Lecture # 10

Developing a
Competent
Name: Muhammad Ahmed Khan
Workforce
SZABIST Islamabad

Topics
Defining competence
Prerequisites to Competence
HRD - components applications and
framework.
Competence stages of an individual
Competence management system
(CMS)
Training your workforce Important
factors

Defining competence
Competence and incompetence- Two most
frequently used words in offices.
No one can know everything but we often confuse
competence with knowledge, common sense and
work ethics.
Being capable of doing something in a satisfactory
or effective way.
Being good enough for a purpose but not especially
good.
Having the skill or ability to do something in a
specific field or subject.
Competence is a combination of practical and
thinking skills, experience and knowledge, and may
include a willingness to undertake activities within
the agreed standards, rules and procedures.
Competence depends on the context and the

Prerequisites to Competence
To be competent an organization or
individual must have:
Sufficient knowledge of the tasks to be
undertaken and the risks involved
The experience and ability to carry out
their duties in relation to the project.
To recognize their limitations and take
appropriate action to prevent harm to
those carrying out the work ,or those
exposed by the work

HRD - components applications and

framework .
Primary components of
HRD:
- T&D develops human
expertise for the
purpose of improving
performance.
- OD unleashes human
expertise for the
purpose of improving
performance.

H
R
D

Process to develop & unleashing

expertise to improve performance
at the individual, group, process,
and organizational levels.

Training
Developme
nt (T&D)

Applications and
Contexts
Processes directs,
Intellectual & Social Capital Workforce complements,
Development. Human Resource
or are built in
Management Organizational
various domestic &
Effectiveness Leadership & Strategy
international
Work System Design Change Mgt.
settings.
Process Improvement Career

Organizations
development (OD)

Development Quality improvement.

Competence stages of an
1: Individual is given
individual
a new job, or
assessed as not
competent
6: Unconscious
incompetence
(develops bad
habits or laxity)

2: Unconscious
incompetence
(unaware of
limitations)

5:Unconscious
competence
(develops good
habits )

3:Conscious
incompetence
(during training and
development)
4:Conscious competence
(trained and assessed as
competent)

Competence management system

An old, widely used practice that consists of all of a
(CMS)

company's formal, organized approaches to

ensuring that it has the human talents needed to
meet its business goals.
The practice defines the skills in which an
organization is interested, i.e. a certain application
or knowledge of an accounting practice.
Once the skills are defined, each employee (or
subcontractor) is described based on these
standardized definitions. These skill and personnel
descriptions are used to forecast needs, determine
training goals, and measure progress toward those
goals.
Software based applications help organizations to
store, search, and analyze competency-related
data.
As the software is an enterprise system installed on

Competence management system

(CMS)
Objectives of CMS is to:
Control a cycle of activities within the company
or organization in a logical and integrated
manner and assure competent performance at
work and further development.
It aims to ensure that;
Individuals are clear about the performance that is
expected of them.
That they have received appropriate training,
development and assessment.
That they maintain or improve their competence over the
time.

Over the time as knowledge and practical

experience grows, operations can be carried out at
a more complex level.
Such an approach also increases confidence of the

COMPETENCE MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM CYCLE
An process that seeks to logically integrate
a number of related management activities.
Like most management systems it
involves
Designing,
Planning,
Implementing,
Monitoring
Reviewing.

CMS can be viewed as a cycle defined

by 15 principles linked in five phases,
as shown in the next slide.

COMPETENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

CYCLE - 5 phases
1: Establish CMS
requirements
1. Identify activities &

assess risks
5: Verify, audit & 2. Select standards
review
14. VerifyCMS
and audit the
CMS
15. Review and feed back

4: Maintain &
develop competence
10. Monitor and reassess
performances
11. Update the
competence of individuals
12. Manage sub-standard
performance
13. Keep records

2: Design the CMS

3. Develop procedures and
methods
4. Decide how to meet the
standards
5. Establish training
requirements. development
and assessment
6. Maintain managers
competencies

3: Implement the
CMS

7. Select and recruit staf

8. Train, develop and
assess staf
9. Control activities
undertaken

FIVE Phases and 15 principles of

CMS 1/5
Phase 1: Establish requirements
for the CMS
Requirements for the system are established
starting with the identification of activities that
may affect operational safety and occupational
health and safety (Principle 1).
The risk assessment, with control measures,
identifies those activities where the competence
of people to control risks is important.
This leads to defining and selecting the
competence standards for individuals to enable
them to control risks consistently (Principle 2).

FIVE Phases and 15 principles of

CMS 2/5
Phase 2: Design the CMS
The procedures, methods and work instructions
for operating the system are developed to
achieve consistency (Principle 3).
How each competence standard is met and
assessed is then established (Principle 4).
The extent of the training, development and
assessment requirements is established
(Principle 5).
Competencies and responsibilities of those
managing and operating the system are
established (Principle 6).

FIVE Phases and 15 principles of

CMS 3/5
Phase 3: Implement the CMS
Staff and recruits are selected and recruited
(Principle 7)
Against standards selected previously,
And trained, developed and assessed
(Principle 8) against the competence
standards and methods already selected
(Principles 2 and 4).
Control processes should be established to
ensure that staff and contractors only undertake
work for which they are competent (Principle
9).

FIVE Phases and 15 principles of

CMS 4/5
Phase 4: Maintain and develop
competence
Monitoring and reassessment of the staff
ensures that performance is being consistently
maintained (Principle 10).
And that competence of individuals is updated
(Principle 11) in response to relevant changes
including changes in legislation, standards and
equipment.
In particular, systems are required to identify
sub-standard performance and restore the
competence of individuals (Principle 12).
Records must be maintained and made
available when requested (Principle 13).

FIVE Phases and 15 principles of

CMS 5/5
Phase 5: Verify, audit and review the
CMS
Verification and audit of the system (Principle
14) checks the competence assessments and
the assessment process.
Company management reviews the whole
system and feedback, using the information
from verification and audit (Principle 15),
This process helps to update the requirements
for the competence management system which
returns the system back to phase 1 onwards
leading to changes or modifications to system
design.

Training your workforce

Few Important tips
Start with clear and manageable goals
Identify your business's weaknesses
Decide when you will hire new talent
Set up ongoing support to sustain the changes
Revise and update the job description
Create a culture conducive to competence
Build trust with your employees
Value continual learning
Foster a social environment
Evaluate your employees
Mentor your employees
Competence assessment and evaluation

Thank
you