Competency management
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Contents
Definition
Competency management is A collection of processes used to identify and evaluate the current strengths and needs as well as predict the future needs within an organisation and finally to implement the required corrective actions. Source: Mapping organisational competency in nuclear organisations
Summary
One paragraph
Description
Competency management in the management system
Competency management is a part of a management system. Figure 1 summarises the integration of competency management into a management system (developed based on [1]).
Mission, vision, strategies
Competency management aligns competencies with mission, vision and strategy of the organisation.
Organisational competency
The four elements of organisational competency and their interaction is described in the article on organisational competency
Performance indicators and critical success factors
Competency based management
Figure 2 summarises the interface between competency based management and KM (developed based on [1]).
Essential components of competency management
Figure 3 summarises the eleven items an organisation must take care of in order to manage its competencies well. For discussion on how to construct a competency map which informs the the methods for managing the components, see the article on organisational competency mapping
Organisational competencies should be aligned with the mission, vision, strategy and business processes of the organisation. The typical methods to acchieve this include creating a scheme of competencies and long-term workforce plan based on the mission, vision and strategy and using the national workforce plan.
Organisational competencies should also be aligened with external requirements and regulations. The typical methods to achieve this include forming an independent governance and audit committee, integrated quality management system, nuclear safety committee, maintaining and reviewing the minimum staffing required for safe operation (Nuclear baseline) and implementing a management of change process.
An organisation should support the processes of organsational change and transformation by aligning the competencies with the new requirements. This includes developing a forward looking business plan, employee development policy, strategy and plan and a change management plan.
An organisation should understand its own organisational capability e.g. by creating and maintaining a human capital index.
Managing competency risks is an essential part of competency management. The typical methods for acchieving this include creating a map of competency risks at the levels of department, business unit, function or organisation, creating a risk-based competency retention plan followed up with knowledge retention and transfer actions and creating a long-term workforce plan, substitution plan (short term) and a succession plan (long term).
An organisation should manage its externally sources competencies which includes maintaining the capability to outsource, ensure that outsourced capabilities are maintained and managing the risk to outsourced competency. The typical methods to acchieve this include developing "Intelligent customer" roles and an outsourcing policy to manage outsourced competency.
Organisation should develop its technical and functional competencies. The typical methods acchieving this include performing job-task analysis, maintaining role and training profiles, having a process for performance assessment and appraisal, analysing learning needs, evaluating the impact of learning, developing a competency development programme which includes e.g. coaching, mentoring, training and directed reading.
An organisation should also Build teams and team level competencies as a part of its competency management. The methods for acchieving this typically include maintaining and using the organisational structure chart, creating and maintaining, individual and team role and task descriptions, creating and promoting networks and communities and using the business Unit plans.
Developing a recruitment strategy supports importing new competencies. The typical methods for acchieving this include developing a recruitment process and plan and having processes for reassignment, redeployment and job rotation.
Organisations can also improve their competencies through benchmarking. The typical methods for achieving this include improving job descriptions and role profiles, restructuring posts, processes and systems based on the found good practices.
Developing organisational performance metrics is a way to evaluate the the effect of competencies on performance. The typical methods for achieving this include developing performance assessment and evaluation methodologies.
Source: Mapping organisational competency in nuclear organisations - June 2013 draft
Description
All nuclear organizations should have an integrated management system for the organization and performance of their activities (Reference to IAEA Guides). Competence management should be a part of this and be integral in the overall management. In particular, the planning processes of competence management should be seen as integral to the regulatory body’s overall strategic planning and governance.
Management commitment
Senior management should be committed to ensuring that regulatory body has and maintains competence appropriate to its needs. In particular, since learning is a lifelong process, the management should be committed to the ongoing development of a professional, competent, versatile and motivated workforce.
Competence policy
Senior management should establish a vision and policy for competence management resulting in goals, strategies and plans for their delivery. The policy should deal with establishing and maintaining adequate competences within the organization. It should deal with short term and long term aspects of developing adequate competence to meet the overall strategic plan of the regulatory body and should also seek to meet the personal aspirations of staff for their own development.
Planning
The management system should include an overall governance and strategic planning process applicable to both short term and long term needs. The strategic plan for developing and maintaining competence should cover training and development, staffing plans, use of external support and other methods of meeting competence needs, particularly to narrow competence gaps. It should also identify the responsibilities and the organization, levels of authority, responsibilities and accountabilities for competence management processes with each manager (and the staff themselves) accountable for all aspects of the competence building of their staff.
Graded approach
By the systematic analysis of competence needs and gaps, organisations are able to establish an appropriate competence profile. (The methodologies described in SARCoN imply a graded approach by enabling regulatory bodies to take account of the level of competencies needed and compare it to the levels of the competencies of individual staff members).
Documentation
Documentation and records arising from competence management, training and staff personal appraisals are kept as part of the organizational capital.
Processes for competence management
Typical processes are:
- Competence needs analysis processes
- Processes associated with regulatory function analysis
- Task analysis process leading to needed competence
- Gap analysis process
- Human resources processes
- Processes associated with recruitment
- Processes associated with reorganization (reallocation of duties within the organization or replacement of staff members)
- Personal development plan
- Personal performance review and assessment processes
- Processes associated with training and development
- Processes to establish training and development plans
- Processes for the delivery of training and development activities
- Processes for the evaluation of training and development activities
- Processes associated with managing outsourcing
- Processes associated with reviews and audits of competence management
- Processes associated with knowledge capture and management
Competence management processes interface strongly with other processes, in particular with strategic planning, management processes such as responsibility assignment process and financial and resources processes.
Measurement, assessment and improvement
Metrics to measure the performance of each process should be developed, in particular for the following:
- Effectiveness of training and development
- Delivered training
- Personal performance
- Recruitment, reorganization and outsourcing
- Review and audits
Assessment relating to competence management should take place at several levels: the personal level, the level of individual organizational subdivisions, at the level of the whole organization.
Opportunities for improvement may be identified from the following:
- The results of assessments, corrective and preventive actions, and reviews of competence management;
- Feedback from stakeholders in competence management;
- Experience from outside organizations;
- Technological developments necessitating new competences.
Source: Mapping organisational competency in nuclear organisations - Nov 2012 draft
References
[1] S. Gardielliano, Intergative Organizational Competency - A practical and cost-efective model.
