The Spotlight Tool is a classification framework designed to help HR practitioners and jobholders identify more precisely the less-recognised awareness, organisational and social skills required in any job activity. It helps ‘shine a light’ on the skills through which jobholders build on experience in carrying out individual and group activities.

The framework consists of:

1. Three sets of skills (shaping awareness, interacting/relation and coordinating);
2. Five learning-based levels of each skill (from familiarisation through problem-solving, to expert system-shaping).

An accompanying list of work activities exemplifies the use of each skill element at each level. Selected activity examples can be used to help pinpoint the skills required in specific jobs, or be included in position descriptions.

The framework gives a new precision to concepts such as ‘problem-solving’, ‘communication skills’ and ‘time management’, providing a systematic way of naming different levels of the skills that are the basis of effective work performance.

The Spotlight Toolkit consists of four user guides and a set of template resources:

1. Introduction for Managers
2. Job Descriptions
3. Recruitment and Selection
4. Performance Management

The Spotlight tools are available free from the Department of Labour.