Performance competencies Mapping

In this world of cut throat competition, companies are putting tremendous effort to hire competent employees and to develop relevant competencies in their existing employees. These are one of the few ways in which companies can gain competitive edge over each other. In this slowing economy where so many companies are fighting for limited resources and talent, it is very important for organizations to incessantly reassess their competencies, update it and have the courage to make the necessary changes. It is equally imperative for a firm to define a set of core competencies which corresponds with its key market differentiation. This is where competency mapping plays a key role. It is the process of identification of the competencies and the level of proficiency required in it to perform a given job or role efficiently. Every job requires some set of attributes whether it is technical, managerial or behavioral to perform the same successfully; these attributes or skills are known as competencies.

It is important to correlate performance result with competencies. Performance management system should be competency based and not just result based. Competency based performance management would focus on “HOW” of performance and not on “WHAT” of performance i.e. not on results but how the results are achieved.

Effective Performance Competencies should provide link to the development of an individual and not just to rewards. Performance Competency mapping helps employees in clearly understanding what is expected from their job at hand. It specifies the level of competencies required to perform their job effectively. This helps employees in honing the skills in which they lack. The intent of this article is to trace the concept of competency mapping and its impact on HR practices.

Competencies may be grouped in to various areas:

Ø  Technical or Functional Competencies (Knowledge, Attitudes, skills etc. associated with the technology or functional expertise required to perform the role.

Ø  Managerial (knowledge, attitudes, skills etc. required to plan, organize, mobilize and utilize various resources);

Ø  Human (knowledge, attitudes and skills required to motivate, utilize and develop human resources); and

Ø  Conceptual (abilities to visualize the invisible, think at abstract levels and use the thinking to plan future business).

 Competency mapping can ultimately serve the individual who decides to seek employment in an environment where he or she perhaps can learn new things and be more intellectually challenged. Basically, it is not only done for Confirmed employees of an organization and it can also be done for contract workers or for those seeking employment to emphasize the specific skills which would make them valuable to a potential employer.