Competency Mapping and Human capital

 

Meaning of Competency Mapping

 

A competency mapping model is an organizing framework that lists the competencies required for effective performance in a specific job, job family (e.g., group of related jobs), organization, function, or process.

 

Individual competencies are organized into competency models to enable people in an organization or profession to understand, discuss, and apply the competencies to workforce performance.

 

Competency Mapping is a process 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.

Competency Mapping can be defined as a process through which one assesses and determines one's strengths as an individual worker and in some cases, as part of an organization. The individual’s level of competency in each skill is measured against a performance standard established by the organization.

It has been a general observation that hard work, sincerity, knowledge, intelligence alone does not make a person a star performer in his/her profession. There are other factors that help an individual excel in his job. Good managers are generally aware about different qualities a person must possess to do a job effectively, and they make use of their knowledge to select and train their subordinates. Organizational psychologists have refined this understanding and converted it into a structural and formal process called Competency Mapping. It has emerged as one of the most powerful tools aiding the improvement for the HR professionals in finding the right employee for a job and development of the employed person in doing the assigned job effectively. Thus, Competency Mapping can be defined as a process through which one assesses and determines one's strengths as an individual worker and in some cases, as part of an organization.

}  Competency Map. A competency map is a list of an individual’s competencies that represent the factors most critical to success in given jobs, departments, organizations, or industries that are part of the individual’s current career plan.

}  Competency Mapping. Competency mapping is a process an individual uses to identify and describe competencies that are the most critical to success in a work situation or work role

}  Competency profiling It is the process of identifying the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and judgment required for effective performance in a particular occupation or profession. Competency profiling is business/company specific.

Competency mapping is being used by organizations widely today to assess the value of human capital and its development. The need to map and monitor the competence is perceived by most organizations as a tool to add value to their key resource areas [Nigam et al. (2009)]. As a result of competency mapping, all the HR processes like talent induction, management development, appraisals and training yield much better results.

Competency mapping is a process of identifying key competencies for an organization and/or a job and incorporating those competencies throughout the various processes (i.e. performance appraisal, training, recruitment) of the organization. Competency mapping is one of the most accurate means in identifying the job and behavioural competencies of an individual in an organization. Competency mapping is used to identify key attributes (knowledge, skills, and behavioural attributes) that are required to effectively perform job classification or any identified process.

 

Competency mapping is required to reinforce the corporate strategy, culture, and vision. Competency mapping establishes expectations for performance excellence, resulting in a systematic approach to professional development, improved job satisfaction, and better employee retention. It increases the effectiveness of training and professional development programs by linking them to the success criteria (i.e., behavioural standards of excellence). It provides a common framework and language for discussing how to implement and communicate key strategies. It provides a common understanding of the scope and requirements of a specific role. It provides common, organization-wide standards for career levels that enable employees to move across business boundaries. Competency mapping identifies performance criteria to improve the accuracy and ease of the hiring and selection process. It provides a clear foundation for dialogue to occur between the manager and employee about performance, development, and career-related issues. Competency mapping identifies the success criteria (i.e., behavioural standards of performance excellence) required to be successful in their role. It supports a more specific and objective assessment of their strengths and specify targeted areas for professional development. This new behavioural approach creates what “good” competencies might look like. 

Characteristics of a set of useful competency list are:

 

•        Observable and measurable against well-accepted job standards or criteria,
•        Being improved via training and development, and
•        Providing insights on determining how capable or fitness a person is in a job.

Competency mapping envisages development and sustainability of competency, based on the changing organizational requirements. Development of employees focuses on enhancing their competencies rather than preparing them for moving to jobs. In this way they can develop capabilities useful throughout the organization as it changes and evolves. The competence approach focuses on linking business strategies to individual performance efforts.

Competency mapping process helps the organization in developing a clear strategy for developing competencies of their workforce. Competency mapping identifies the competency of an individual or group of individuals in relation to job requirements. It consists of breaking a given role or job into its constituent tasks or activities and identifying the competencies (technical, managerial, behavioural, conceptual knowledge, attitudes, skills, etc.) needed to perform the same successfully. Competency mapping analyzes individual’s SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) for better understanding and helping to show them, where career development efforts are required.

 

Competency mapping determines the extent to which the various competencies related to a job are possessed by an employee. Therefore, competency mapping is a process used by a HR expert to identify and describe competencies that are most crucial to success in a work situation.

 

Competency mapping is one of the most accurate means in identifying the job and behavioural competencies of an individual in an organization. Every well-managed firm should have well defined roles and list of competencies required to perform each role effectively. Competency mapping identifies an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in order to help them better understand themselves and to show them where career development efforts need to be directed.

Once the competencies are assessed it is mapped against the requisite levels for the position/role. The mapping will entail providing the insight on the gaps in the competency levels displayed by the individual, if any. This is done by mapping the existing levels of competency exhibited by individuals against the desired competency levels for each of the roles for individuals. The gaps identified will be between the demonstrated competency levels against the expected competency levels.

 

Classification of Competencies

 

Katz and Kahn (1966) grouped competency into three areas which later expanded into the following four:

1. Technical or Functional (knowledge, attitudes, skills, etc. associated with the technology or functional expertise required to perform the role);

2. Managerial (knowledge, attitudes, skills, etc. required to plan, organize, mobilize and utilize various resources);

3. Human (knowledge, attitudes and skills required to motivate, utilize and develop human resources); and

4. Conceptual (abilities to visualize the invisible, think at abstract levels and use the thinking to plan future business).

 Competencies have also been organized into the following categories:

1.     Core competencies [Hamel and Prahalad (1994)]: A core competency forms the basis for strategic direction; it is something a company does well relative to other competitors. Core competencies refer to the elements of behaviour that are important for all employees to possess as, for example, a core competency in “result/quality orientation”.

2.     Functional competencies [Ozcelik and Ferman (2006)]: These are job-specific skills required to perform a particular job role or profession e.g. Problem –Solving, Managerial Skills.