Competency Mapping

                                                  COMPETENCY MAPPING

 ABSTRACT

This paper focus on competency marketing. Competency mapping is an process an individual uses to identify and describe competencies that are the most critical to success in a work situation or work role. This paper deals with component of competency, competency model, mapping process and benefits of using competency.

INTRODUCTION

Competency Mapping is processes of identifying key competencies for an organization and/or a job and incorporating those competencies throughout the various processes (i.e. job evaluation, training, recruitment) of the organization. It generally examines two areas: emotional intelligence or emotional quotient (EQ), and strengths of the individual in areas like team structure, leadership, and decision-making. Large organizations frequently employ some form of competency mapping to understand how to most effectively employ the competencies of strengths of workers. . Competency mapping can also be done for contract or freelance workers, or for those seeking employment to emphasize the specific skills which would make them valuable to a potential employer. These kinds of skills can be determined, when one is ready to do the work.

DEFINITION:

According to Boyatzis(1982)   “A capacity that exists in a person that leads to behaviour that meets the job demands within parameters of organizational environment, and that, in turn brings about desired results” 

COMPONENTS OF COMPETENCY

There are four major components of competency: 

1.SKILL: capabilities acquired through practice. It can be a financial skill such as budgeting, or a verbal skill such as making a presentation.

2.KNOWLEDGE: understanding acquired through learning. This refers to a body of information relevant to job performance. It is what people have to know to be able to perform a job, such as knowledge of policies and procedures for a recruitment process.

3.PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES: inherent characteristics which are brought to the job, representing the essential foundation upon which knowledge and skill can be developed.

4.BEHAVIOR: The observable demonstration of some competency, skill, knowledge and personal attributes. It is an essentially definitive expression of a competency in that it is a set of action that, presumably, can be observed, taught, learned, and measured.

 COMPETENCY MODEL:

Competency model is a set of competencies that include the key behaviors required for excellent performance in a particular role.

DESIGN DECISION

In term of grand design, competency model should be guided by firm’s strategy which is shaped by four factors: vision & mission, stakeholder requirements, market realities and core capabilities of the firm.

In a more technical design, competency model development should be determined in the process of design decision. In this stage, one should discuss the design of the model with clients, based on their specific needs and expected outcomes of the competency model.

The following are some factors that need to be considered in deciding the design of the competency model.

1.CONTEXT:

Competencies are actually context bound. They answer the question ‘What does a superior performer look like in a specific setting?’ In other words, effective competencies are linked to a particular organizational target or goal. Therefore, depending on the context, the design of models may be geared toward:

• the total organization (e.g.,  core competencies or values)
• an entire function (e.g.,  finance, human resources)
• a specific role (e.g.,  HR generalist)
• a specific job (e.g.,  compensation analyst)

2.LEVEL OF ORIENTATION:

This factor deals with the level of orientation of the model: will the model reflect future or current job requirements. The degree of future orientation depends on how the organization plans to apply the model and the pace and nature of changes occurring within the organization. If an organization decides that their model will be based on future requirements, they might use future performance needs (i.e., benchmark data; best practices) to create competencies.

3.LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY:

Two other critical factors should be considered in developing competencies the length of models and the degree of complexity and detail described in behavioral indicators. Frequently, competency initiatives fail because models are too long and too detailed or because organizations spend too much time and too many resources researching and editing behaviors. Consequently, organizations fail to provide a simple framework to users in a timely manner. Models that work best follow the 80-20 rule. They provide the 20% of behaviors that drive 80% of excellent performance.

4.THE MODEL SHOULD BE LINKED TO STRATEGY:

Effective competency models support and contribute to the company's and the function's strategy and goals.  For instance, if a goal of the company is to transcend functional barriers, the model needs to describe the behaviors that demonstrate that competency.  Likewise, if a goal is ensuring that all employees communicate and work together effectively, the model should describe the behaviors that demonstrate that competency.

