Competency mapping

What is CM? Competency mapping is a process through which one assesses and determines one s strengths as an individual worker and in some cases, as part of an 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. They may also use competency mapping to analyze the combination of strengths in different workers to produce the most effective teams and the highest quality work. (www.wisegeek.com) Competency Mapping is a process of identify 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. To ensure we are both on the same page, we would define a competency as a behavior (i.e. communication, leadership) rather than a skill or ability. (http://www.e-hresources.com/Samples/sample1.html)

Competency management:
y

The CMS can also provide faster results and a more objective analysis of an employee s competence. A modern Competency Management System acknowledges the uniqueness of an individual. By identifying an employee s strengths and weaknesses, it can create a learning and training program customized for each employee. This is done by making the requirements of the position clear and setting a path for employees to meet them. A vital part of effective competency management is establishing an accurate list of competencies necessary in a position.

Competency assessment:
y

Competency assessment, whether for individuals or for an organization, can help measure the strengths and weaknesses of a subject, which in turn may dictate a future course toward improvement. When measuring individuals, competency assessment is often used in hiring practices and performance reviews. It can also include continuing education courses which teach new skills and test nurses on things which may have been forgotten since nursing school. As medical technologies progress, nursing competency courses are becoming more and more important. New medications, equipment, and procedures are learned and implemented all the time.

Competency based interview: y If the position will require the candidate to organize information, interviewers in competency-based interviews may ask what organizational systems or methods the applicant prefers to use on the job. The explanation should demonstrate how the candidate used a specific skill that led to a positive outcome. Preparing for a competency based interview may require the prospective candidate to expand his research in learning specific details about the job.

Leadership competency:
y

There are many different leadership competencies required to obtain executive positions in today's workplace. In general, there are four primary competencies: strategic thinking, creative problem resolution, communication, and interpersonal skills. If, for instance, a company wants to improve teamwork by increasing trust between workers, one competency might be trust-building through social activities. When built efficiently, a leadership competency model can help workers determine the most important areas for improvement and development.

Job competency:
y

Employees benefit in that the quality of the work performed is recognized, and chances for advancement may be forthcoming. Because job competencies include such factors as efficiency, punctuality, and the ability to work well with others, they provide important indicators of whether an employee should be rewarded for excellent performance, helped to improve skills in some areas, or terminate the working relationship altogether. Competencies that require the employee to constantly improve include taking initiative and learning. When designing a framework to evaluate job competency, it is important to balance specific job-related skills with general skills that lead to success in any job.

Competency Mapping Process: 1) Conduct a job analysis by asking incumbents to complete a position information questionnaire(PIQ). This can be provided for incumbents to complete, or you can conduct one-on-one interviews using the PIQ as a guide. A sample PIQ that we use when conducting this step with our clients was provided to this client. The primary goal is to

gather from incumbents what they feel are the key behaviors necessary to perform their respective jobs. 2) Using the results of the job analysis, you are ready to develop a competency based job description. A sample of a competency based job description generated from the PIQ was provided to this client. This was developed after carefully analyzing the input from the represented group of incumbents and converting it to standard competencies. 3) With a competency based job description, you are on your way to begin mapping the competencies throughout your human resources processes. The competencies of the respective job description become your factors for assessment on the performance evaluation. Using competencies will help guide you to perform more objective evaluations based on displayed or not displayed behaviors. 4) Taking the competency mapping one step further, you can use the results of your evaluation to identify in what competencies individuals need additional development or training. This will help you focus your training needs on the goals of the position and company and help your employees develop toward the ultimate success of the organization.