January 01, 2010
It is essential that management's expectations concerning competency-based HR applications be realistic. Many operations-oriented managers, inexperienced with these efforts, assume that competency modeling and assessment are activities with classic start and finish dates. Instead, competency is more of a successive approximation application, exhibiting a substantial learning curve with the possibility of a relatively mature state reached only with stable processes.
Experience shows that it takes about three cycles to have an acceptably reliable competency model and assessment. This is particularly true for an organization's first attempt. Later projects can benefit from the experience curve and can meet requirements faster.
Assuming that the assessment is done annually for the purpose of learning and development, the first year is taken up with the model development and initial assessment. The focus here is on getting a selected group assessed for development needs and linking those needs to existing development resources. Managers must initially be trained in how to interpret reports and counsel employees on their individual needs. Institutional reports should also indicate what additional developmental resources are required.
The second year typically shows a refinement in the model and assessment. The results also improve. Managers have greater comfort levels and familiarity with the process, having by now gone through one round of employee competency counseling. The development activities identified previously have been completed and actual benefits can be discussed. Managers can review last year's feedback and compare it to this year's requirements. New development activities, identified in the first year as needing to be created, should now be online and available for workers to utilize.
By the third year, unless there are significant changes in processes or in the organization, competency-based HR applications should be reaching a level of relative maturity. At this stage, continuing efforts should consist more of maintenance than development. The competency model, assessment, and development resources are not being philosophically and operationally redesigned; they are being tweaked and adjusted as needed due to changes in positions and processes.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
Some competency-based HR applications may beat this typical three-year rule of thumb, and some may lag it. But it is important for management to understand that competency-based HR applications are multiyear development projects. There will be immediate benefits the first year, but the organization will typically require several rounds of improvement before reaching acceptable levels of accuracy and results.
Minor dissatisfaction with the first round is not unusual. Weak areas are readily apparent. Most organizations immediately see that there are things that they need to do differently the next time around. This is normal and healthy. The organization's leadership must understand that they need to make the commitment to stay the course for multiple cycles until the desired results are obtained.