Best Practices in Implementing Competency-based Learning & Development

Part 7 of 7 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Learning & Development 

This is the seventh in a seven part series that looks at:

1. Making the Case for Competency-based Learning & Development
2. Learning & Development: Facts, Figures & Findings
3. How Competencies Support Learning & Development
4. The Learning Cycle at the Individual Level
5. The Learning Cycle at the Organizational Level
6. Evaluating the Impact of Competency-based Learning and Development
7. Implementing Competency-based Learning & Development

Competency-based Learning & Development is typically introduced as part of a larger Competency-based Talent Management (CbTM) initiative, and in our experience, is being done to support major change in the organization. Perhaps the organization is trying to accomplish a major change in culture, perhaps it is shifting its vision and strategic direction, or perhaps it is facing the harsh realities of trying to maximize efficiencies and cope with major economic shifts in the market.

Regardless of the reason, changing the learning culture of the organization requires careful planning, good communication strategies targeted to different stakeholder perspectives and interests (i.e., senior leaders, managers / supervisors, employees, clients , partners, etc.), as well as training programs to equip managers and employees with the skills needed to participate in a competency-based learning and development process.

Best Practices for Effective Competency-based Learning & Development
Some of the key best practices in Competency-based Learning & Development include the following features:

• Learning that links individual performance to the corporate and work unit business plans and goals;
• Learning that focuses on results - i.e., desired behaviors (competencies);
• Regular reviews and updating of learning plans to address changing demands;
• Training for both managers and employees on how to effectively participate in a development process based on competencies;
• Catalogs of learning resources and options (including formal training programs) mapped to competencies in order to support employees in identifying learning options that fit with their learning style and the resources available within the organization;
• Competency-based learning curricula that focus learning on the key requirements for success;
• Review and evaluation processes that determine the impact of learning, both at the individual and organizational levels.

Implementation Stages
The following implementation stages are suggested for mid to large organizations implementing competencies in Learning and Development on a corporate-wide basis.

Stage 1:

• Determine policy for integrating competencies in Learning and Development.
• Design individual learning tools and processes (Learning Plan Form; associated instructions / tools) and / or acquire tools to support individual Learning Planning
• Build and / or acquire a catalog of learning resources organized by competencies in the Dictionary and classify organization specific programs and tools in the catalog.  Advertise and make the catalog widely available to employees and managers (e.g., post the catalog on an intranet site; acquire and implement web-based software to support employee).
• Develop and introduce training / communications related to competencies and their use in the learning and development process in the organization.
• Implement self-assessment and reporting processes as competency profiles become available for job groups.  Introduce supervisor and multi-source assessments as employees become familiar and comfortable with the competencies and the assessment process.

Stage 2:

• Conduct a needs assessment / analysis and design / develop tools and reporting processes to support aggregate analysis and reporting of organizational strengths and gaps in competencies.
• Assess how curriculum / learning program design and development could be improved with the introduction of competency-based management.  Implement changes, as required.
• Review current processes for conducting evaluations of learning programs within the organization and integrate competencies, as required, to determine:
• the extent to which workplace behavior and outcomes have changed in the desired direction; as well as,
• the impact and return on investment for the learning / training provided.

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HRSG is a leader in competency-based learning and development solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Competency-based Talent Management, or CbTM, is the best practice for defining job requirements and building effective HR programs to develop skilled, engaged and productive workforces. Download this Best Practice Guide to learn how competencies can increase workforce effectiveness and improve business practices.

Evaluating the Impact of Competency-Based Learning & Development

Part 6 of 7 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Learning & Development 

This is the sixth in a seven part series that looks at:

1. Making the Case for Competency-based Learning & Development
2. Learning & Development: Facts, Figures & Findings
3. How Competencies Support Learning & Development
4. The Learning Cycle at the Individual Level
5. The Learning Cycle at the Organizational Level
6. Evaluating the Impact of Competency-based Learning and Development
7. Implementing Competency-based Learning & Development

In the previous blogs we discussed the Learning Cycle and how this model addresses the process of learning and development both at the individual employee as well as the organizational levels.

