Today’s competitive business world constantly challenges a company to have a competent workforce. However, surveys conducted globally by HBR show that over 53% of organizations do not have proper succession plans.
This is quite shocking since a 2018 survey data conducted by WEF shows that 54% of people need to have a proper competency plan to develop. This development will be the only way to retain their jobs eventually.
Competency modeling and staff succession planning are two primary strategies that help address this challenge. Though these concepts may seem different at first, they are closely tied together.
Over the years with people realizing the importance of healthy productivity, these two have become quite popular. These are the two primary models that are crucial in ensuring long-term success and stability for any given organization.
What is a Competency Framework?
The competency framework will essentially outline all the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors. A competency framework goes beyond one’s learned skills. It is about the core values of an employee.
These are the ways an employee is expected to perform for success in a company. Thus, it forms a blueprint for excellence since it describes, at various levels and functions, what competencies drive success.
What makes it all the more essential is the fact that as per a survey conducted by SHRM, only about 21% of companies have a formal competency plan and over 24% do not.
A classic competency framework development process will usually include:
Such a competency framework can provide a universal language for describing performance expectations. It is also the basis of many HR processes, including recruiting, training, and career development.
What Is Staff Succession Planning?
This is a strategic process of identifying and developing existing talent within the organization for key positions. These positions are to be filled when any position falls vacant within the company.
This proactive approach will ensure that there is no disruption in leadership. It will also make sure other critical positions are in place. This keeps work smooth in case an employee leaves, retires, or is transferred to another position.
The concept was propelled further by a model proposed by Groves (2005). This was an integrated development plan and a model for succession planning.
What is Included in Staff Succession Planning?
An ideal staff succession planning process saves the company from the dangers of leadership gaps, sustains institutional knowledge, and fosters growth and development cultures.
What Connects the Two?
For instance, the staff succession planning and competency framework might be linked together based on their premises. Both these models draw from seeking identity and the development of skills that bring success to the company.
Competency framework define what qualities can bring success in roles. Succession planning ensures that a pool of qualified candidates is ready to fill those roles when needed.
How Does the Competency Framework Support Staff Succession Planning?
A competency framework development process can help a lot in succession planning. For instance, it can set the right parameters along which a candidate can be judged. Here are some other ways that contribute towards better staff succession planning:
1. Definition of Success Criteria:
Competency framework clearly describe the skills, knowledge, and behaviors needed for success in specific roles. This clarity allows organizations to identify who has these competencies and potentially. This simplifies the process of succession planning ensuring a more focused and effective approach.
2. Gap Analysis:
By comparing a current employee’s competencies to those needed for senior jobs, a company can identify what skills need to be developed. It is this gap analysis that informs custom development plans so that potential successors are well-prepared for their future roles.
3. Objective Evaluation:
A competency framework helps analyze how proactive employees are. This removes the scope of being biased in succession planning. This means only candidates with true potential are considered.
4. Targeted Development:
By knowing what specific competencies various roles require, companies can develop targeted and effective developmental programs. This will train potential successors. A focused approach will speed up and filter the process ensuring a deserving successor.
5. Position Towards Organizational Strategy:
Competency frameworks are usually aligned with the strategic goals of an organization. They ensure staff succession planning is aligned with the company’s overall objective. This is a recipe for developing leaders who fill specific roles in the company and support the future success of the organization.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a competency framework development process is important not only for effective staff succession planning but also integral to that process. Competency framework provide a company with a clear, objective, and strategic framework. Through this, the company can achieve success in various roles.
Combining competency modeling and succession planning is vital company’s continuity and employee development. In most corporations with multiple roles and people working within, it gets difficult to manage. Here it becomes super important to incorporate such tools for better efficiency.
By including competency frameworks in succession planning, companies would be able to create a more robust, productive, and futuristic workforce. A trained workforce will handle the pressures of tomorrow.
