Key competencies are a valuable and vital resource for any company. A competent team makes an organization capable of action and drives success. As the working world undergoes major transformations, the requirements for these skills are also shifting. At the same time, skilled candidates are becoming increasingly scarce due to the talent shortage. Strategic competency management is therefore a fundamental factor in forward-looking workforce planning. Which core competencies to focus on varies from company to company and industry to industry.
Introducing a competency model
For our client, a mid-sized construction company with its own production facilities and around 800 employees, we began with an as-is/to-be analysis of existing structures and requirements: What skills are available, and what is needed? How are HR processes structured? What does an optimal job and role description look like? There are many points to clarify at the start, and a precise analysis is essential to accurately define the skills required in the short, medium, and long term. Based on this information, THE MAK'ED TEAM developed a roadmap and a communication concept to enable a structured and efficient approach to developing and introducing the competency model. In close cooperation between the HR department and the specialist departments, the competency model was then developed, starting in a pilot area, and implemented into the existing HR management system.
Lean processes, agile approach
In the past, complex competency models were usually developed in full at great expense and then rolled out across the entire company. This was often laborious, sometimes failed to deliver the desired results, and was frequently time-consuming and costly. New, modern models, by contrast, are simple, understandable, and needs-oriented. They rely on agile management processes that are tested and specifically optimized within a defined pilot area. For our client's pilot project in a selected department, the required skills for the relevant roles were precisely defined. In this process, the competency model was applied to workforce planning, recruiting, and personnel development. This allowed key areas such as employer branding, personnel selection, performance reviews, career paths, and succession planning to be implemented professionally. For personnel development measures, defined qualifications for specific jobs and roles were linked to the competency model. This then served as the foundation for developing career paths and succession planning. We then gradually adapted the competency model in a pilot area and introduced it over a period of two months. Following the successful pilot phase, it was developed and implemented for the other areas of the company. This rollout was supported by an existing HR system into which the competency model could be integrated.
Securing sustainable results
Our client has been able to benefit from the introduction of the competency model in the long term. The needs-oriented implementation, adapted to HR processes, delivered the desired and planned results: With the agile model, the company can now continuously develop the required skills in a targeted manner, utilize them optimally, and ensure transparency regarding current and future needs—even in the medium and long term.
There is a wide range of solutions and methods for personnel development. At THE MAK'ED TEAM, we are experts in the mid-market and can draw on extensive experience in corporate development and management. We support mid-sized companies in the successful and sustainable implementation of their individual competency management model—with motivated employees and without excessive organizational effort.
Further information: Project example and Competency management
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