Posts Tagged ‘workforce capability’
How to build a Competency Framework
First of all why do you want to build one?
Often it’s because people ask for training and development that may not be directly related to their job role, it may be dealt with ad hoc and often training needs aren’t aggregated at an organisational, project or team level.
Another reason could be that you are looking for an evidence based approach to assessing skill level and performance, you may be recruiting, looking at career progression or you may want to demonstrate your workforce capability for a tender, proposal, project or industry awards.
Whatever the reason, I suggest you start with the end in mind – what are you wanting as the out and outcomes and then work your way back.
Secondly, who needs to be involved to validate and who needs to be briefed and kept up to date with the framework as it develops. Communication and consultation is absolutely critical so work out who are your audiences, what do you need to say, when and how often, and what communication methods will you use including existing communication channels. Utilising a group of people representing their job roles, especially if they are well networked in their area is a good way to go. Help them to know the purpose of the framework, what it will be used for and their knowledge, experience and understanding of the job roles in the framework to validate the competency and skills profiles.
Thirdly, think about the structure which needs to mirror the organisation or client (could be internal or external like a project) you are working with. I like the structure of core competencies i.e. everybody needs these, functional competencies including leadership i.e. some people need different functions, and job specific competencies i.e. skills that make 1 job role different to another. Draw a diagram of the competency framework and have the map to relevant skills sitting behind it.
Fourthly, what can we use the framework for? Training and development needs analysis,performance management, competency based job descriptions and recruitment, career and succession planning, evidence against industry standards and for tenders, proposals, marketing and promotions.
A final word on who needs a framework – well it’s up to you! I have developed a framework for a 1 person business up to a government department with 43 000 people because they had very real business reasons to build one in the first place.
Updating your workforce plan
Generally when you write a workforce plan you cover the same time frame as the organisation’s strategic plan which could be 1, 3, 5, 10 or 20 years depending on your industry and budget cycles.
I like to review my workforce plan every 6 months or if there has been a major workforce change or refocus of the business. For our workforce plan from 2009-2012 we are coming up to version number 4 as January 2011 will give us some time to see where we are up to and what we have achieved.
We haven’t changed our vision, mission, goals or values but the details in our strategic priorities have shifted a little bit as we have recently undertaken an exercise to simplify our brands and further segment our target markets.
As job roles change and we implement workforce development strategies, the framework that measures our workforce capability also needs to change and expand and we will revisit our demand and supply forecasting to see if we are on track.
The workforce planning process basically results in identifying strategies and actions to be put in places to bridge the gap between your current and future workforce. Here’s an easy to use workforce planning template or a checklist if you have already developed a workforce plan.