What are Competency Frameworks?

The HR Dictionary describes a competency framework as the set of duties or tasks performed as
part of a job with the standards which should be achieved in these duties. This definition
describes what is delivered (a set of duties or tasks) and omits how it is delivered or the
behaviours and knowledge required to enhance delivery.
Imagine this scenario; you are soon to give birth to your first child, living abroad and in a
different culture you are feeling a little anxious you decide to look for a midwife. So you go to a
register of professional midwives and you find lots of evidence of their ability to deliver a baby.
You decide to interview 2 midwives, so you identify essential criteria, or the competencies, that
you require of the individual who will deliver your first child. This criterion includes:

Essential behaviours such as sensitivity to your needs, respect for your cultural values
and beliefs.

Current Knowledge about midwifery education and best practice.

Understanding of immediate care and aftercare needs of a newborn.

You interview 2 people, both with identical qualifications. Each responds to questions about the
process involved in WHAT they deliver; however there is a marked difference in their responses
to questions related to HOW they deliver.
Competency is: A combination of knowledge, professional behaviour and specific skills that
are demonstrated at a defined level of proficiency. Two people with exactly the same
qualifications for a job can be performing to very different standards.
A well constructed competency framework will clearly describe WHAT tasks are involved in the
role and the behaviours that support HOW we perform those tasks.

Benefits of Competency Frameworks

A good, well managed and current competency framework can help organisations to:

Recruit the right people through a cost effective, consistent, fair and open process

Deploy and maintain the right people in the right jobs

Assess performance against a well-defined set of behaviours, skills and knowledge

Retain the right people by developing them in the right way and linking competence to
organisational performance

Reward the right people appropriately through measurable competencies linked to

personal/organisational performance

Manage workforce and succession planning in an objective manner

Types of Competency Frameworks

Competency frameworks can be as large, elaborate and multi-dimensional as you could
possibly imagine and they can be equally effective as a flat, simple matrix of competencies
that everyone in the organisation should meet.
In reality, the structure of a framework is likely to be based on a range of competencies at a
variety of levels.
The structure above shows the bottom of the pyramid focusing on the competencies required to
demonstrate competence currently whilst the top two layers focus on future development. The
bottom layers are likely to be imposed by the organisation but the top two should also be used to
encourage personal as well as organisational development.

Foundation competencies are the behaviours, skills and knowledge that is shared by
everyone in the organisation, e.g. communication.

Focus competencies are those related to a particular industry or profession, e.g.

legislation or best practice guidelines.

Execution competencies are those required to currently carry out a specific role or level,
e.g. customer service agent or customer service manager.

Potential competencies are those that the organisation would like to see an individual
develop for the benefit of the organisation. At this stage, it is also important to encourage
an individual to consider their personal potential competencies as well as those imposed
by the organisation.

Aspiration competencies are those that an individual hopes to develop over a longer
period and need not be connected to an organisational need either current or in the future.

Why use frameworks?

Before considering the use of a competency framework, it is important to think about why you
should use one in your organisation.
There are many benefits of using competency frameworks, including:

Helping managers to manage resources more effectively

Helping employees to have a clear understanding of exactly what is required of them in

their role and to what standard they are expected to perform it

Providing a fairer and more open recruitment process

Implementing measurable and standardised across job types, operational and

geographical boundaries

Providing a fairer and more open remuneration and reward process based on an
individuals effort and its impact on organisational performance

To be effective and achieve the benefits stated, a competency framework must be developed and
implemented with care as they can become unwieldy and unmanageable if out of date and
backward-looking. Tailoring a competency framework and integrating it with your organisational
processes will help you to monitor the effectiveness of performance, recruit and develop staff to
meet organisational needs and succession plan with confidence.

Why use frameworks within Small Businesses?