The next key step in the Learning process that we will examine is how to determine whether the activities / program(s) implemented have had the desired impact (Review & Evaluation).

How Competencies Support the Review & Evaluation of Learning
Competencies that have been identified for roles within the organization can serve as the standards or criteria for determining the level of success of learning interventions. This approach is particularly powerful because assessments based on the competencies provide the organization with an indication of the extent to which employee workplace behavior has improved. For example, pre- and post-learning event testing / assessments can be conducted to evaluate the extent of development at both the individual and aggregate level (i.e., all employees who have completed the program). Based on this, the organization can determine whether the learning investments are paying off and, as appropriate, what changes need to be made to address performance gaps.

Measuring the Impact and Value of Learning
Organizations place a great deal of importance on the learning and development of its employees. In fact, we know of one organization that had to shut down their plant operations because a large percentage of the employees did have the necessary skills / competencies to operate safely and effectively. It is, therefore, important to assess whether the training is achieving the desired impact and outcomes.

At the organization level, the value of training / learning can be assessed on a number of levels. Jack Phillips (2012) has detailed a five-level model for assessing learning, ranging from Reaction – Level 1 (e.g., participant reviews completed at the end of training), to demonstrated Learning – Level 2 (e.g., test results at the end of a course), to Application – Level 3 (e.g., uses the learning on the job), to Business Impact – Level 4 (e.g., learning has had a measurable impact on things like productivity and efficiencies), and finally to Return on Investment (ROI) – Level 5 (e.g., learning has had a measurable impact on overall organizational financial performance, such as profits, sales, etc.).

How and What to Measure
As noted in this model, it is possible and sometimes important to measure and evaluate learning from a number of levels and perspectives. The first step is to determine the goals and / or outcomes you hope to achieve through the learning program. In some cases, the organization may be implementing learning solely to improve the quality of working life (e.g., creating a more respectful workplace), and in others there may a large financial imperative (e.g., increasing sales and / or profitability). Regardless, the goals and outcomes for the learning program should be clearly articulated in advance. It then becomes possible to design and implement measurement standards and processes for determining the success of the program.

The following diagram provides some illustrative examples of success indicators (green circles) and how they could be measured (arrows leading from circles). Often success indicators (program goals / outcomes) are articulated in ways that cannot be directly measured (e.g., reduced anxiety when dealing with organizational change), so it is important to identify proxy measures, which when used alone or in combination, provide an indication of the extent to which the program has been successful. The arrows associated with each of the green circles in the diagram provide some examples of how various goals or success indicators could be measured.

The key is to ensure that outcomes or success indicators for the program are clearly indicated in advance and that measurement standards and processes for determining levels of success have been identified, developed and implemented. In this way, HR and Learning professionals will be in a good position to demonstrate whether in fact the intended goals of the program have been accomplished.

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The next and final blog in this series summarizes some of the best practices in implementing competency-based learning and development. Sign up to our blog’s mailing list through the form on the right-hand side to receive the rest of the series in your inbox.

HRSG is a leader in competency-based learning and development solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Competency-based Talent Management, or CbTM, is the best practice for defining job requirements and building effective HR programs to develop skilled, engaged and productive workforces. Download this Best Practice Guide to learn how competencies can increase workforce effectiveness and improve business practices.

How Competencies Support Learning & Development: The Learning Cycle

Part 3 of 7 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Learning & Development 
 

This is the third in a seven part series that looks at:

1. Making the Case for Competency-based Learning & Development
2. Learning & Development: Facts, Figures & Findings
3. How Competencies Support Learning & Development
4. The Learning Cycle at the Individual Level
5. The Learning Cycle at the Organizational Level
6. Evaluating the Impact of Competency-based Learning and Development
7. Implementing Competency-based Learning & Development

Some Definitions
Using a competency-based approach has been proven to result in more efficient and effective learning and development processes, reduced costs and more productive, successful and engaged employees.

Competency is a term that describes a pattern or cluster of actions taken to achieve a result. Competencies demonstrate the following key features:

• They describe the abilities, skills, knowledge, motivations or other traits required in the job
• They are required for effective or successful performance of the job or task
• They are defined in terms of observable behaviors, and therefore can be assessed or measured.

