European Institute of Public Administration - Institut européen d’administration publique

The use of modern HRM tools such as competency

management in the EU Member States: practices,
experiences, successes and implementation challenges
Danielle Bossaert
learning and development - consultancy - research EIPA, April 14, 2020 ©
Topics to be discussed

1 Origin and background of competency management

2 Definitions and meanings

3 What distinguishes competency-based HRM from traditional HRM?

4 Examples of competency frameworks

5 The practice of competency management in European civil services

6 Benefits and weaknesses of competency management

7 Major prerequisites for successful implementation

8 Major lessons learnt and conclusions

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 The use of competency management in the EU Member States:
Where does it come from?
 CM originated in the 80s in the private sector of the US and the UK as a
lever for organisational change

 Motivation: to identify those behavioural traits, which distinguish high

performance from average performance

 Introduction to the public sector (mostly position systems) since the early
90s: UK, B, NL

 CM has first been applied to the senior civil service to improve managerial
competencies (BE, BG, CY, EE, HU, IE, IT, LV, NL, PT, SI, UK, EC)

 In most countries, it was introduced as a part of a broader reform or change

process
 (B: Copernicus; IRL: performance management; UK: NPM)

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The context of competency management (CM): Why is it used?

 ...Context of budgetary constraints and lesser

resources
 ...Need for a more effective use of current and future
HR
 ...CM as a major element of a more strategic HRM
 ...and of a more integrated HRM
 ...and a better and more forward planning HRM
 ...Improvement of individual employability
 ...HR tool for continuous staff development → LLL
 ...Mobility, flexibility and more objectivity

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Definitions and meanings

 Competencies = “knowledge, skills and behaviours,

which have predictive value for the effective
performance of a function or a specific role”
 Competency management = “a set of activities aimed
at realising the mission of the organisation and
optimising the performance of employees”
 A competency model provides a structured overview
of all the competencies that employees of an
organisation are requiring
Source: Personnel & Organisation, Belgian Federal Government

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What are competencies?

Easy to identify and develop -

usually defines
satisfactory performance Skills and
knowledge
Behaviours
More difficult to
identify and develop - Values Attributes
often defines superior
performance
Traits Motives
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Meanings and Approaches

US approach: focus  Search for individual behavioural traits which characterise excellent
on the search for the performance (Boyatzis)
exceptional
performance

UK approach:
focus on  Competencies identify all the skills needed to perform a job role
occupational
competence
FR approach:
 A “Métier” is the sum of the recognised competencies (savoir, savoir-faire et
focus on the
savoir-être) which enable the professional to position himself in a job in the
concept of light of his experience and expertise (Foucauld)
“Métier”
GER approach:
focus on the  The concept of “Competencies” is used in the sense of “Fachkompetenzen”
professional
expertise

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What is new with CM and why do we need it?

 Knowledge alone is no longer sufficient

 Competencies are tested with reference to real life
situations
 Know-how and experience rather than a level of
diploma and seniority
 Knowledge alone doesn’t say anything about the
capacity to solve problems

...a change of thinking in HRM

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Traditional HRM and competency-based HRM: differences


Traditional HRM Competency-based HRM
Recruitment & selection Recruitment & selection
-Recruitment on the basis of specific -Recruitment on the basis of demonstrated
diplomas, which reflect the qualifications competencies
-How is the person? -How does the person function?
-Selection criteria focusing on knowledge, -Selection criteria focusing also on
personality and attitude experience, behavioural skills, values
Job description Job description
-Job description targeted at the hierarchical -Job description targeted at the job content
level and the competencies required to well do the
Development/training job
-Development of knowledge; Aim: promotion Development/training
Appraisal -Development of competencies to better
-Focus on functioning in the job perform in one’s job; Aim: better use of
human potential
Appraisal
-Focus on performance, learning,
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Example of a competency framework for civil servants: the
European Commission

 Analysing and problem solving

 Communicating
 Delivering quality and results
 Learning and development
 Prioritising and organising
 Resilience
 Working with others
 Leadership

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Example of a competency framework for civil servants: the
European Commission
 Communicating
- Ability to communicate in meetings
- Ability to understand and be understood
- Capacity to communicate technical or specialised information
- Capacity to present issues to an audience
- Drafting skills
- Negotiation skills
- Ability to chair meetings
- Didactic skills
- Assertiveness
- Feel at ease in public

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Different dimensions of competency frameworks

Personal competencies Technical competencies

 Self Management  Knowledge
 Assertiveness  Technical expertise
 Motivation, Inspiration  Methodological approach
 Ethical attitudes  Experience

