SECTION 1: Example Exercise Outcomes

SECTION 2: Competencies and Behavioural Indicators

Assigned Role Group Exercise
Candidate Instructions Booklet

This exercise has been designed to simulate the type of group exercises which are
typically used by employers. We recommend you work through this group exercise with
at least three other people in order to create a realistic exercise preview. In this group
exercise each candidate is deliberately given the same instructions. Sometimes however
candidates will be assigned a role which they will have to adopt during the exercise.

After you have completed this exercise, you can review our Candidate Guidance Booklet
to see what behaviours assessors would typically look for in this exercise, what sort of
ideas might get suggested during the exercise, and tips for how you should conduct
yourself during a group exercise.

The exercise will begin on the next page.

AssessmentDay
Practice Aptitude Tests
 Introduction

This exercise has been developed to assess your behaviour in the workplace and your effectiveness
at working within a team. This exercise will require you to address a number of issues and provide
practical solutions. Each candidate will be provided with a set of objectives they will need to achieve
during this exercise.

Exercise Scenario

You and your team members are graduate fast track management employees at the large UK based
telecoms provider Kurzon Group Ltd. Kurzon has been a staple provider of landline and broadband
internet services for many years, and has positioned itself as one of the top providers in the country.
The company’s strategy has historically been to offer the best possible service and products at higher
end prices, catering mostly to large families with moderate to high incomes. Senior executives at
Kurzon have decided to launch several new regional level subsidiary brands, offering economy priced
telecoms services and products, under a different brand name. These new brands will target smaller
families, lower income households and light users of internet and telephone services. This move will
allow Kurzon to enter this area of the market without diluting the already strong Kurzon brand
name.

The group will have 45 minutes for this exercise.

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 The issue

You and your colleagues have opted to join one of the newly incepted Kurzon subsidiary brands,
Data-net. Data-net will be headquartered in the south east of England, a short distance away from
the original Kurzon office which you and your colleagues at Kurzon were previously based. The staff
of Data-net will be formed of high-flying graduate fast track employees and highly experienced
professionals from Kurzon in order to ensure the effectiveness of the new brand. Kurzon has allotted
£6 million (£6,000,000) towards Data-nets annual budget, to be divided among the company’s
separate functions.

Your task

You and your colleagues have been asked to attend a 45 minute meeting in order to decide amongst
yourselves what proportion of the £6 Million budget each function should receive. You have been
chosen by your respective function to represent them at this meeting, and ensure that your function
receives the necessary funding, while still acting in the best interests of the company as a whole.
Each team member has been provided with a list of expenses, and will need to prioritise their
expenses, identifying which expenses are high priority, medium priority and low priority.
You have been informed by senior executives that:

1. Receiving the maximum amount for an expense would provide the optimum quality
service/product and receiving the minimum amount for an expense would provide the least
effective quality service/product.
2. Each expense can receive funding anywhere between the stated minimum and maximum
cost.
3. At the same time, you are obliged to do what is in the best interests of your company, and
ensure that the budget is fairly allotted to meet the essential costs of all functions.
4. You are required to provide funding for each expense.
5. You are required to allot the entire £6 million.
6. You will all need to reach an agreement on the budget allocation by the end of the 45
minute meeting; otherwise senior management will make the decision without your input.

Each group member has been randomly allotted a specific role within the company, along with a list
of expenses related to that specific department. Your role and expense list can be seen on the
following page.

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 Lead Human Resources Advisor

Staff salary
About: The staff salary cost accounts for the basic salary of the staff in the HR department at Data-
net. It will also include employer national insurance payments, employer pension contributions, sick
leave payments, redundancy payments, maternity/paternity leave payments and paid leave for jury
service. Staff bellow the rank of Human Resources Advisor are paid by the hour, and staff above the
rank of Human Resources Advisor are paid a fixed monthly salary.

Costs:

• Minimum - £250,000
• Maximum – £375,000

Fringe benefits
About: The fringe benefits costs are the regular, discretionary and optional bonuses offered to
employees as part of their remuneration or as a reward for performance. These benefits may include
childcare vouchers, subsidised gym memberships, performance related bonuses, Christmas bonuses,
profit share schemes, company car programs and employee health insurance. An employee’s
entitlement to fringe benefits increases with seniority.

Costs:

• Minimum -£45,000
• Maximum -£67,500

CIPD memberships, subscriptions and training:

About: The chartered institute of personnel and development (CIPD) is the professional association
for human resources management professionals. It is company policy that all HR professionals above
the rank of Human Resources Advisor are at least part CIPD qualified, with CIPD memberships,
subscriptions and continuing professional development (CPD) courses paid for by the employing
organisation. HR professionals at Data-net are sponsored to attend CIPD conferences, undertake
certificates, diplomas and if requested, degree level CIPD education as part of their personal and
professional development.

