Competency-based HR applications deliver a number of beneficial outcomes for front line employees. These need to be understood and communicated. Possible outcomes for individuals include:
- Understanding position requirements. Competency applications require a thorough grasp of the processes and skills/knowledge required to meet position performance standards. Employees don't have to wonder what they need to know and what they should be doing on the job.
- Can get needed training. Competency assessments let employees indicate, in a low-risk manner, where they need help in getting their job done. It also lets them establish where they meet qualifications and where they need not waste time in unnecessary development activities.
- Easier to show qualifications. When targeted business goals are not being met, the question arises whether the problem is people, processes, or uncontrollable outside factors. Competency assessments, along with the appraisal system, make it easier to show whether individual employees are properly trained and qualified. Where workers are not qualified, the assessment shows that this is an organizational development problem, not an individual performance problem. Either way, the initial look is at competencies and qualifications rather than at individuals' motivation and success.
- Ability to prepare for the new/next job. Performance appraisals require that an employee be in a specific job or position for a period of time before the review takes place. Workers can be appraised for jobs they have held. This is totally inadequate in promotion planning. An advantage of competency assessment over simple performance appraisal is that competencies can be determined for jobs to which an employee aspires.
For example, a front line employee who is interested in moving up can be assessed based upon the qualification standards for a supervisor. Any gaps can be addressed with development activities, if appropriate. Then when the organization has a supervisory position to fill, employee assessment records can be searched to located all frontline workers who are qualified for the position. This allows employees to put themselves into a candidate position for the next job. They can prove their competence ahead of time, rather than being judged subjectively or on factors outside their control. Competency applications provide a straightforward way to say objectively, "I'm ready."
- More rational personnel decisions. Using competency assessment information, recruitment, hiring, placement, and promotion decisions are made much more objectively. Employees are hired, assessed, developed, and promoted based upon objective competencies rather that subjective preferences or unrelated factors such as seniority. This helps the truly qualified individual rise to the top, and allows others to become qualified if they are willing to take advantage of available development opportunities.
- More competent co-workers. When the process works as intended, the overall competence of the workforce is enhanced. This is both an organizational benefit and an individual one. Everyone’s work is simplified if co-workers are competent and qualified to complete their part of the process. Checking, error correction, and rework are reduced. Internal service is improved and working conditions are enhanced.
- Healthier, more competitive employer. The final individual outcome of competency-based HR applications is one of job security. The healthier the organization is, the more resources there are for employees. The stronger the organization is as a competitor, the safer everyone's position is. And the more the organization is growing, the more job opportunities open up in the form of new positions and available promotions.
Assessment of competency makes it easy for the qualified worker to stand out and difficult for the unqualified worker to hide. Competency-based HR applications help migrate the responsibility for employee qualifications from management down to the individual worker. All employees get the information they need to determine their job qualifications and to fill in their gaps. They also have the opportunity to get themselves prepared ahead of time for the next promotion.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
There are strong competency-related payoffs for both the organization and the individual worker. Make certain that this "What's in it for me" message gets out to frontline workers as early in the development process as possible. This sell-in and the buy-in are critical, especially if there is an attitude of distrust or scepticism in the organization.