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Competency mapping important tool:

Finding the right fit for the right job is a matter of concern for most organisations

especially in todays economic crisis. As meeting an individual's career aspirations

are concerned, once the organisation gives an employee the perspective of what is

required from him/her to reach a particular position, it drives them to develop thecompetencies for the same.

Competencies enable individuals to identify and articulate what they offer

-regardless of the job. Competency mapping is a process of identifying key

competencies for a particular position in an organisation, and then using it for job-

evaluation, recruitment, training and development, performance management,

succession planning, etc. Introduction of competency mapping has also involved

introducing skill appraisals in performance appraisals.

Need of the hour

The slowing economy around the world has put new and increased pressure on an

organisations capability to get more out of the available resource they have, and

this often translates into pressure on the individual employees. That is where it is

important to correlate performance result with competencies. It is therefore

imperative to define a set of core competencies which corresponds the

organisations key market differentiator, says Gyanendra Acharya, manager -

human resources, Hughes Systique Corporation.

The current economic downturn has created a situation for companies to scale

down various overhead costs to meet their growth requirements. Competency

modeling identifies the precise set of competencies and proficiency levels needed

for every role in the organisation. This system helps identify specific areas of

training and maps employee growth to strategic business needs. During a difficult

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economic situation, it becomes particularly important for organisations to sustain

their competitive edge in the industry by investing in learning and development

programs that will empower employees to build on their strategic career

objectives, notes Narendra Raje, director - learning and development, Unisys.

Competency mapping An important HR tool

Companies have long realised the importance of competency mapping as an

important HR function. This is especially relevant in this recessionary environment

where human capital is one of the most important assets of an organisation and

needs to be nurtured. According to Ajay Trehan, founder, CEO, AuthBridge There is

always a need to have the best quality manpower. More and more companies are

using competency mapping tools to screen and hire people with specific

competencies. There might be a need for a person with excellent writing skills or an

excellent creative mind. When individuals must seek new jobs, knowing ones

competencies can give one a competitive edge in the market.

Professional Aptitude Council, a global talent mapping organisation, through its

assessment tests for competency mapping helps companies understand their

employees better. PAC has a set of modules used to help organisations assess their

existing talent pool. These tests assess a person on the basis of Aptitude, Domain

Skills, Communication Skills and Personality and Psychometric fit. "This involves

making crucial decisions as to place which employee in which project, identify core

competency area of employees etc. These tools that PAC uses help organisations

plan their traning requirements in the long run," notes Naveen Manjunath,managing director (India) Professional Aptitude Council.

Unisys India has a comprehensive career management framework that helps

employees map their growth paths, lateral or vertical. Each role has a defined set of

competencies aligned to it. Employees are expected to first acquire the

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competencies defined for the current role and then focus on the competencies for a

growth role before they are considered eligible for movement. Unisys University

facilitates the mapping of specific learning activities for each competency required

for a role in the organization and has over 4000 training programs, both e-learning

and instructor-led to help bridge any gaps in employee competencies, adds Raje.

Adding further to this he says, Unisys India has a robust and transparent Internal

Job Posting (IJP) process to enable employees to get a complete picture of the

opportunities available within the company. With this information, employees are

better equipped to make informed career decisions and equip themselves with the

knowledge and skills they require to move up the career ladder.

CBay Systems has the advantage of employees delivering and exceeding requisite

performance levels since the former has mapped out competencies that are

required to perform specific roles. New hires are pegged against these that are

required for the role before being hired to ensure they fit as per their deliverables.

Existing employees are periodically reviewed with the help of assessment tools and

based on the gap analysis we provide them necessary training and development to

hone the requisite competency. The action plans for the competency developmentoutcome based on such assessments are finalised and the entire initiative is

institutionalised, confirms Shanmugaum, vice president - human resources, CBay

Systems.

Competency mapping not only helps know your competencies but also your weak

areas which can be worked upon. Besides increasing employee morale and

enhancing productivity, it induces fresh thinking, fosters innovation and thereby

aims to provide an enriching job experience.