Job Competency Profiles or models provide a comprehensive set of standards against which employees can be assessed. These standards can include not only the hard skill requirements like education and technical / professional competencies, but also the harder to measure attributes that are so important for success on the job, like the ability to operate effectively in a team environment, initiative, concern for client / customers, results achievement, etc.

Using a competency-based approach allows the organization and employee to determine the inventory of competencies the employee possesses.  Comparing the employee inventory of competencies against the competencies required in a job allows for a determination of the level of fit between the employee’s competencies and those required for a job or set of jobs. Gaps between what is required as compared with what is needed in the job then allows for the identification of a learning and development plan best suited to the employee’s needs.

This process is described in more detail through the Learning Cycle.

The Learning Cycle
Whether at the individual or organizational level, learning follows the cycle shown in the diagram below. Gaps in the learning are determined, which leads to the development of plans for addressing the gaps, followed by implementation and then review and evaluation to determine whether learning has occurred and the gaps that have to be addressed in the next cycle.

At the individual level, employees can assess their competencies against those required for their own job, or for another job in which they are interested, and then take steps to acquire or improve any necessary competencies. If they do this in conjunction with their supervisors, more formalized individual learning plans can be created based on the employee’s strengths and areas for development. The plans can be implemented and progress tracked.

At the organizational level, the competencies provide the foundation for assessing the gaps between the desired skill levels required in the organization to achieve the organizational vision, mission and mandate and those currently existing among the employee population. This gap analysis information is rolled up principally from gap information gathered at the individual employee level. Based on key trends in this gap analysis, decisions can be made about investments in learning and progress in closing organizational gaps in learning can be tracked.

The next two blogs will address the learning cycle at the individual and organizational levels in more detail.

In Summary
Competencies assist in effective learning and development by identifying the behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities that are necessary for successful performance in the job and the organization. They support learning by:

• Focusing learning on the critical competencies needed for success in the jobs and organization
• Providing standards for measuring employee performance and capabilities
• Providing the framework for identifying learning options/curriculum/programs to meet employee and organizational needs
• Supporting effective forecasting of organizational, as well as project-related learning requirements
• Providing standards for determining how well learning has occurred, both at the individual and organizational level 

The competency profile for the job is a critical tool in competency-based learning and development, as it details the critical competencies essential to achieving success in a given job.  You want to avoid drawing a “general” picture of the job based on only experience and education.  Why?  Because the individuals with the most experience or education are not necessarily the best performers.  Using competencies is the only way that you will have an objective means of measuring skill and understanding precisely where the shortcomings are.

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The next blog in this series examines the learning cycle at the individual level. Sign up to our blog’s mailing list through the form on the right-hand side to receive the rest of the series in your inbox.

HRSG is a leader in competency-based learning and development solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Competency-based Talent Management, or CbTM, is the best practice for defining job requirements and building effective HR programs to develop skilled, engaged and productive workforces. Download this Best Practice Guide to learn how competencies can increase workforce effectiveness and improve business practices.

Learning & Development: Facts, Figures & Findings

Part 2 of 7 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Learning & Development 
 

This is the second in a seven part series that looks at:

1. Making the Case for Competency-based Learning & Development
2. Learning & Development: Facts, Figures & Findings
3. How Competencies Support Learning & Development
4. The Learning Cycle at the Individual Level
5. The Learning Cycle at the Organizational Level
6. Evaluating the Impact of Competency-based Learning and Development
7. Implementing Competency-based Learning & Development

The amount of money spent on learning and development world-wide is astounding. In the US alone in 2010, expenditures for training, including payroll and spending on external products and services, were $52.8 billion. It is important, therefore, to ensure that the best value is being obtained, and that HR and Training professionals can demonstrate in substantive terms the impact on corporate productivity and profitability.

In a recent study by Aberdeen (2012), the analyst noted that “Organizations are faced with two parallel tracks driving their learning efforts. To deliver knowledge that will improve performance today, and build capability that will ensure performance tomorrow.” Having a common language to evaluate and develop new employees is critical to learning and performance management success. Competencies play a significant role for these organizations, with 67% indicating that their competency models are integrated with their learning and development initiatives, and 61% integrating competencies with performance management. These organizations also look to a combination of job role specific competencies and organizational competencies grounded in company values when selecting and evaluating new employees.