5.THE MODEL SHOULD BE COMPANY SPECIFIC:

Unlike many job descriptions, competency models are not easily transferable among companies.  Competencies needed for a company are determined by the company's unique characteristics, such as culture, strategy, size, and industry.  This is true even of the competencies needed for a position common to many companies, such as the job of a financial analyst.  The competencies required of a financial analyst at an automobile manufacturer are vastly different from those required of a financial analyst at a health care company, for instance.

6.THE DEVELOPED MODEL SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE:

A good competency model functions as a performance management tool. It provides enough detail to distinguish between employees who are operating at different levels of proficiency. It also helps a company articulate why an employee is at the current level and the competencies needed to advance. In this sense, a competency model is prescriptive, yet it must not be too binding. It needs to be flexible enough to accommodate differing approaches to success, simple enough to be easily understood, and readily adaptable to changing business environments.

7.THE MODEL SHOULD BE FUTURE-ORIENTED:

Competency models with a forward-looking perspective stimulate organizational change. Rather than defining competencies in the context of "tasks," or how a job has traditionally been carried out, useful competencies articulate how the job is evolving and will best be performed in the future. Not only does this approach increase a model's shelf life, it ensures that employees have enough time to understand what the required competencies are and to develop them.

MAPPING PROCESS:

There are about five stages while performing competency mapping. The following are the five stages discussed in detail.

FIRST STAGE:

The first stage of mapping requires understanding the vision and mission of the organization.

SECOND STAGE:

Second stage requires understanding from the superior performers the behavioural as well as the functional aspects required to perform job effectively.

THIRD STAGE:

Third stage involves thorough study of the BEI Reports/ Structured Interview Reports.

• Identification of the competency based on competency frame work.
• Measurement of competency.
• Required levels of competency for each job family.
• Development of dictionary which involves detail description of the competency based on the indicators.
•  Care should be taken that the indicators should be measurable and gives objective judgment.

FOURTH STAGE:

a.            This stage requires preparation for assessment.

b.            Methods of assessment can be either through assessment centers or 360 Degree Feedback

c.             If assessment centre is the choice for assessment then tools has to be ready beforehand                                                                                      

 i.      Tools should objectively measure the entire competency required.                    ii.      Determine the type of the tools for measuring competency 

ii.      Prepare the schedule for assessment

iv.      Training to the assessor should indicate their thorough understanding of the competencies and the tools and also as to how the behavior has to be documented.

FIFTH STAGE:

This stage involves conducting assessment centre.  Usually it is a two day program which would involve giving a brief feedback to the participant about the competencies that has been assessed and where they stand to. 

SIXTH STAGE:

Sixth stage involves detailed report of the competencies assessed and also the development plan for the developmental areas.

BENEFITS OF USING COMPETENCY MODEL

There are some useful benefits of using competency model for the company, managers, and employees as well.

FOR THE COMPANY

• Reinforce corporate strategy, culture, and vision.
• Establish expectations for performance excellence, resulting in a systematic approach to professional development, improved job satisfaction, and better employee retention.
• Increase the effectiveness of training and professional development programs by linking them to the success criteria (i.e., behavioral standards of excellence).
• Provide a common framework and language for discussing how to implement and communicate key strategies.
• Provide a common understanding of the scope and requirements of a specific role.
• Provide common, organization-wide standards for career levels that enable employees to move across business boundaries.

FOR MANAGERS:

• Identify performance criteria to improve the accuracy and ease of the hiring and selection process.
• Provide more objective performance standards.
• Clarify standards of excellence for easier communication of performance expectations to direct reports.
• Provide a clear foundation for dialogue to occur between the manager and employee about performance, development, and career-related issues.

FOR EMPLOYEES:

• Identify the success criteria (i.e., behavioral standards of performance excellence) required to be successful in their role.
• Support a more specific and objective assessment of their strengths and specify targeted areas for professional development.
• Provide development tools and methods for enhancing their skills.
• Provide the basis for a more objective dialogue with their manager or team about performance, development, and career related issues.