As a small business owner you probably manage everything in the business and know all there is
to know about it. After all, you created it and have a clear vision of how you want it to be.
As it grows, however, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage everything that goes on in a
business alone and you may find yourself having to take the difficult decision of delegating some
of that management to other trusted individuals. But how do you know that they will get it right
and each will carry out their management responsibilities consistently?
Creating a competency framework at the time of devolving some of that management
responsibility will help the new managers structure the way in which they manage staff and
ensure that it is done consistently across the business as it grows. That gives you the reassurance
of knowing that the business and its people are still being managed day to day as you would have
done and you can take a different view of the overall business and its focus.
And its not just a case of management its even more important in a small business that staff
are competent in their role because theres not often anyone available to supplement a lack of
skills in any area of the business from administration to shop floor production environments.
There is also a good case for establishing competencies for all roles in the business. It helps to
focus the minds of the managers and employees on what are the important criteria for the
performance of a particular role. This significantly helps with recruitment and development.
Why use frameworks within Medium Businesses?

As SMEs grow, they often find it harder to ensure that jobs are carried out and roles managed in
an effective and consistent way. Processes on which the organisation relies can also be hard to
manage when job holders are dispersed. Implementing a competency framework is one approach
to standardising and ensuring consistency.
Challenge

Many industries and professions have competency frameworks which can provide a basis for
designing a competency framework for a business or organisation. The automotive industry is an
example of this. Motor dealers are at the end of a business structure which starts with the
manufacturer. Many manufacturers have a set of competencies which they expect employees in
their franchised dealerships to achieve. These are used to assess existing and potential employees
for recruitment and promotion. The dealerships are often part of a group which might own a
number of franchises. This results in different manufacturers Competency Frameworks being
applied across the group. The group may also have its own
Why use frameworks within Enterprises?

A large enterprise may be a national PLC, an international or public sector organisation and
many such large enterprises will already have a framework in place for recruitment,
development, remuneration and reward.
It is always necessary, however, to maintain such a framework to ensure that it is current and
meets the needs of the organisation as it changes. Equally the framework should be written in a
way which will not require frequent changes as the organisation develops or expands.
With mergers and acquisitions, it may be that two or more established frameworks need to be
merged, often across global boundaries. The impact of change under such circumstances,
particularly when integrating cultural differences, can be underestimated. Employment law
changes and external targets can impact any organisation and a competency based approach can
minimise disruption that these things can cause.

Consult
The first step in either developing a Competency Framework from scratch or updating an
existing framework is the analysis of the existing job roles. This analysis covers the skills,
knowledge and behaviours required for the role.
Analysis
Existing Framework

Examine how the current framework has been used and its effectiveness. You may need
to consider whether its better to start with a new framework.

If the existing framework is fit for purpose, map existing job descriptions and roles to the
framework.

Identify gaps.

Confirm any job role changes.

Confirm any new or prospective job roles.

Example Competency Frameworks

There are few formal competency frameworks in the UK and most are in the public
sector. There are, however, a number of Institutions and Professional bodies that provide
competency frameworks for their members. By their nature they tend to be generic and
therefore may not be detailed enough to meet a specific organisational need. They can
provide useful research and ideas for the types of framework you want to implement in
your organisation. A few examples are listed below:Civil Service
Professional Skills for Government: http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/improving/psg
Ministry of Justice: http://www.justice.gov.uk/jobs/current-vacancies/competencyframework
Cabinet Office: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cabinet-officecompetency-frameworks

NHS
National Prescribing Centre:
http://www.npc.co.uk/improving_safety/improving_quality/resources/single_comp_frame
work.pdf
Clinical Leadership Competency Framework:
http://www.institute.nhs.uk/building_capability/building_leadership_capability/clinical_l
eadership_competency_framework_project.html
IT Profession Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA)
http://www.sfia.org.uk
Institution of Civil Engineers
http://www.ice.org.uk/qualification-careers/Competency-Framework-Assessment
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
http://www.imeche.org/membership/professional-development/Careerdevelopment/Competence-framework
Institution of Engineering and Technology
http://www.theiet.org/factfiles/isa/comp-frame-page.cfm