A shortage of key skills in the external market was the number one pressure identified in Aberdeen’s September 2012, Talent Acquisition study (cited by 55% of respondents). Organizations know that if they cannot “buy” talent in the external marketplace, and if they wish to remain competitive, they must develop their talent from within.

Some of the pressures being addressed through learning include:

• changes to product, process or strategy, requiring re-education and re-alignment of the organization - 45%
• lack of key skills in the marketplace requires development from within – 40%

Interestingly, of the organizations surveyed (Aberdeen, 2012), 32% indicated they extend learning to parties outside the organization - to customers, partners, resellers or some combination. The main reasons are to:

• Improve product knowledge (54%)
• Improve satisfaction with products / services (43%)
• Generate revenue from learning programs (30%)
• Increase brand awareness (24%)

The trend among top performers is to not only focus on understanding and supporting business needs, but also to adopt innovative ways of delivering on those goals. Best-in-Class organizations have gone beyond linking learning to business goals. They are differentiating themselves in the following ways:

• 31% more likely to adopt new learning delivery modalities to support diverse learning styles;
• 41% more likely to identify subject matter experts to capture and transfer their expertise; and,
• 129% more likely to focus on extending learning outside the enterprise to customers and / or channel partners

In terms of learning modalities, top performing organizations use blended learning approach (67%), have formal on-the job training (82%) and have formal coaching (74%). The study indicated that top performing organizations “seem to focus on more on ‘in the moment’, contextualizing learning experiences” as compared with their lower performing counterparts, noting that this type of reinforcement is critical for ensuring learning effectiveness.

Best-in-Class organizations are also differentiating themselves in the adoption of some emerging technologies, layering additional technology to help support their learning programs. They are:

• 93% more likely to have social learning as part of their formal learning strategy;
• 94% more likely to leverage user created video content; and,
• 119% more likely to utilize mobile learning solutions.

In terms of setting the stage for successful Learning and Development programs, Aberdeen (2012) noted that “Improving organizational performance requires developing a mindset and culture of ongoing learning and performance management, in addition to the adoption of the appropriate supporting tools and technologies to support learning throughout the organization for learners, no matter where they reside.” The study found that:

• 78% of Best-in-Class organizations have visible senior leadership support for learning and development
• 71% of Best-in-Class organizations assess individuals to identify gaps in required job role skills or knowledge.

The study also noted (Aberdeen, 2012) that higher success in delivering learning programs that have an impact on organizational performance results from taking a holistic view of learning, as well as organizational commitment to creating a high-performance culture. By a two-to-one margin, Best-in-Class organizations not only demonstrate the impact of learning on overall organization performance and profitability, they validate that impact through data.

In terms of defining learning needs, top performing organizations bring together customer, manager and employee insights to deliver performance results. Eighty percent (89%) of Best-in-Class organizations incorporate customer feedback, or customer trend information, to set learning priorities, and are 23% more likely than others to do so. The lesson is that learning leaders should spend more time with customers and customer service and sales leaders, as well as monitor social media in establishing learning needs and in designing programs.

The study underscores the requirement for a good Competency Framework as the foundational building block for high impact Learning and Development initiatives, noting that Best-in-Class organizations are 39% more likely that all other organizations to have organizational competencies defined (75% vs. 54%)

Technology plays a role in Learning and development by helping organizations manage performance on an individual level, which translates into performance results on an organizational level:

• Organizations with performance management solutions are 48% more likely than all other organizations to have performance goals in place that are agreed to by managers and employees (89% vs. 60%):
• Organizations with a Learning Management System (LMS) in place are 28% more likely to have development plans in place and agreed to by managers and employees (82% vs. 64%) - having those plans in place was the number one most cited capabilities among Best-in-Class;
• Organizations with an LMS indicated that on average, 74% of employees achieve ratings of “exceeds expectations” or higher on their last performance review, as compared with just 55% of employee at organizations without one;
• Organizations with automated performance management solutions in place saw 7% year-over-year growth in revenue per FTE, as compared to 4% year-over-year growth for organizations without such solutions

