When companies are trying to determine which L&D strategy is best for their organization, there are several potential models to follow. Some companies rely on gut feelings or intuition, allowing that to guide the coursework. Others are data-driven, embracing metrics as the basis for program design.
However, a strategy that’s gaining traction is competency modeling. If you’re wondering what competency modeling involves and whether it can create a solid foundation for organization growth, here’s what you need to know
What Is Competency Modeling?
Competency modeling is a program development strategy that uses job experts as guides for the creation of training strategies. Often, senior-level employees in the roles, department managers, and similar internal resources are tapped. Together, the created team reviews the hard and soft skills that top performers in the role typically possess, allowing them to find potential training targets. Then, those are related to broader company objectives, including large-scale goals, upcoming projects, or known future needs. Essentially, the strategy allows those with direct experience either working in the positions or coordinating with successful employees to play a role in training program development. However, the analysis introduces data-driven elements, creating a holistic approach.Competency Modeling in Action
In most cases, competency modeling is a multi-stage process designed to tap the expertise of employees across several departments. Along with professionals who’ve worked in the role, representatives from other teams who’ve engaged with employees in those positions are brought in to add their perspectives. Couple them with managers or department heads, and you get a broad picture of what successful employees in those positions possess. Once a team is selected, a research-driven approach is usually the starting point. Along with reviewing company goals, other data sources like customer feedback are brought into the equation. An in-depth job analysis also takes place to identify key skills and traits that are commonly associated with job success. This helps determine which competencies are critical, making them strong potential targets for training. With the targets identified, the next step is to outline KPIs that can assess performance in those arenas. Usually, the goal is to cover three categories: outstanding, average, and unacceptable. By determining what scores align with those categories, decisions can be made about employee participation in training. Additionally, progress over time can be monitored. Finally, competency gaps are identified. Employees within the job category can be further reviewed and interviewed, allowing strengths and weaknesses to be recognized. This creates the final training targets, allowing companies to engage with their L&D team to develop coursework that will boost performance, bolster productivity, and close skill gaps to increase success.Are You Ready to Explore Competency Modeling for Your Training Program?
At Clarity, we have over 30 years of experience in L&D, giving us the knowledge and expertise to help you integrate competency modeling into your training program. Plus, if you’re trying to expand your internal L&D team, Clarity can be your candidate search ally, connecting you with top talent right when you need them. If you want to partner with leading L&D professionals, Clarity Consultants is here. Contact us today.
