A human capital measurement scale

Despite the large number of academic publications in human capital, there are few instruments to measure it. The purpose of this paper is to develop a holistic scale to measure human capital, considering aspects related to competence, attitudes, skills, leadership, and organizational memory.

First, a literature review of the existing measurement models was carried out. Second, based on the results the authors developed a scale and a questionnaire that were applied in a financial institution in Santa Catarina, Brazil, supported by a factor analysis and a reliability analysis.

As a result of this study a scale consisting of 13 variables of human capital emerged that have been grouped into three factors – leadership and motivation; qualifications; and satisfaction and creativity – which can assist in the organization’s human capital measurement. From a theoretical view, a more holistic scale is provided, which helps to overcome a unilateral focus on knowledge (intangibles).

This work points out that the survey data were collected from a sample of 220 relationship managers of a specific financial institution. The results should be tested in other banks or organizations from other sectors to check their suitability and to be generalized.

From a practical point of view, it contributes a “tool” that can assist in the measurement of human capital and in the knowledge contained, dimensioning the organizational memory and human repositories.

This is the first study that provides a scale to measure organizational human capital from the Brazilian financial perspective.