However, while technology facilitates communication between managers and employees, technology alone is not the entire answer. To ensure that Learning is having the desired impact, 42% of Best-in-Class organizations evaluate impact at least twice a year as part of their performance management review and discussions, and 24% do this on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Aberdeen Article:
Lombardie, M. (2012). Learning and performance: Developing for business results. Aberdeen Group Inc. http://www.aberdeen.com/

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The next blog in this series examines how competencies support Learning & Development. Sign up to our blog’s mailing list through the form on the right-hand side to receive the rest of the series in your inbox.

HRSG is a leader in competency-based learning and development solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Competency-based Talent Management, or CbTM, is the best practice for defining job requirements and building effective HR programs to develop skilled, engaged and productive workforces. Download this Best Practice Guide to learn how competencies can increase workforce effectiveness and improve business practices.

Making the Case for Competency-based Learning & Development

Part 1 of 7 of the CompetencyCore^TM Guide to Learning & Development

This is the first in a seven part series that looks at:

1. Making the Case for Competency-based Learning & Development
2. Learning & Development: Facts, Figures & Findings
3. How Competencies Support Learning & Development
4. The Learning Cycle at the Individual Level
5. The Learning Cycle at the Organizational Level
6. Evaluating the Impact of Competency-based Learning and Development
7. Implementing Competency-based Learning & Development

There are few jobs where employees are able to begin work and be fully effective on the first day of employment. Learning about the job and the organization is necessary in almost every case. This is especially true for certain occupations like police or military where the skills do not fully exist on entry and have to be taught from the start. Continuous learning and development is also necessary in sectors, such as Energy and Oil & Gas, where compliance to standards is essential for safety and productivity, and in sectors that are evolving rapidly, such as in Information Technology and Telecommunications.

It is well recognized that learning programs have to focus on the needs of the employees to ensure assigned functions are preformed correctly and productively. Yet, we regularly see organizations spending a great deal of money and time on unfocused, broad brush programs that do not necessarily address the learning needs of individual employees and the organization as a whole.

Learning and Development is no longer a “nice to have” for most organizations. Competitive challenges are pushing organizations to institute or enhance their learning and development initiatives to improve organizational performance. As Aberdeen (2012) notes in a recent analysis on Learning and Performance, customer needs and marketplace forces change rapidly. In-demand workers, move from organization to organization, and from job to job quickly. In addition, organizations are leveraging temporary and contingent labor more and more to rein in costs related to employee salaries and respond to quickly changing market characteristics. As well, companies are going to market through channel partners and resellers. Whereas in the past learning and development tended to extend only to internal resources, in best practice companies learning is now being extended to the broader organizational ecosystem involved in the delivery chain. Organizations can no longer afford the time or money to invest in learning that will not directly impact their ability to execute business strategy.

Increasingly learning and development costs are a major part of an organization’s budget and getting the best result from the expenditure is very important. Competency-based learning targeted to specific employee needs is an alternative that reduces costs and focuses learning to significantly improve the Return on Investment.

Competencies provide the standards against which employee development needs can be assessed and priorities can be set against the business needs of the organization. They can be used as the foundation for designing targeted programs with learning outcomes that directly link to the competency requirements. Finally, competencies provide the framework for measuring the success of the learning initiative in terms of the extent to which the employees can perform to the standard required and deliver results that ensure the ongoing success of the organization. In this way, costs are controlled, organizational needs are met and employees become more productive.

This series focuses on Learning and Development and how a Competency-based approach can be structured to significantly improve the learning and development process.

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The next blog in this series examines facts, figures and findings of a recent study on Learning & Development. Sign up to our blog’s mailing list through the form on the right-hand side to receive the rest of the series in your inbox.

HRSG is a leader in competency-based learning and development solutions and training. Contact us today to find out how we can help you.

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Want to learn more? Competency-based Talent Management, or CbTM, is the best practice for defining job requirements and building effective HR programs to develop skilled, engaged and productive workforces. Download this Best Practice Guide to learn how competencies can increase workforce effectiveness and improve business practices.