable.
2. Functional task/jobs should support good
corporate governance.

3. The elaboration of functional job title must

meet integrity of the business, satisfying the
relationships with stakeholders, support
efficiency in every line of business, giving
impact to the work culture synergy, and acting
as a professional with good moral conduct.
4. Each employees may work with synergy, that is
a spirit to join forces in achieving company
goals.
5. Each professional workers shall have an attitude
and a culture of love, appreciate, promote and
develop the skills to be able to deliver the best
work.
6. Every individual employees must have attitude
of preparedness and readiness in every
opportunity to communicate the ideas,
suggestions, always being updated, and eager to
learn technologies that have been developed
outside.

Finally, consultant team has been successful in

making assurance about the consistency
between all those arrangement of job-designs
for professional workers and Job Grading or
Remuneration Job Values, using Hay Pointsystem.
Consultant team accomplished the project,
with the results as follows:
a) The list of job-designs for professional
workers at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk has
been re-arranged completely, including the
specifications within job families. The new
arrangement of those job-designs was
verified with job-grading system using
Hay-Methodology to calculate the match
between compensable factors and job
values within each job titles. There are 388
individual job titles covered by 128 Job
Families.
JD for Professional Generalists

48

JD for Professional-Spesialists

30

JD for Operational Works

325

There are some important notes before and

after the project completion as follows:

Before the project, there was no Job

Family system. All jobs were
distributed into 218 job titles without
job classes. There were 600 job titles
within job classes, but not all those
classes were reflected in a wellstructured or systematic job family.

After the project, Consultant team has

accomplished the improvement of total
403 Individual Job Titles, however
there have been only 388 job titles
being identified completely, the rest of
job titles have not been verified yet;

The accomplishment of project in this

case study has produced a more
simplified arrangement of all job titles
within better structured and wellsystematic job family. Before the
project, the company management has
never verified the differences, or
distinctions among Job Descriptions of
Professional Generalist, Job Descriptions of Professional Specialist, and Job
Descriptions of Operational Works.

b) This case study calculated successfully the

job values (compensable factors) of 19
new-proposed job titles with the use of
Hay-point System or Job Evaluation of Hay
Methodology.
c) Consultant team has also proposed a new
matrix of progressive reward system
(additional remuneration) for professional
workers within new-improved job design.
The system provides jobholders with some
new additional amounts of money, being
awarded as rewards for the achievement of
performances for professional workers.
This is a kind of new matrix of progressive
reward system, which is almost similar
with the system, which already applied for
managerial/structural workers.
VI. ANALYSIS ON THE RESULTS OF CASE
STUDY
Key Issues of Todays design of jobs for
professional workers
1. The company management retain functional
positions as specific design of jobs for
professional workers in the organization
with clear purposes as follows:
a. in order to maintain the presence of
loyalty,
b. motivate employees based on quality,
performance, and competence,
c. encourage employee commitment to
achieve the success of the organization
according to the vision, mission and
7

strategy of the organization by always

taking into account the most efficient
cost .

THE DISTRIBUTION OF FUCTIONAL JOB POSITIONS

2. PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk has been in a

situation of unsafe performance when the
number of functional positions in existing
condition have grown up uncontrollable and
out of reasonable proportion. Therefore, the
project of improvement is expected to
effectively and efficiently support the
business needs in the future with reducing
the number of job positions into
proporsional level. Furthermore upon
completion of the project, the company
management is expected to be able to
provide opportunities for employees with
better promotion in future career, which
should be better appreciated with similar
rewards as employees in managerial
positions.
3. Current situation has been very urgent for
PT Bukit Babutara within which the
company
management
should
start
reviewing and balancing all design of job
according to good proportion between the
size of job content or job load and the
proportion of job values. The needs for
balancing such these proportion should also
bring improvement for all different jobs, by
which each one job may differ among other
jobs.
4. Rearrangement of functional job positions
must promote the grouping into two
different job family: a) functional job
positions with professional characteristics
and b) functional job positions for
operational
works.
Based
on
the
classification of two-job family, the
company management should be able to
identify the difference of factors that
embedded in each job positions. The
identification should be undertaken in
accordance with the Hay Methodology in
defining the compensable factors of each
job positions, which must include: factors of
know-how, factors of accountability, and
factors of problem solving capacity.

