What is Position Management (AKA Position Control)?

With all of the turnover happening as part of the Great Resignation/Reshuffling/Whatever, your organization might have an increased interest in understanding and analyzing the positions within your org. If so, this is where position management comes into play. In this article we'll define position management and provide some insights into why it matters.

Is it Position Management or Position Control?

First, let’s address the fact that there are two similar terms you might hear or read on this topic: "Position management" and "position control". Is there a difference? We say "no"—position management and position control refer to the same thing.

Some will argue that position control doesn’t include employee data, whereas position management does. We don't really see any value in that distinction because you always want the ability to combine position and employee data. So, we use both terms interchangeably and find that most people in the industry do as well.

What is Position Management/Control?

With that out of the way, let's explain what position management is:

Position management is the process of planning, managing, and reporting about the positions within an organization, regardless of whether the positions are filled or open. By necessity, many HR processes and tools center around people. Position management provides a robust foundation upon which those people processes should be built. Position control (see how we're making sure you learn both terms?) determines what an organization’s structure (or hierarchy) looks like, what the budgets are for the necessary positions, and also tracks the history of positions and occupants over time. Let's expand on what that means.

You've likely heard the cliche, "Your people are your most important asset." That's probably the most common HR slogan in the world. It's probably so popular because there's a lot of truth in it, but it's also an oversimplification. Great organizations aren't simply made up of great people. They're made up of great people who are perfectly matched with the job they were hired to do. In other words, the right people are in the right positions.

Position control, done correctly, helps you attract, retain, promote, and replace the talented people that make your organization great. Check back soon for the next article about the benefits of implementing position control/management.

Schedule a demo today to learn how Built can assist your organization with position control.