Competency Mapping

Chapter 1: BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS

A term that has gained wider circulation in the management profession in recent times is
“Competency Mapping”.

It is about identifying preferred behaviours and personal skills which distinguish

excellent and outstanding performance from the average. A Competency is the
ingredients (skills, knowledge, attributes and behaviours) that contribute to excellence.

WHY COMPETENCY MAPPING?

Every employee is expected to give 2,400 hour of his / her active time in a year for the
organization. What is the organization expectation from the employee? What are the
recurring and non-recurring activities? What are the critical abilities (knowledge,
attitudes, skills, etc.) and the competencies required to perform these tasks and activities?
These are some of the basic but essential questions to be answered in the early stages /
phases of the organization.
Traditional Job vs Competency Approach

Thus Competency Mapping has gained importance, due to following several reasons:

• Increased costs of Manpower

• Need for ensuring that competent people are available for performing

various competent roles.

• Down sizing and the consequent work to be done with less manpower, low cost
and from the competent people and seeing the advantage / result to the customer.

• If the organization has the right technology, right resources, right finance,
customers and markets, right systems and processes in place then every thing can be
set right or managed effectively.
Competency Mapping is important and is an essential exercise. Every well established or
big firm or organization should have well established competencies for each employee so
that the respective roles can be well performed. These competencies can be used for the
following processes:

• Recruitment and Selection process

• Performance Management (for promotions, incentives)

• Training & Development (for carrying out Training Needs Identification process)

DEFINITION OF COMPETENCY

There are different definitions given for Competency Mapping.

According to “UNIDO” (2002) –

“A Competency is a set of skills, related knowledge and attributes that allow an

individual to successfully perform a task or an activity within a specific function or job”.

According to “Timothy, Athey and Michael”

“A competency is a set of observable performance dimensions including individual

knowledge, skills, attitudes and behavior as well as collective teams, processes and
organizational capabilities that are linked to high performance and provide the
organization with sustainable competitive advantage”.
What is common in the definitions?

Competency may take the following forms:

• Knowledge

• Attitude

• Skill

• Other characteristics of an individual including:

• Motives

• Values
 • Traits

• Self Concept

Defining job competencies is useful in assisting individuals to develop their

competencies for that job.

Competencies are contextual. The context is given by the organization, the function, the
role, the level and the timing. Normally when the Competency Mapping is done the
organizational, the functional and role related contexts are taken into consideration. Thus
the competencies required to perform the role of the General Manager in one
organization cannot be easily used for another.

For example: General Manager of Finance needs different competencies than those of
the General Manager of Marketing. Competencies needed for performing the role of a
General Manager differs from that of the Deputy General Manager depending on the
organization, its structure, function, profile etc.

METHODOLOGY USED FOR COMPETENCY MAPPING

• Resource / Expert Panels

 Structured process to get the participants (Job holders, managers HR /

training staff) to think systematically about the job, skills and personal
characteristics needed for success.

• Critical Event Interviews

 Structured interviews with superior performers which involve in-depth

probing of a large number of events and experiences.
 • Generic competency Dictionaries

• Conceptual frameworks of commonly encountered competencies and behaviour

indicators.

• Task analysis workshops

• Can be used in resource panel by asking the participants to select a set of generic
competencies related to the job and rate the importance

• Use of Job descriptions, Performance Appraisal formats, etc.

• Questionnaire

IDENTIFICATION OF THE COMPETENCIES

A detailed approach to identify the competencies is given in the subsequent units of

“Role Set Based Competency Mapping” (RSBCM).

In the above methods some of the following steps can be used:

1. Decide the roles for which competencies has to be prepared

2. Identify the location of the roles in the organizational structure. This needs the
clarity of organizational structure, defining the role relationships (reporting
authority, subordinates, colleagues, etc.).

3. Identify the objectives or roles or functions of the department wherever

competency mapping is to be carried out. Also identify why does this role exist
and what are the main purposes of this role?
 4. Collect the KRAS or Key Performance Areas of the position for the last 2 years
from the performance appraisal records.

5. Interview the employee (of a particular position for which the competency
mapping has to be done) to list the actual knowledge, attitude, skills and other
competencies required for performing the task effectively. Repeat the whole
process with all the employees.

6. Consolidate all the competencies.

7. Present this to the group of successful role holders and get them to access the
relative importance of each.

8. Identify the Behavior indicators for each competency.

9. Define the level of the competency by identifying the indicators of each level of
the competency.

FORMS OF COMPETENCIES:

Knowledge
The set of knowledge required by the candidate / employee for a specific position.

This knowledge can be technical.

Skills

Skill is the ability to perform physical or mental task. For example: the ability to perform
an operation or to prepare a project proposal or to manage a team.

Skills require knowledge, attitudes and practices. For example: skill to convince another
person to buy a new product, the skill to move or motivate an audience by moving
speech.

Attitudes

Attitudes are predispositions to other individuals, groups, objects, situations, events,

issues, etc. Attitudes decide our approach or avoidance behavior. Attitudes are formed
from experiences and change from time to time.