VII. Recommendation for Implementation

of career management: A Contributor
Model
The contributor model of career management
being applied at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk was
similar with the model of career management,
which has been developed by Global
Novations (http://www.globalnovations.com,
December 2011). However, there were some
modifications, which applied to the
characteristics of functional job positions at
PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk.
It was really an excellent policy that PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk was ready and available to
implement the contributor model in career
management for professional workers. It means
that the company management has made clear
guidance for developing employees who may
have opportunities to contribute professionally
for the future of company. Now the employees'
career at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk would be
8

available not only in the career path of

managerial positions, but it is open for job
positions as professional workers. The main
reasons by which PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk has
chosen to implement the contributor model of
career management are the effectiveness of the
model in supporting career path of employees
as professional workers. The aim of
implementing a contributor model in career
management was to answer the question of
how the employees as professional workers at
PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk should contribute to
organizational success today, and how these
same employees need to be developed in order
to ensure similar success for their tomorrow
career? GlobalNovations has given the answers
( 2010, pp 1-5) as follows:
The Four Stages of Contribution model was
defined and published in 1977 by Drs. Gene Dalton
and Paul Thompson, where they reported on their
innovative research exploring what high
performance looks likeand how high performers
sustain their performance over time. Their research
revealed that high performing engineers (their
research sample) continually widened the scope of
their contributions by changing the types of
behaviors they demonstrated in their jobs over
time. These engineers realized that the types of
contributions that made them successful early in
their careers would not lead to success later in
their careers. In order to remain relevant with their
organizations changing expectations, change in
behavior and how their work was accomplished
was needed.

The Four Stages of Contribution model as

follows (cf. The Appendix):
Stage 1: The Apprentice or Tahap Kontributor
Pemula /Magang
Stage 2: The Independent Contributor or Tahap
Kontributor Mandiri
Stage 3: The Coach or Idea Leader or Tahap
Kontributor Penggerak atau Pelatih/
Pemimpin Inspiratif
Stage 4: The Organizational Leader or
Kontributor Kepemimpinan Kinerja
Strategis
In this case study, team consultant has
proposed the modifications of contributor
model in career management, which is suitable
to implement and in accordance with the
characteristics of employees at PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk, especially in accordance with

their organizations changing expectations,

change in behavior and how their work. One of
the proposed modifications include two
instruments of Job Matching Program and
Talent Search and Development Program.
Using instruments of skill analyzer, which has
been provided by team consultant, the
company management of PT. Bukit Batubara
Tbk was successfully able to do the placement
activities or appointment of employees into
new design of jobs/works. Such success of
implementation resulted in the satisfaction of
employees, especially when dealing with the
placement of employees within their future
career paths and under the framework of their
career map as professional workers.
Finally, the company management should
prepare further details of continuous
improvement after installing new system in
career management with some important
agenda as follows:
1. The company management needs to make
assurance that the transition of new system
in career management satisfy all
employees and being acceptable for
employees working at functional positions
as well as employees with managerial
functions.
2. When it is considered to be necessary, the
company management should undertake
the above transition with further research
and other case study.
3. Prepare the design-system, suitable to
apply in the evaluation or audit the
implementation of new system in career
management. The preparation of designsystem should consider carefully how four
stages of contributor model being applied
at the process of Job Matching Program
and Talent search and Develoment
Program.
The Methods in implementation of contributor
model for career management
The implementation of contributor model in
new system of management career at any
company should commence with validating the
results of improvement on the design of
jobs/works for specific job family. In certain
condition any company might prepare what has
been explained in the case study of PT. Bukit
Batubara Tbk, as it is related to the kind of job9

family, specific for employees working at

functional positions as professional workers.
When any company consider to undertake the
project of improvement on the design of
jobs/works for professional workers, therefore
it is necessary to follow the four steps of
improvements similar with the one being
applied at PT. Bukit Batubara Tbk. Such
method has been undertaken properly and will
satisfy requirements of validation in the
implementation of new system of career
management: contributor model.
Implementation Procedure for contributor
model in career management
Consultant Team may propose the Manual of
Procedure to implement contributor model in
career management. The company with the
help of consultant team will customize the
manual according to specific condition of the
company, especially customizing the manual in
relation with the use of skill analyser in the
execution of Job Matching Program dan
Talent Search and Development Program.
VIII. CONCLUSION
Finally, recommendations on the results of the
improvement project on the design of
works/jobs for professional workers at PT.
Bukit Batubara Tbk (PTBB) can be
summarized as follows:
1. When applying the contributor model in
career management, PTBB or any other
company, has shown a strong commitment
to give respect to employee performance by
which their performance is not understood
as static, but dynamic contribution. As a
result then, there are some important
obligation of company management to
encourage changes even further so that any
improvements in the future would be
consistent and constant, through the
implementation of the four stages of the
change in the employee's role as a
contributor in the new system of career
management.

into the system and procedures of career

management being implemented with
contributor model.
3. With contributor model in career
management, it is necessary to remind each
individual employee not to jump up with
the movement of their career, but they
needs to follow stages of development in
four contributor model. It is possible to
move even further into next stages, but it is
important to be ready with the previous
stages when smart strategy considered
more important to undertake with more
strong foundation to build smart career in
the future.
4. The culture of works at PTBB or any other
company, which is conducive to the culture
of contributor model in new career
management should be established as
integral part of the system and procedures
in career management for professional
workers. The culture of this kind must give
support to employees in increasing their
influence, perspective, ability to manage
more complex challenges, and give impact
even greater within their contribution to the
company. It is also important to motivate
employees with new culture of sharing
responsibility, which give priorities to
coaching and methoring among peerworkers. Employees must learn the new
spirit in career development where the
movements of career in contributor model
should be understood as strategic growth
rather than linear progression.
5. Contributor model in career management
would not allow any employees working
with mind-set or mentality in a passive
condition, otherwise they must be ready at
all the time to promote themselves and
support peer workers to achieve the best in
their career movements.

