48150543 competency mapping

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Competency Mapping

Chapter 1: BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS

A term that has gained wider circulation in the management profession in recent times is

Competency Mapping.

It is about identifying preferred behaviours and personal skills which distinguish

excellent and outstanding performance from the average. A Competency is the

ingredients (skills, knowledge, attributes and behaviours) that contribute to excellence.

WHY COMPETENCY MAPPING?

Every employee is expected to give 2,400 hour of his / her active time in a year for the

organization. What is the organization expectation from the employee? What are the

recurring and non-recurring activities? What are the critical abilities (knowledge,

attitudes, skills, etc.) and the competencies required to perform these tasks and activities?

These are some of the basic but essential questions to be answered in the early stages /

phases of the organization.


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Traditional Job vs Competency Approach

Thus Competency Mapping has gained importance, due to following several reasons:

Increased costs of Manpower

Need for ensuring that competent people are available for performing

various competent roles.

Down sizing and the consequent work to be done with less manpower, low cost

and from the competent people and seeing the advantage / result to the customer.

If the organization has the right technology, right resources, right finance,

customers and markets, right systems and processes in place then every thing can be

set right or managed effectively.


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Competency Mapping is important and is an essential exercise. Every well established or

big firm or organization should have well established competencies for each employee so

that the respective roles can be well performed. These competencies can be used for the

following processes:

Recruitment and Selection process

Performance Management (for promotions, incentives)

Training & Development (for carrying out Training Needs Identification process)

DEFINITION OF COMPETENCY

There are different definitions given for Competency Mapping.

According to UNIDO (2002)

A Competency is a set of skills, related knowledge and attributes that allow an

individual to successfully perform a task or an activity within a specific function or job.

According to Timothy, Athey and Michael

A competency is a set of observable performance dimensions including individual

knowledge, skills, attitudes and behavior as well as collective teams, processes and

organizational capabilities that are linked to high performance and provide the

organization with sustainable competitive advantage.


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What is common in the definitions?

Competency may take the following forms:

Knowledge

Attitude

Skill

Other characteristics of an individual including:

Motives

Values


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Traits

Self Concept

Defining job competencies is useful in assisting individuals to develop their

competencies for that job.

Competencies are contextual. The context is given by the organization, the function, the

role, the level and the timing. Normally when the Competency Mapping is done the

organizational, the functional and role related contexts are taken into consideration. Thus

the competencies required to perform the role of the General Manager in one

organization cannot be easily used for another.

For example: General Manager of Finance needs different competencies than those of

the General Manager of Marketing. Competencies needed for performing the role of a

General Manager differs from that of the Deputy General Manager depending on the

organization, its structure, function, profile etc.

METHODOLOGY USED FOR COMPETENCY MAPPING

Resource / Expert Panels

Structured process to get the participants (Job holders, managers HR /

training staff) to think systematically about the job, skills and personal

characteristics needed for success.

Critical Event Interviews

Structured interviews with superior performers which involve in-depth

probing of a large number of events and experiences.


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Generic competency Dictionaries

Conceptual frameworks of commonly encountered competencies and behaviour

indicators.

Task analysis workshops

Can be used in resource panel by asking the participants to select a set of generic

competencies related to the job and rate the importance

Use of Job descriptions, Performance Appraisal formats, etc.

Questionnaire

IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMPETENCIES

A detailed approach to identify the competencies is given in the subsequent units of

Role Set Based Competency Mapping (RSBCM).

In the above methods some of the following steps can be used:

1. Decide the roles for which competencies has to be prepared

2. Identify the location of the roles in the organizational structure. This needs the

clarity of organizational structure, defining the role relationships (reportingauthority, subordinates, colleagues, etc.).

3. Identify the objectives or roles or functions of the department wherever

competency mapping is to be carried out. Also identify why does this role exist

and what are the main purposes of this role?


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4. Collect the KRAS or Key Performance Areas of the position for the last 2 years

from the performance appraisal records.

5. Interview the employee (of a particular position for which the competency

mapping has to be done) to list the actual knowledge, attitude, skills and other

competencies required for performing the task effectively. Repeat the whole

process with all the employees.

6. Consolidate all the competencies.

7. Present this to the group of successful role holders and get them to access the

relative importance of each.

8. Identify the Behavior indicators for each competency.

9. Define the level of the competency by identifying the indicators of each level ofthe competency.

FORMS OF COMPETENCIES:

Knowledge


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The set of knowledge required by the candidate / employee for a specific position.

This knowledge can be technical.

Skills

Skill is the ability to perform physical or mental task. For example: the ability to perform

an operation or to prepare a project proposal or to manage a team.

Skills require knowledge, attitudes and practices. For example: skill to convince another

person to buy a new product, the skill to move or motivate an audience by moving

speech.