Values

Values are more enduring and more generalized beliefs and attitudes in our personality.
They are more permanent than attitudes.

Motives & Traits

Motives drive, direct and select behavior towards certain actions or goals.

For example: achievement motivation is needed for entrepreneurs, influence motivation

for teachers and managers.

Good qualities like quick reaction, good eyesight are physical characteristics that can be
considered as traits or qualities.

Traits also mean response patterns to situations. For example: emotional self – control,
sociability, activity level, reflectiveness, etc. are all traits.
Chapter 2: Mapping Process

First stage: of mapping requires understanding the vision and mission of the organization.

Second stage: requires understanding from the superior performers the behavioral as well as
the functional aspects required to perform job effectively.

• Tool for the first and second stage: Structured Interview

Third stage: involves thorough study of the Structured Interview Reports

a) Identification of the competency based on competency frame work
b) Measurement of competency
c) Required levels of competency for each job family
d) Development of dictionary which involves detail description of the competency based on
the indicators. Care should be taken that the indicators should be measurable and gives
objective judgment.

Fourth Stage: requires preparation for assessment.

a) Methods of assessment can be either through assessment centers or 360 Degree
Feedback
b) If assessment centre is the choice for assessment then tools has to be ready
beforehand
i. Tools should objectively measure the entire competency required.
ii. Determine the type of the tools for measuring competency
iii. Prepare the schedule for assessment
iv. Training to the assessor should indicate their thorough understanding of the
competencies and the tools and also as to how the behaviour has to be
documented.

Fifth Stage: involves conducting assessment centre. Usually it is a two day program which
would involve giving a brief feedback to the participant about the competencies that has been
assessed and where they stand to.
Sixth stage: involves detailed report of the competencies assessed and also the development
plan for the developmental areas.

Chapter 3: Competency Assessment process

Competency Assessment:

Step 1 : Effective Job Description:

First, We have to create an effective Job Description. Details covered within a job
description would be: the job title; who is accountable for the employee; the location of
the job; a brief description of what the job entails; a list of duties and responsibilities;
working conditions.

An effort will be to define clearly what the job is about and what can be expected from
the job.

Step 2 : Strength and Areas of improvements Approach :

Before going for self evaluation of competency approach, Strength and Weaknesses
(Areas of improvements) we need to identify. This would give fair, realistic view of the
functioning characteristics of the department’s activities and would focus on the present
status of the functions vis-à-vis establish linkage with plant/corporate goal.

Step 3: Self evaluation of Core competencies

For each of the identified minimum competencies, (here, we need to come out with
Numbers related to each activities/job).

Step 4: Self evaluation of Skill levels

Based on the Skill description , the Appraise should make self evaluation in terms of
his/her level for each skill .The reason for the level rating should be described in column
of the excel sheet . The level will be determined based on the following definitions:
 a Level 1: Has basic knowledge/ awareness of the skill

b Level 2: Has /possesses working knowledge of the skill

c Level 3: Has/possesses comprehensive skill to the job well

d Level 4: Has mastered /can coach the skill and can guide others

2. Add up the scores in both the column “Required Level and “ Actual level” .The
skill index will be calculated as the % of actual scores to the required Scores , as
follows :

Step 5: Assess Core Competencies:

1. The self evaluation by the Appraisee becomes the basic for assessment of the core
competencies .

2. Enter specific observation (s) in the column “OFI” (Opportunity for

improvements ) .These
observations should lead to identification of specific Methodologies for
Competency improvements.

3. Calculate the score. Each core competency has two points if it is fully met and 1
point if it is partially met.

4. In the Table for “Competency Improvement Plan” write a plan of action to deal
with.

a) Identify a Training input if the Appraisee had not been exposed to the core
competencies, of if S/he needs an advanced input.

b) If there are attitudinal issues impacting the exhibition of the Core

competencies, a personal counseling by Appraiser, Reviewer, and HR should
 be planned and this should be documented.

c) If the conceptual input have already been provided, or if such input are easily
available (through books, Professional magazine, Manuals, Internet) to the
Appraisee, then it is a question of Self development.

Step 6 : Assess Skill Level :

a) For each position, the skills should be defined . Based on the “Skill Dictionary”
(which we have to prepare for the positions), need to be assessed. The Appraiser will
conduct this assessment, based on the reasons given by the Appraisee in the Self
evaluation. Before commencing the Appraiser should seek the view of the Reviewer on
the Appraisee.

b) Based on the discussion, the Apprise actual level should be determined

and entered.

c) Wherever the Actual scores are lower, enter specific comments in

Remarks column to Identify Training and Self development opportunities for the
Appraisee.

d) Add up the scores in both the columns –“Required level” and “Actual
level” .The skill
Index is calculated as the % of Actual Scores to Required Score.

e) In the table for “Skill Improvements plan” identify specific plans for
improvement. Identify An appropriate Training input, Self –development plans,
assignments etc to help the Appraisee improve his/her skill level.

Step 7 : Calculate Competency Index::

a) The Competency Index for the Appraisee is calculated on the basis of

weighted indices for Core Competency and Skills.
Chapter 4: Role Set Based Competency Mapping [RSBCM]