Social Competencies Implementation competencies

 Team spirit  Result orientation, goal drivenness
 Communication skills  Environmental awareness, political sense
 Conflict mediation  Strategic and tactical thinking
 Cooperation  Risk readiness

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Competency framework for senior civil servants: common
elements (13 EU Member States)

 Leadership
 Strategic vision
 Achieving results
 Communication
 Managing relations, people, HRM
 General management
 Knowledge

Herma Kuperus, Anita Rode, Top Public Managers in Europe, EIPA 2008

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Important future competencies of public employees

 Innovation
 Creativity
 Flexibility
 Work collaboratively across boundaries
 Change management
 Relationship building
 Vision and future orientation
OECD (2009) Country reports (Australia, Belgium, Korea, Netherlands, UK, US)

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 The practice of competency management in
European civil services: common and different
trends

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The practice of competency management in European civil
services: common trends

 There is a general trend towards a centrally developed

CM framework
 CM framework is managed by the Department
responsible for the Civil Service
 Core generic competencies show similar trends in the
EU Member States
 Competency management is used in more and more
countries to promote a more integrated HRM
 Design of implementation tools and instruments
corresponds to the legal and administrative culture
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Use of CM during HR Processes

1: Recruitment and
selection
14 
2: Training and
12
development
12
11
 3: Performance evaluation
10

4: Determining the level of
variable rewards
8
8
 5: Identification of the potential
for a quick progress in career
6  6: Another
4
3
(Nunes F. Competency Management
in EU Public Administrations, Dec 2007;
2
2 2
Survey is based on 24 EU MS)

0
1 2 3 4 5 6

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The practice of competency management in European civil
services: different trends

 Slightly different core motivation for introducing CM

(e.g. mobility, cultural change, performance)
 Level of flexibility as regards the management of
competencies at decentralized level varies
 Level of flexibility strongly correlates with level of HR
decentralization
 In case of a decentralized, managerial system: need
for professional HR offices
 Challenge: consistent implementation – respect of
specificities
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The practice of competency management in European civil
services: different trends

 Distinction between more legalistic and more

managerial systems
 Distinction between systems with mandatory
implementation (law) and less mandatory systems
(‘good management practice’)
 Differences regarding the detailedness of legal
regulation
 Who dominates: the lawyer or manager?
 Competency framework is used to a different degree
during selection, evaluation, training, promotion,
remuneration in different countries
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The practice of competency management: the target group
Source: OECD (2009), OECD Survey on Competency Management in Government’, unpublished

Country Competency model Target group

Austria Competency Model Senior Civil Servants

Belgium Federal Competency Model All Belgian federal

public servants

Denmark Code of Public Governance Top Executives

Excellence
Netherlands Algemene Bestuursdienst Senior Management
(ABD); Competency Model

United SCS Competency Framework; Senior Civil Service;

Kingdom Professional Skills for All UK Civil Servants
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Professional Groups involved in CBM Programms

12 12
 1: On managers
 2: On senior and
10
10 10
10
technical staff
 3: On administrative staff
8
8
8
 4: On labourers

(Nunes F. Competency Management

6 6
in EU Public Administrations, Dec 2007;
Survey is based on 24 EU MS)

4 4

2 2

0 0
1 2 3 4

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The practice of competency management: Sweden (1)

 Long tradition of independent agencies

 Context of highly professional, de-centralized and result-

oriented HRM

 No centralized, statutory regulation of competency models

 Decentralization, flexibilisation, variety

 Pragmatic approach; learning by doing

 Multi-task competencies
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The practice of competency management: Sweden (2)

Representative multi-dimensional competency structure:

 Personal competency: including ethical values, motivation,
attitudes etc.
 Social competency: including cooperative and listening skills,
adaptability and receptiveness for the culture of an organization
 Professional competency: including theories, methods and
principles that are relevant for the employee’s tasks and
knowledge about the relevant rules
 Strategic competency: including knowledge of and ability to
manage the organization’s business goals as well as high-level
and long-term issues
 Functional competency: that is the ability to function and to
use the other competencies in a real work situation

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The practice of competency management: Sweden (3)

The county administrative board of Västra Götaland:

 Skills: Able to do, able to use tools

 Knowledges: Knowing facts, mastering methods
 Experiences: Learning from failures and successes
 Contact: Social ability, established contacts, influence
 Values: Wanting to act, consider correct, assume
responsibility

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The practice of competency management: Sweden (4)

The model used by the employment service to

interview job candidates:
 Motivation Service orientation
 Education Communicative
skills
 Cooperative ability Language skills and
 Goal- and result-orientation cultural experience
 Analytical ability
 Change willingness
 Personal maturity

