Competency models define superior performance for specific positions. Using a top-down approach, we focus first on the results a person in a specific position needs to achieve. From there, we work with an internal team to determine the behaviors, skills, experience, and personality characteristics required to achieve those results.
The combination of our expert facilitator, your team, and this proven process enables us to accomplish in days what it takes others months to accomplish. The efficiency of this process allows for substantial savings for our clients while creating the model and because they begin getting a return on that investment months before they would using another process.
We don’t stop with simply helping our clients create a competency model; we help them put that model to work. The competency model is seamlessly integrated into an assessment platform that compares applicants and current employees to the model. That information is used to help determine fit for a position as well as areas to target for development. The end result is a competency model based on results required of a position as well as an effective way to put that model to work to hire and develop the best team possible.
Cheryl is the Vice President of Employee Development and was frustrated because her company didn’t have a consistent way of hiring and developing employees. There are 21 locations in their organization and each had their own idea of what success in various positions looked like. The inconsistency led to confusion about job descriptions and made performance evaluations a waste of time. Their turnover costs were high because they really didn’t know what they were looking for in an applicant. In addition, they wasted a lot of money on the wrong development for their employees because they didn’t have a clear understanding of their developmental needs.
The solution included creating competency models for eleven of their core positions across the organization. We started with a strategic look at each of the positions and developed a clear understanding of the results expected of a person in each position. From there, we developed a competency model that reflected the skills, behaviors, personality characteristics, and experience needed to achieve those results. Once we finished the competency models, we linked them to customized assessments that measured the fit of applicants with the competencies. The system we put in place added much-needed consistency in their hiring process and contributed significantly to better hiring decisions.
Cheryl’s team also used the competency models to develop existing employees. The models define success in each of the positions allowing for easy identification of developmental opportunities and providing even greater consistency across the organization. Finally, we customized 360s to measure the behaviors associated with each competency so employees could easily track their developmental progress. Using a web-based system, Cheryl and her team effortlessly administer assessments and track employee development. They quickly and easily identify the best candidates to interview and uncover relevant developmental opportunities in existing employees. We accomplished all of this for Cheryl’s team in less than six weeks.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can use competency models in your organization contact us here or call 651-322-7821.