Attitudes

Attitudes are predispositions to other individuals, groups, objects, situations, events,

issues, etc. Attitudes decide our approach or avoidance behavior. Attitudes are formed

from experiences and change from time to time.

Values

Values are more enduring and more generalized beliefs and attitudes in our personality.

They are more permanent than attitudes.

Motives & Traits

Motives drive, direct and select behavior towards certain actions or goals.

For example: achievement motivation is needed for entrepreneurs, influence motivation

for teachers and managers.

Good qualities like quick reaction, good eyesight are physical characteristics that can be

considered as traits or qualities.

Traits also mean response patterns to situations. For example: emotional self control,

sociability, activity level, reflectiveness, etc. are all traits.


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Chapter 2: Mapping Process

First stage: of mapping requires understanding the vision and mission of the organization.

Second stage: requires understanding from the superior performers the behavioral as well as

the functional aspects required to perform job effectively.

Tool for the first and second stage: Structured Interview

Third stage: involves thorough study of the Structured Interview Reports

a) Identification of the competency based on competency frame work

b) Measurement of competency

c) Required levels of competency for each job family

d) 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: requires preparation for assessment.a) Methods of assessment can be either through assessment centers or 360 Degree

Feedback

b) 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

iii. 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 behaviour has to bedocumented.

Fifth 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.


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Sixth stage: involves detailed report of the competencies assessed and also the development

plan for the developmental areas.

Chapter 3: Competency Assessment process

Competency Assessment:

Step 1 : Effective Job Description:

First, We have to create an effective Job Description. Details covered within a job

description would be: the job title; who is accountable for the employee; the location of

the job; a brief description of what the job entails; a list of duties and responsibilities;working conditions.

An effort will be to define clearly what the job is about and what can be expected from

the job.

Step 2 : Strength and Areas of improvements Approach :

Before going for self evaluation of competency approach, Strength and Weaknesses

(Areas of improvements) we need to identify. This would give fair, realistic view of the

functioning characteristics of the departments activities and would focus on the presentstatus of the functions vis--vis establish linkage with plant/corporate goal.

Step 3: Self evaluation of Core competencies

For each of the identified minimum competencies, (here, we need to come out with

Numbers related to each activities/job).

Step 4: Self evaluation of Skill levels

Based on the Skill description , the Appraise should make self evaluation in terms of

his/her level for each skill .The reason for the level rating should be described in column

of the excel sheet . The level will be determined based on the following definitions:


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a Level 1: Has basic knowledge/ awareness of the skill

b Level 2: Has /possesses working knowledge of the skill

c Level 3: Has/possesses comprehensive skill to the job well

d Level 4: Has mastered /can coach the skill and can guide others

2. Add up the scores in both the column Required Level and Actual level .The

skill index will be calculated as the % of actual scores to the required Scores , as

follows :

Step 5: Assess Core Competencies:

1. The self evaluation by the Appraisee becomes the basic for assessment of the core

competencies .

2. Enter specific observation (s) in the column OFI (Opportunity for

improvements ) .Theseobservations should lead to identification of specific Methodologies for

Competency improvements.

3. Calculate the score. Each core competency has two points if it is fully met and 1

point if it is partially met.

4. In the Table for Competency Improvement Plan write a plan of action to dealwith.

a) Identify a Training input if the Appraisee had not been exposed to the core

competencies, of if S/he needs an advanced input.

b) If there are attitudinal issues impacting the exhibition of the Core

competencies, a personal counseling by Appraiser, Reviewer, and HR should


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be planned and this should be documented.

c) If the conceptual input have already been provided, or if such input are easily

available (through books, Professional magazine, Manuals, Internet) to the

Appraisee, then it is a question of Self development.

Step 6 : Assess Skill Level :

a) For each position, the skills should be defined . Based on the Skill Dictionary

(which we have to prepare for the positions), need to be assessed. The Appraiser will

conduct this assessment, based on the reasons given by the Appraisee in the Self

evaluation. Before commencing the Appraiser should seek the view of the Reviewer on

the Appraisee.

b) Based on the discussion, the Apprise actual level should be determined

and entered.

c) Wherever the Actual scores are lower, enter specific comments inRemarks column to Identify Training and Self development opportunities for the

Appraisee.

d) Add up the scores in both the columns Required level and Actual

level .The skillIndex is calculated as the % of Actual Scores to Required Score.

e) In the table for Skill Improvements plan identify specific plans for

improvement. Identify An appropriate Training input, Self development plans,

assignments etc to help the Appraisee improve his/her skill level.

Step 7 : Calculate Competency Index::

a) The Competency Index for the Appraisee is calculated on the basis of

weighted indices for Core Competency and Skills.


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Chapter 4: Role Set Based Competency Mapping [RSBCM]

48150543 competency mapping

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