Avoid Pitfalls With Competency

Frameworks

Competency frameworks are developed to support the needs of the business - they add
significant value to the organisation and provide consistency that supports a number of
people processes. However, competency framework development and implementation
can take considerable time and effort and so a little joined up thinking is needed

beforehand. This forethought should be focused on identifying the issues that a

competency framework could solve and defining the measurements and success criteria
once the framework has been implemented. Doing this will ensure you avoid the potential
pitfalls.
There are many off-the-shelf framework tools and processes that are built on a generic
model and these will help you generate a generic set of competency statements. Be very
careful that these generic competencies are appropriate for your organisation and they
represent only the key and important behaviours which employees must display for
success. Competencies must be defensible against potential legal challenge, so if you
were challenged on a set of generic competencies, you need to be able to demonstrate that
the competency requirements were identified based on the expert knowledge of those
who understand the job or area being profiled. Employee involvement is key to
identifying competencies that are appropriate for the role and an effective
communications campaign greatly improves employee awareness and organisational
readiness and therefore the likelihood of success for the whole project.
Defining format, scope and structure will provide clarification for the project team, and
will ensure you avoid scope creep. Selection of an internal project team is important here.
Your industry/sector/organisation will continue to evolve and therefore the competency
framework must accommodate those changes after the consultants have left. It is essential
that you have the internal expertise to maintain the framework and associated processes.
Ultimately, it is staff and management who need to embrace, apply and understand the
purpose, relevance and benefits of a competency based approach . Without that
understanding there is a danger that the initiative is perceived as a command and control
process imposed by HR. Keep your framework simple and accessible. If it is too
complicated you risk it not being used or misinterpreted.
A competency based approach benefits a range of people processes and your framework
should be designed to gradually feed into other processes such as appraisal, recruitment,
succession planning and/ training needs analysis. The time required to rollout your
competence management process will vary with the size of organisation and the number
of departments involved. We recommend a gradual rollout, applying it to one peopleprocess at a time. Ideally, start with the process that will bring you a quick win and that
will have the least resistance.

Competency Framework Testing

A commonly accepted definition of a test is A procedure for critical evaluation; a means of

determining the presence, quality, or truth of something as well as A basis for evaluation
or judgment.
We use testing as a general word to describe the way in which competencies are assessed in
order to determine overall competence. The only way to know whether someone is displaying the
appropriate behaviour, demonstrating the correct level of skill or simply has a particular
knowledge is to test it. That may mean observing, questioning, assessing, evaluating or even
being told by other team members that it happens. Whatever the means, each competency must
be tested to ensure that it has actually, consistently been met.
A wide range of formal and informal testing options is available:Face to face or telephone discussion

Observation

Online testing

Written examination

Interview

Assessment or development centre

Practical assessment

Choosing the right option depends upon the competence and the reason its being tested.
Contact us for a FREE TRIAL of our competency testing software.

New Framework

Identify existing and prospective job roles, descriptions and competence requirements in
the form of skills, knowledge and behaviours.

The analysis will be a mixture of theoretical i.e. based on documented job role information, and
practical. Through observation and possibly some assessment, it is possible to validate the
competence requirements and expectations.

Requirements
The next step is to consider the purpose of the framework in the organisation, how it will be used
and by whom. Organisational goals and business objectives must be considered to ensure the
framework not only meets the requirements for the job roles but also the wider business.
One example may be an organisational goal to reduce CO2 emissions that may lead to a business
objective to reduce business travel by 20% over a 12 month period. This may result in a
requirement being built into the competency framework for staff to be competent in the use of
online meeting technology.
We take into account the requirements of all the stakeholders in developing a Competency
Framework which is fit for purpose and is adaptable for changing business needs, without the
need to re-write the whole framework. As such we gather the requirements of all the stakeholders
to develop recommendations.
Scope
We agree the scope of the project after the initial consultation. The size of the organisation, the
number of job roles, whether there is an existing framework and what processes are already in
place, will affect the scope, duration and resource requirement of the project.