Costs:

• Minimum -£35,000
• Maximum -£55,000

Change management consultant fees

About: The services of an organisational change management practitioner are to be employed in
order to help the employees previously employed by Kurzon adjust to the change of employment.
Organisational change initiatives and new business ventures typically have a low chance of long term
success, promoting the HR department to bring in an outside consultant to help oversee the change
from an outside, objective perspective.
Costs:
• Minimum -£50,000
• Maximum -£75,000

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 Travel expenses
About: Human resources professionals at Data-net are required to attend meetings, hearings and
investigations across the local region. As a Kurzon subsidiary brand, Data-net must report workforce
intelligence, HR management issues and employment legal issues to head office in a regular fashion.
It is the legal obligation of Data-net to reimburse employees required to travel as part of their
professional responsibilities.

Costs:

• Minimum -£4,000
• Maximum -£6,000

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 Finance Team Leader

Staff salary
About: The staff salary cost accounts for the basic salary of the staff in the finance department at
Data-net. It will also include employer national insurance payments, employer pension
contributions, sick leave payments, redundancy payments, maternity/paternity leave payments and
paid leave for jury service. The administration assistants in the finance department are paid by the
hour, whereas accountants and other professionally trained finance staff receive a fixed monthly
salary.

Costs:

• Minimum -£270,000
• Maximum - £ 400,000

Fringe benefits:
About: The fringe benefits costs are the regular, discretionary and optional bonuses offered to
employees as part of their remuneration or as a reward for performance. These benefits may include
childcare vouchers, subsidised gym memberships, performance related bonuses, Christmas bonuses,
profit share schemes, company car programs and employee health insurance. An employee’s
entitlement to fringe benefits increases with seniority.

Costs:

• Minimum -£75,000
• Maximum -£110,000

ACCA membership, subscriptions and training:

About: The association of chartered certified accountants (ACCA) is a global body for professional
accountants offering the chartered certified accountant qualification. All accountants at Data-net are
required to undergo ACCA training and accreditation, as well as regular continuing professional
development courses and regular training. Entry level accountancy staff will be sponsored through
their ACCA training, and their membership to the ACCA and other subsequent ACCA subscriptions
will be paid for by Data-net. Similarly, senior staff will be sponsored to undertake training course,
diplomas and degree level training if requested.

Costs:

• Minimum -£20,000
• Maximum -£30,000

Corporate tax advisory fees

About: In order to minimise data-nets tax liability and to avoid accidentally infringing on any tax
laws, Data-net has decided to seek the assistance of a corporate tax advisor. This adviser will be
instrumental in developing Data-nets tax model, helping maximise tax relief and improve financial
efficiency. The corporate tax advisor will also help ensure tax compliance, benchmark effective tax
rate against our competitors and facilitate increasing profits.

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 Costs:

• Minimum -£10,000
• Maximum -£15,000

Finance consultant
About: In order to encourage the smooth running of the finance department, and the financial
performance of the company, the finance department is bringing in an outside financial expert. This
finance consultant will provide a neutral outside view on the company’s financial performance, and
provide practical recommendations and strategies to improve the financial performance of Data-net
and its finance department.
Costs:
• Minimum -£30,000
• Maximum -£45,000

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 Marketing Manager

Staff salary
About: The staff salary cost accounts for the basic salary of the staff in the Marketing department at
Data-net. It will also include employer national insurance payments, employer pension
contributions, sick leave payments, redundancy payments, maternity/paternity leave payments and
paid leave for jury service. Administrative staff receives payment based on the number of hours
worked, whereas more senior marketing staff are paid a fixed monthly salary.

Costs:

• Minimum -£550,000
• Maximum - £850,000

Fringe benefits
About: The fringe benefits costs are the regular, discretionary and optional bonuses offered to
employees as part of their remuneration or as a reward for performance. These benefits may include
childcare vouchers, subsidised gym memberships, performance related bonuses, Christmas bonuses,
profit share schemes, company car programs and employee health insurance. An employee’s
entitlement to fringe benefits increases with seniority.

Costs:

• Minimum -£75,000
• Maximum - £105,000

Radio advertising
About: The senior marketing team have decided to launch a radio advertising campaign to increase
public awareness and reach our target market. The radio advertisement itself will be designed to
appeal to our target market of lower income families, single individuals and light users of telecoms
services in the regional area.

Costs:

• Minimum -£20,000
• Maximum -£30,000

Television advertising
About: A television advertisement campaign was agreed upon, designed specifically to appeal to our
target market. This television ad will inform our target market of our prices, familiarise potential
customers with company branding and generally increase public awareness of the brand and its
products on offer.

Costs:

• Minimum -£80,000
• Maximum -£120,000

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 Public relations firm fees
About: In order to ensure that the marketing push goes to plan, and to help avoid a potential public
relations faux pas, Data-net is employing the services of a public relations firm to help oversee the
marketing and public awareness campaign. The public relations firm will also aid in the marketing
push by helping develop the Data-net brand into a well-known and publicly trusted organisation.

