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Feature
Competency mapping
How does the HR department avoid making the mistake of hiring
a round peg for a square hole? By using competency mapping, says Sudipta Dev
 Competency-based
HR is considered the best HR. In India however competency development and mapping
still remains an unexplored process in most IT organisations despite the growing
level of awareness. After all, Level 3 of PCMM is focused on the competency
framework in an organisation. Is the underlying principle of competency mapping
just about finding the right people for the right job? The issue is much more
complex than it appears, and most HR departments have been struggling to formulate
the right framework for their organisation.
Competency mapping is a process of identifying key competencies for a particular
position in an organisation, and then using it for job-evaluation, recruitment,
training and development, performance management, succession planning, etc.
"The competency framework serves as the bedrock for all HR applications.
As a result of competency mapping, all the HR processes like talent induction,
management development, appraisals and training yield much better results,"
states well-known HR consultant Ullhas Pagey. He however points out that the
competency movement has caught on much better in the non-IT sector than the
IT sector. Only a few IT organisations which are at the higher end of the HR
value chain are known to be doing some work in this area; most are more busy
handling recruitment and compensation-related matters. "Unless managements
and HR heads have holistic expectations from their HR departments, the competency
movement is unlikely to succeed as it requires lot of time, dedication and money,"
he adds, pointing out that before an organisation embarks on this journey it
has to be very clear about the business goals, capability-building imperatives
and core competencies of the organisation. The competency mapping process needs
to be strongly integrated with these aspects.
Experts agree that the competency mapping process does not fit the one-size-fits
all formula. It has to be specific to the user organisation. "My suggestion
is to develop models that draw from but are not defined by existing research,
using behavioural interview methods so that the organisation creates a model
that reflects its own strategy, its own market, its own customers, and the competencies
that bring success in that specific context (including national culture). Start
with small, discrete groups or teams, ideally in two directions-a 'horizontal
slice' across the business that takes in a multi-functional or multi-site group,
more or less at the same organisational level, and a 'vertical slice' taking
in one whole department or team from top to bottom. From that, the organisation
can learn about the process of competency modelling, and how potential alternative
formats for the models may or may not fit the needs of the business," explains
Stephen Martin, an international authority in the field who is also the president
of ITAP Europe.
Martin believes that it is important to focus on one or two key areas of implementation
rather than the whole HRD agenda in one scoop. "So if recruitment and selection
or performance management are the key strategic needs of the business, and where
the pain is being felt, then start there," he advises, adding that competency
mapping can be rather good at providing organisational pain relief when applied
effectively-and so making the case for extending it. Further, it is advisable
to begin with a 'horizontal' slice of the management or senior-most team as
the benefits will percolate down to the whole organisation.
Methodology for designing
The following methodology for designing and developing competency frameworks
is suggested by Martin. "In my experience, the most effective route is
to employ recognised best-practice internal research methodology using behavioural
event interview (BEI) techniques to selectively sample the target population
(supplemented with expert panels and 'Competency Requirement Questionnaires'
to engage wider population samples) and so build up the models from the data
that emerges. This data should be triangulated against clear top-down input
in terms of organisational strategy and business objectives, and also against
external research relevant and analogous to the organisation's situation-not
as a driver, but as a reference point." He adds that once the behavioural
data is collected, it should be sorted, categorised and levelled carefully to
create models that are both concise and comprehensive, simple and sophisticated.
Developing BEI skills within the organisation has the added benefit that once
the model is complete, it can be used more effectively by transferring these
skills to selection interviewing, development assessments, and so on.
Martin cautions that international organisations must ensure that the methodology
does not screen-out those competencies that do not match the culturally-influenced
pre-conceptions of the head office (wherever it is situated) of what high-performance
competencies are. "This is a common error…the universalist, all-powerful
'global leadership model'. There is so much evidence to support the idea that
culture is a business issue, is a management issue, that it seems obvious that
mono-cultural lists of 'exemplar behaviours' will work only to exclude those
who do not conform to the originating culture. The point is not to get everybody
to behave the same, but to get everybody to perform to the same high standards."
Recruitment and retention
Competency mapping can play a significant role in recruiting and retaining people
as it gives a more accurate analysis of the job requirements, the candidate's
capability, of the difference between the two, and the development and training
needs to bridge the gaps, asserts Martin.
