| Competency-based training is one of the latest buzz | | | | make your job much easier. |
| phrases. But what is it? How can I implement it? It's | | | | Now that you've identified and broken down the |
| easy to understand and, by following a few simple | | | | competencies, you can start building training from |
| steps, your employees can be armed with the | | | | those individual competencies. Let's go back to the |
| knowledge they need to do their jobs. | | | | bank teller example: course number one can be a |
| Don't let the terminology scare you. A competency is | | | | module on basic math, document completion, and |
| simply a set of knowledge, skills, or abilities (KSA's) | | | | checkbook balancing. With that module, you've given |
| that an employee must use to function on the job. In | | | | the bank teller the tools needed to complete basic |
| recent years, we've seen a gradual move to using | | | | financial tasks. Moving through the competencies, and |
| competencies from job descriptions in training. This | | | | with the SME group approving each set of KSA's, |
| type of training ensures that your employees receive | | | | you'll able to create training that's important to your |
| only the "need to know" information instead of "nice | | | | employees' success on the job. |
| to know" information. To develop a | | | | Once the training is "live", you can measure its |
| competency-based program, first work with HR to | | | | effectiveness. You can do this by introducing surveys |
| make sure that the job descriptions include the | | | | to the trained employees and their supervisors. Using |
| correct knowledge, skills, and abilities - that's the | | | | our bank teller example, we could survey new |
| foundation. Once this foundation is complete, you'll | | | | employees at a designated interval, usually 45 to 60 |
| find it's fairly easy to establish competency-based | | | | days. In the survey, we'll focus our questions on the |
| training - if you follow a few simple steps. | | | | training objectives, which came directly from the |
| The first step should be to assemble a group of | | | | competencies. We'll ask the new hire tellers if they |
| employees who are currently doing the job that you | | | | feel comfortable performing the basic math that was |
| need to train. This group of subject matter experts | | | | explained in training. On the other hand, we'll ask the |
| (SME's)should be a mix of high performers, managers, | | | | supervisors if they've observed the new hire's ability |
| and supervisors. Get the SME group together and | | | | to perform basic math. We can ask them to rate the |
| help them identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities | | | | new hire's ability on a scale. If a majority of new |
| needed to function in their jobs. For example, bank | | | | hires report no problems with basic math and their |
| tellers may need knowledge in basic financial tasks, | | | | supervisors tell us that they have few errors and |
| regulations, systems, and customer service. The SME | | | | few questions on the subject, we've effectively |
| group can take each competency, discussing all of | | | | trained the competency. If, on the other hand, |
| the knowledge, skills, and abilities in that competency. | | | | there's some discomfort and numerous errors, we |
| In basic finance, for example, bank tellers may need | | | | can go back to the competency itself, the training, or |
| to know basic addition and subtraction, how to | | | | even the training instructor to find the problem. |
| complete a deposit slip, and how to instruct a | | | | By implementing a competency-based training |
| customer to balance his or her checkbook. This is a | | | | program, you're linking training to the job. You're |
| simple example, but the result of breaking down the | | | | ensuring that trainees are receiving the information |
| competencies gives you the objectives for training. | | | | they need to function, and not extra information that |
| There is a hidden benefit to approaching | | | | doesn't really impact their job performance. You're |
| competency-based training this way: once the | | | | also setting up the path to better performance |
| competencies are identified and broken down, you | | | | evaluation. If you're certain that trainees are being |
| can ask executive managers to approve what you've | | | | developed based on job-specific information, you can |
| come up with. Getting the involvement of executive | | | | use the knowledge, skills, and abilities introduced in |
| managers almost guarantees their buy-in - and may | | | | training to measure and reward their performance. |