Costs:

• Minimum -£30,000
• Maximum -£45,000

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 Business Development Manager

Staff salary
About: The staff salary cost accounts for the basic salary of the staff at the Business development
department at Data-net. It will also include employer national insurance payments, employer
pension contributions, sick leave payments, redundancy payments, maternity/paternity leave
payments and paid leave for jury service. Junior sales staff will be paid by the hour, where as senior
business development staff and management will receive a fixed monthly salary.

Costs:

• Minimum -£350,000
• Maximum -£475,000

Fringe benefits
About: The fringe benefits costs are the regular, discretionary and optional bonuses offered to
employees as part of their remuneration or as a reward for performance. These benefits may include
childcare vouchers, subsidised gym memberships, performance related bonuses, Christmas bonuses,
profit share schemes, company car programs and employee health insurance. An employee’s
entitlement to fringe benefits increases with seniority.

Costs:

• Minimum -£70,000
• Maximum - £105,000

Sales target rewards

About: Sales staff in the business development department are currently not eligible for
performance related bonuses under the fringe benefits label. To align the motives of the sales staff
with the aims of the organisation, sale target rewards such as individual and group commission will
be made available to the sales staff. Similarly non-cash prizes including vouchers will be presented to
the highest billing sales team members in order to encourage a culture of performance.

Costs:

• Minimum -£60,000
• Maximum -£90,000

Team building exercises

About: In order to build a culture of teamwork and solidarity within Data-net’s sales team, taking the
team on team building exercise days will be utilised. Due to the high potential in a sales environment
for the office to become tense due to over competitiveness, team building exercises can help
maintain a cohesive and cooperative office environment. These teambuilding exercises will include
seminars, outdoor trips and indoor sporting activities.

Costs:

• Minimum -£10,000
• Maximum -£15,000

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 Customer analytics software
About: Customer analytics software will provide the sales team with detailed information regarding
customers and market conditions. Customer analytics software is a commonly used marketing tool
designed to increase sales performance and return on investment in a sales department. Relevant
sales/customer service data is collected and presented in the form of graphs, Venn diagrams and
charts in order to make the data more user and manager friendly.

Costs:

• Minimum –£1000
• Maximum –£1,500

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 Lead Operations Officer

Staff salary
About: The staff salary cost accounts for the basic salary of the staff in the Operations department at
Data-net. It will also include employer national insurance payments, employer pension
contributions, sick leave payments, redundancy payments, maternity/paternity leave payments and
paid leave for jury service. Junior staff will be paid per hour worked, whereas more senior staff will
receive a fixed monthly salary.

Costs:

• Minimum -£1,500,000
• Maximum -£2,250,000

Fringe benefits
About: The fringe benefits costs are the regular, discretionary and optional bonuses offered to
employees as part of their remuneration or as a reward for performance. These benefits may include
childcare vouchers, subsidised gym memberships, performance related bonuses, Christmas bonuses,
profit share schemes, company car programs and employee health insurance. An employee’s
entitlement to fringe benefits increases with seniority.

Costs:

• Minimum -£150,000
• Maximum -£250,000

Product development
About: As a newly incepted brand, Data-net is to develop its own line of telecoms products,
including internet and landline telephone services. Therefore product development is necessary in
order to distinguish itself from the Kurzon parent brand and provide cost effective products and
services to the new customer base. Product development will include the materials costs,
production costs and any other expenses required to produce Data-nets new range.

Costs:

• Minimum -£1,000,000
• Maximum -£1,500,000

Patent Attorney fees

About: in order to ensure that the products developed by Data-net are protected by law, and
therefore cannot be copied by a competitor, a patent attorney is to be hired in order to secure
patents for data-nets products. This patent lawyer will be brought in from a fee charging patent law
firm, and will remain in our employment until patents are secured for our products. The patent
attorney will also provide legal advice regarding any potential patent infractions when developing
our products.

Costs:

• Minimum – £50,000

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 • Maximum – £75,000

Health and safety awareness training

About: Some of the junior staff at the operations department shall be new hires, rather than
experienced employees from Kurzon. Therefore the management team will set up a series of health
and safety awareness training programs alongside their official training, aimed at encouraging the
best health and safety practice among the operations staff. The content of these training sessions
will include how to properly use use/check equipment, first aid training and health and safety law
awareness.

Costs:

• Minimum -£15,000
• Maximum -£22,500

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 Participant feedback form

1. How satisfied were you with your performance?

a) Very Satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neither satisfied or dissatisfied
d) Unsatisfied
e) Very unsatisfied

2. How satisfied were you with your group’s performance?

a) Very Satisfied
b) Satisfied
c) Neither satisfied or dissatisfied
d) Unsatisfied
e) Very unsatisfied

3. Please rank all your group members, including yourself, in order of who contributed most
to the overall effectiveness of the group.

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

4. How did the group member ranked number 1 provide the most valuable contributions to
the group?

5. How did the group member ranked the lowest provide the least valuable contributions to
the group?

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 -- End of Exercise Documentation --

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