Competency-Based Human Resource Management: Developing the Business Case

Stakeholder participation is important not only to create "buy-in" but also to ensure competencies truly reflect the behaviours that contribute to and sustain organizational success.
It takes effort and commitment to implement a fully-elaborated and integrated Competency-based human resource management (HRM) system. It is important, therefore, to take the time to evaluate the needs of the organization, and to create a strategy and plan that will meet these needs - in other words, getting it right the first time.

Developing the Business Case:
Our years of experience in implementing Competency-based human resource management programs have shown that, as with any other significant change initiative, there must be a compelling need and will to change. It is not sufficient for the organization’s human resource or training professionals to see the need; leaders of the organization must also see the benefits and be willing to champion the initiative. Likewise, employees must understand how the program will benefit them both in their current jobs, as well as in advancing their careers. For this reason, many organizations have chosen first to implement components of a Competency-based HRM system that address the expressed needs of employees, preferably in a non-threatening way - for example, a Competency-based self-directed learning program.

This post is based on content from 'Competency-based Human Resource Management: Planning for Success' by Suzanne Simpson, Ph.D. And Lorraine McKay, M.A.