Competency mapping
Contents
Definition
A mapping process to create a competency map
Summary
Competency mapping is a mapping process which creates a map of individual competency or organizational competency, i.e. a competency map. The process may focus on existing competency, required competency or competency needs of future depending on the objectives of the mapping and the expected usage of the map. Competency mapping is a tool for competency management to inform the competency related decisions and actions.
Description
Mapping process and its outputs
Competency mapping can be performed on the level of individual roles or on the level of the whole organisation. In the first case, mapping usually provides more information and insight for defining qualifications, development discussions and other HR processes. If the focus of the mapping is organizational competency, it is typically connected to several business processes and business needs, see Organizational competency mapping. In both cases, it provides the organisation with a better understanding of their competency and informs the competency related decisions and actions.
Competency mapping may concentrate on the existing competencies or the competences that are needed in the organization. It may have a future oriented view or map the current situation. Competency mapping may thus be used as a tool for competency management to achieve better understanding of the competency gaps and risks of loosing competency.
Organizational competency mapping
Benefits of competency mapping
The importance of competency mapping is that it defines connections between business goals of nuclear organization and individual knowledge of employees. Organization's competency as a result of analysis of business processes and sub-process usually reflects in HR positions. At the same time environment is changing fast due to internal and external reasons. New challenges and demand arise before organizations and this requires operative actions to find available competency and HR resources.
Mapping approach will help managers to understand the most important and even critical competences of nuclear organization (division, department, unit), to estimate needs in HR without implementing deep analysis. It helps to see the whole picture of available competency and adapt to the organizational changes. For example if a new project is going to be started, it may require new competency from organization, or to redistribution of available HR to cover new demands, and thus increase pressure on staff load and even in some way affect core organizational processes.