2. PTBB or any other company should

encourage the employees to be able to
manage their own learning and growth
within the jobs, especially the growth in
professionalism and work commitment.
Such encouragement must be integrated
10

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Armstrong, Michael. 2000. Strategic Human

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DeSimone.
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The Organizational Change Audit: Part of
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Management. Fitfth Ed., McGraw-Hill,

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2010. From Inclusions to High

Performance: Leveraging and Sustaining
The diverse Workplace. Global Novations
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Management, A Man Power Company.

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Human
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11

APPENDIX
TABEL 1:

CONTRIBUTION MODEL

IN A CORPORATE CULTURE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND HIGH

PERFORMANCE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES BY GLOBAL NOVATIONS

Contributing
Dependently

Contributing
Independently

Contributing
Through Others

Contributing
Strategically

Willingly accepts
supervision

Assumes responsibility
for definable projects

Increases in technical
breadth

Provides direction to
the organization

Demonstrates success
on a portion of a larger
project or task

Relies less on
supervision; produces
significant results and
works independently

Develops a broad
business perspective

Defines/drives critical
business
opportunities and
needs

Grasps or Masters
basic and routine tasks
Showsw directed
creativity and initiative
Performs well under
time and budget
pressure/constraints
Learns how "we" do
things

Increases in technical
expertise and ability
Develops credibility
and a reputation
Builds a strong internal
network of
relationships

Stimulates others
through ideas and
knowledge
Involved as a
manager, mentor,
coach, or idea leader
in developing others
Represents the
organization
effectively to clients
and external groups
Builds a strong
internal and external
network

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Exercised power
responsibly
Obtain essential
resources
Sponsors promising
individuals to prepare
them for leadership
roles
Represents the
organization on
critical strategic
issues

Stage 4

Values

11

APPENDIX

Notes from Michael C. Hyter Maureen Giovannini, PhD. 2010. From Inclusions to High Performance:
Leveraging and Sustaining The diverse Workplace. Global Novations (Pp 6-8)
The Four Stages of Contribution is a descriptive model that can serve as such a road map (Table 1). It is based on
more than 30 years of research with various companies with the goal of understanding how employees increase their
value and contribution over time. This model also provides an excellent way to view the importance and sequence of
developing technical, influential, and relational skills.
According to the model, a direct correlation exists between a person's stage and his or her contribution to the
organization. Making transitions through the stages is the primary way of remaining highly valued over time. In
contrast, remaining in one stage too long, especially Stages 1 and 2, may result in stagnation and a decrease in the
perceived value of one's contributions. We've all seen this pattern in people who have been doing the same job year
after year and just seem to be putting in their time without any real enthusiasm or motivation to excel. Of course,
the timetable for optimal transitions varies widely by job, company, and industry.
So how do people typically progress through the Four Stages? People in Stage 1 are most commonly those who are
newto a job, department, company, or career. They are in a learning mode and, if successful, will make the
transition to Stage 2, where they are expected to contribute independently.
In both Stages 1 and 2, excelling at technical skills is particularly important. At the same time, relational and
influential skills are also necessary in each of these stages. For example, successful Stage 1 employees need to
develop relationships with people who will educate them about the informal culture (the way things really work
around here) and may use influential skills to get informal coaching from subject matter experts. Stage 2 employees
typically require influential skills to ensure that their ideas are acted upon as well as to obtain scarce organizational
resources necessary to get the job done.
The transition from Stage 2 to Stage 3 is the most difficult for all employees because it requires the most significant
psychological shift, along with a change in the way they work. Instead of working independently, Stage 3
employees work through others (coaching, delegating, and/or managing); thus, their contribution is multiplied.
While relational and influential skills are important at every stage, they are essential to making this transition. Indeed,
employees who concentrate almost exclusively on technical skills tend to get stuck in Stage 2, where their value
and often their engagement diminishes over time. While employees must take personal responsibility for their
careers, managers play a key role in ensuring that their peopleespecially women and people of colorget the
necessary assignments and coaching that will help them to develop relational and influential skills appropriate to
each stage.
Finally, Stage 4 employees are expected to have the relational and influential skills needed to provide the high-level
leadership that defines the future of the organization. Acquiring these skills is usually the result of getting visible,
important, and complex developmental assignments that require both personal confidence and management support.
It is important to note that the Four Stages refer to the way work gets done and the scope of the work, not to one's
formal job title. hence, people at Stage 3 or 4 may not necessarily be formal managers or leaders in the
organization. This is particularly true for Stage 3.

12