Design
Once the analysis is complete we then draft out a new or revised Competency Framework for
consideration by key stakeholders. Where there is no existing Competency Framework(s), or it is
no longer fit for purpose, it is essential to work with key stakeholders to ensure they understand
and support the design/revision process. It is often appropriate to consider any industry or
professional frameworks which relate to the job role.
Create a new framework

Job roles existing and new Competence levels From entry to Board level

Competence scope Foundation, Focus, Execution etc see Types of Competency

Framework

Define required competencies technical, administrative, management etc.

Define descriptions of: knowledge, behaviours and skills required to deliver the
competencies at the required level

Innovate an existing framework

Take into account the mapping from the analysis of job roles and existing competencies
and the identification of gaps

Define required competencies technical, administrative, management etc

Define descriptions of: knowledge, behaviour and skills required to deliver the
competencies at the required level

Plan
At this stage in the cycle, we also design the implementation to ensure that communication is in
line with the organisational culture and to minimise any disruption through the implementation
phase.
Test
The design phase results in a draft design and implementation plan that is then approved by the
relevant stakeholders to ensure it meets their objectives and requirements. Changes are agreed
before the Competency Framework is finalised and approved.
It is important that you dont just get sign off for the framework and its implementation but
SIGN ON, so this stage is of particular importance.

Implement
The implementation phase of the cycle is often the first time that individuals affected by the
competency framework are able to fully understand it. Engagement is the key to managing this
change.
Engagement

Communication
It is essential to communicate with the stakeholders throughout the process to ensure they
understand the implications of the implementation of the Competency Framework(s) but
it is at this stage that the whole organisation gets involved. The communication of the
Competency Framework and how it will be applied could be as simple as a meeting or
could involve- management briefings, staff meetings, internal web sites, newsletters,
notice boards, team meetings and one-to-ones.

Involvement
Stakeholders will have different priorities and it is essential to consider how and when
they should be involved in the whole process. It may be that staff representatives, unions
and other representative bodies will be involved in the communication and delivery of the
new framework. This will have been considered as part of the planning design phase and
we work with you to ensure that all stakeholders support the implementation.

Training

Delivery
A key aspect of the implementation is the understanding of the CF and how it is applied
in the organisation. As such we provide training to ensure the people responsible for the
implementation fully understand the framework, how it was designed, the competence
descriptions and the levels of skill, knowledge and behaviours required as well as the
impact of the change and how to manage it.

Job holders
As a result of the analysis there may be learning and development needs identified for the
job holders to meet the competence levels required for their roles. We work with you to
identify appropriate learning and development options to enable the job holder to achieve

the level of competence required. This could be formal training, on the job training, elearning, coaching or mentoring.
Roll out
Ideally all staff are given the Competency Framework at the same time, along with a clear
explanation for its implementation. This is not always possible but the time-scale should be as
short as possible. Typically there will be a number of questions and concerns raised by the new
framework and some job holders may feel the design does not suit their job role. Sometimes
managers need support or coaching to help them gain the understanding of their staff or team. It
is essential to respond to these quickly and effectively and we support this through
communications, FAQs and consultations.

Impact
Arguably the most important stage of the cycle, the competency frameworks impact on the
organisation should be considered in 3 ways:Immediate
We proactively work with management to review and respond to the immediate feedback from
the stakeholders and job holders to the new Competency Framework.
Medium term
Typically once the Competency Framework has been rolled out and the job holders understand
how they will be affected they have opportunity to raise questions/concerns leading up to when
normal staff performance reviews are carried out. We provide support to ensure the review
process is consistent with the framework and advise on processes and feedback to minimise staff
concerns and facilitate the embedding of the competency framework(s).

Long Term
It is important to consider benchmarking competence levels across the organisation based on the
initial analysis, previous performance reviews and on-going performance reviews. One of the
outcomes should be that job holders achieve and maintain the levels of competence required for
their existing role. They should also develop their competence to enable them to progress in the
organisation, broaden their competencies or enable them to support their colleagues or provide
greater flexibility for the organisation.

Theres an Elephant in the room and I think its stressed As managers we learn to appreciate
the di...