As far as meeting an individual's career aspirations are concerned, once the
organisation gives an employee the perspective of what is required from him
to reach a particular position, it drives him to develop the competencies for
the same. "Competencies enable individuals to identify and articulate what
they offer-regardless of the (usually misfit) job they happen to have at the
time-so that their organisation (current or future) can see, value and utilise
what capability is actually available," says Martin.
Lynette D'Silva, manager, learning & development, HR, Zensar Technologies,
points out that competency mapping helps identify the success criteria (i.e.
behavioural standards of performance excellence) required for individuals to
be successful in their roles. It helps to:
- Support specific and objective assessment of their strengths,
and specify targeted areas for professional development.
- Provide development tools and methods for enhancing their
skills.
- Provide the basis for a more objective dialogue with their
manager or team about performance, development, and career-related issues.
"If an individual is able to discuss the above with his manager, it will
help him to chalk out his growth perspectives in the company," states D'Silva.
At Zensar and L&T Infotech
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As a result of competency mapping, all the HR processes like talent induction,
appraisals and training yield much better results
Ullhas Pagey
HR Consultant
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Competency mapping helps identify the success criteria required for individuals
to be successful in their roles
Lynette D’Silva
Manager Learning & Development, HR Zensar Technologies
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Zensar has a behavioural competency model which is based on various job roles
in the organisation. D'Silva describes the process of implementation:
- Having defined the various job roles, a focused study
was initiated where job role holders were interviewed on the critical incident
method and the data of success-critical factors was collated.
- The job roles and deliverables were finalised on the basis
of the competencies derived from the data. This data was further analysed,
and on the basis of this competencies that had an impact on the job roles
and deliverables were finalised.
- After identifying the competencies, a job analysis exercise
was carried out where the importance level of every competency was ascertained
before freezing the competency model.
For team leaders and project managers, the company also runs development centres
in-house; here, individuals are profiled on behavioural competencies required
for their position. "This process creates awareness in the individual about
his behavioural traits in detail, and helps him chalk out an individual development
plan. Development centres help map an individual's potential, which is useful
to both the individual and the organisation. All management development programmes
are also fine-tuned to address the specific competency needs at different levels,"
explains D'Silva, adding that the 360-degree feedback has also been designed
on the competency model, enabling managers to get feedback from their teams.
This feedback is based on the rating of the competencies which are an integral
part of their managerial skill-set.
L&T Infotech, a PCMM Level 5 company, has a successful competency-based
HR system. Recruitment, training, job rotation, succession planning and promotions-all
are defined by competency mapping. Says Dr Devendra Nath, executive vice-president
of the company, who had initiated the PCMM process in the parent company (L&T)
in 1997, "Nearly all our HR interventions are linked to competency. Competencies
are enhanced through training and job rotation." He adds that all people
who have gone through job rotation undergo a transformation and get a broader
perspective of the company. For instance, a person lacking in negotiation skills
might be put in the sales or purchase department for a year to hone his skills
in the area.
Dhananjay Savarkar, head of the training department, L&T Infotech, asserts
that in no two organisations can competency frameworks be the same; it will
vary over time even in one organisation. It is not timeless, it is contextual.
"We call it the DNA of success…it is what makes star performers work
in a particular way. Isolate the DNA and make it available to ten others,"
says Savarkar. When the company started competency mapping the whole process
took eight months for six roles and two variations. Eventually, 16-18 profiles
were worked out. The company uses PeopleSoft for competency mapping. "Behavioural
competencies do not change every month. Two appraisals are done subsequently…
every project-end for skills, and annual for behavioural competencies."
He acknowledges that there was resistance from the line people, but when the
numbers started flowing they sat up. Every quarter, an SBU-based skills portfolio
is published. Nath says that it has been a very rewarding experience. As far
as training and development is concerned, instead of asking people to attend
classes, they themselves get pulled to the classes. Introduction of competency
mapping has also involved introducing skill appraisals in performance appraisals.
This has also led to training people on how to assess subordinates on competencies.
Notes Nath, "The best human resources development is when people in the
line department do HR. Where the HR department is the enabler, the line people
see the advantage and drive us." Competency-based HR makes this almost-utopian
dream attainable.
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sudipta@expresscomputeronline.com
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