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The practice of competency management: United Kingdom (1)

 CM is a key element of the performance management

system;
 Professional skills for Government (PSG) applies to all
grade levels (core skills of civil service)
 PSG rests with the Cabinet Office – continuing
development is collaborative
 PSG = flexible framework which allows individual
departments to add more specific competencies
 PSG = model for developing a common practice and
common standards across government
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The practice of competency management: United Kingdom (2)

 Content of PSG framework:

- Leadership (for all civil servants): provide direction for the
organization, deliver results, build capacity to address current
and future challenges, act with integrity
- Core skills (for all civil servants): people management,
financial management, analysis and use of evidence,
programme and project management
- Professional skills (specific to profession): they are
related to the profession and include expertise for instance in
audit, IT, finance, statistics etc.
- Broader experience (for SCS only): includes experience in
other organizations, private sector etc..
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The practice of competency management: United Kingdom (3)

 New civil service competency framework:

- Setting direction:
- Seeing the big picture
- Changing and improving
- Making effective decisions
- Delivering results:
- Achieving commercial outcomes
- Delivering value for money
- Managing a quality service
- Delivering at pace
- Engaging people:
- Leading and communicating
- Collaborating and partnering
- Building capacity for all

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Benefits of CBM for Managers


Scale:
1= Providing an additional instrument for
3.6


1
motivating collaborators;
 2 = Shares a common language on people
3.9
management
2
 3 = More transparent criteria to make
selection, performance evaluation or
training and development decisions
4.3 
4 = More appropriate criteria to make
3 selection, performance evaluation or
training and development decisions

5 = Provides a common reference table to
4.3
manage collaborators with very different job
4
descriptions

3.8
(Nunes F. Competency Management in EU Public Administrations, Dec
5
2007; Survey is based on 24 EU MS)

3.2 3.4 3.6 3.8 4 4.2 4.4

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Benefits of competency management: the employees’
perspective (OECD)

 A fair people management system

 Greater encouragement for personal development
 Better understanding of what is necessary to achieve
high performance at work
 Better understanding of the organisation’s mission and
their role played in the organisation

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General positive experiences with competency management
(selected OECD countries)

 Common language, consistency across the public

service
 Continuity in monitoring the careers of public servants
 Creation of a culture of continuous self development
 Assistance for the management of change
 A future-oriented perspective on personnel
management
 Improved competitiveness of government

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Major overall weaknesses of competency management

 Horizontal integration of competencies ≠ complete

 Competency framework ≠ needs driven
 Insufficient definition of core organisational
competencies
 Strategic dimension of CM is missing: ad hoc definition
of competencies
 Insufficient involvement of stakeholders → lack of
commitment
 Risk of increasing bureaucracy! User friendliness
 Limited implementation at decentralized level
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Major prerequisites for successful implementation

 Existence of a comprehensive mission, vision and

strategic goals and objectives
 Supportive and committed middle and top
management
 Establishment of professionalised HRM departments
 Readiness to invest in the development of public
employees
 Promotion of a culture stimulating learning,
improvement and healthy competition
 Need for adaptive change
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Major prerequisites for successful implementation

 Implementation by pilote projects before general

introduction in all ministerial departments and
agencies
 Involvement of know-how of all stakeholders since
the beginning of the project
 Development of a shared understanding of the
meaning and content of the different competencies
 Determination of competencies verification level is
important

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Major lessons learnt from experiences with competency
management

 1. The implementation of competency

management is a continuous and long-term
process

 2. Political and administrative commitment is

key to reform success

 3. Successful implementation depends also

upon the participation of all stakeholders
concerned: a purely top-down approach leads
to de-motivation and low levels of commitment
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Major lessons learnt from experiences with competency
management

 4. A professional communication and

training strategy is crucial to prevent
resistance and fear and to foster understanding
about added-value of competency-based HRM

 5. Progress of an effective implementation is

best illustrated by changes in staff’s attitudes
and behaviours

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Major lessons learnt from experiences with competency
management

 6. The challenge is....to anchor the

‘competency philosophy’ in staff’s minds and
make it an important HRM tool and a lively part
of the administrative culture

 7. A transformational and open leadership

style facilitates the cultural change

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Conclusions

 No best practice model which can be transfered in

the same way to all European countries
 The management and development of staff’s
competencies should be aligned to organisational
strategy/goals
 The promotion of an integrated HRM system is key to
successful CM
 Design 20% and implementation 80%
 Culture is the major obstacle or cultural change is
key!
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We would be happy to help.

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