Competency-based Workforce Design

Don’t bury competencies in your HR portal They’re miles more than a document They’re the golden thread across your entire resource life cycle Yet when I ask to see them… ❌ They seldom exist ❌ Or they’re out of date ❌ Or they’re buried somewhere The world is changing rapidly: = Markets are shifting = Businesses must adapt = Procurement must pivot = Skills must be up to date …which means competencies can’t be static They need to be continuously upgraded and actively used Here’s how to apply them at each stage: 1. Organisational Design → Align procurement competencies to business strategy → Define roles based on required competencies, not job titles → Map capability gaps to shape team structure and layers 2. Resourcing → Forecast future needs based on competencies, not just headcount → Balance internal training vs recruitment to cover competency gaps → Allocate budget to roles that drive strategic competencies 3. Recruitment → Build job descriptions around competencies, not just tasks → Use competency-based interview questions for assessments → Score candidates against a consistent competency framework 4. Onboarding → Introduce the competency framework early → Tailor onboarding plans to individual’s competencies → Align objectives linked to competencies 5. Training & Development → Build learning pathways mapped to competencies → Tailor development plans to competencies → Use stretch assignments to develop specific competencies 6. Performance Management → Use competencies to define clear expectations by level → Provide structured feedback linked to competencies → Calibrate performance vs the competencies 7. Promotional Process → Define promotion criteria based on demonstrated competencies → Use competencies for both performance and potential mapping → Ensure consistency using a shared competency benchmark 8. Vacancies & Exit Interviews → Use competencies to give feedback for those released → Analyse exits to identify systemic competency gaps → Feed insights back into hiring and development plans They should act as the golden thread that connects: ➡️ How you design roles ➡️ Who you hire ➡️ How you develop people ➡️ How you measure success ➡️ Who you promote ➡️ And who you release Don’t bury them ‘somewhere’ in the depths of your HR Portal 🌟 Create them and use them 🌟 Frost Procurement Adventurer ♻️ If this resonates, please repost 🔔 Follow Simon Frost for more on procurement competencies & training

I’ve seen strong leaders fail in new roles. Not due to capability. Due to misalignment. This is common in Saudi today. Vision 2030 has reshaped leadership demands. What worked before doesn’t always work now. Competency-based hiring fixes this. Companies that align roles to real capability needs see: • 52% more innovation • 41% higher productivity • 79% stronger employee experience • Better inclusion and adaptability These are operating advantages. Executive search must move past CVs. The question is simple. What skills does this role need to move the business forward? When capabilities are clear, hiring risk drops. And outcomes become predictable.

Let's talk about Competency Based Hiring ... Competency-based hiring is an innovative recruitment strategy that focuses on evaluating candidates based on the skills, behaviors, and attitudes required for a role. Unlike traditional methods that prioritize resumes and qualifications, this approach emphasizes a candidate’s ability to perform effectively and align with organizational culture. Why Competency Based Hiring is important? 1. It assesses past behaviors and skills to predict future success in the role. 2. Structured evaluations ensure fair and inclusive hiring. 3. Candidates aligned with role competencies are more satisfied, leading to lower turnover. 4. Focus on adaptable skills ensures long-term success for both employees and organizations. How can we Implement It? 1. Define technical and behavioral skills crucial for the role. 2. Create assessments like behavioral questions or role plays to evaluate these competencies. 3. Equip hiring teams with standardized evaluation techniques. 4. Use tools like ATS or AI-powered assessments for efficiency. Competency based hiring is a strategic method that improves hiring quality and aligns talent with business goals. It ensures the right fit for roles, making it a crucial step for organizations to stay competitive in today’s dynamic job market. #TalentAcquisition #competency #RecruitingStrategy #TalentMapping #WayToWin #interviewing #Skills #SkillUnlocked

🛑 Stop Filling Roles. Start Building a Workforce. Traditional workforce planning is broken. It’s reactive. Transactional. And painfully slow in a world where business moves fast and skills expire faster. As I shared on a recent Human Capital Institute webinar, along with Karen Guzicki, Binderya Enkhbold, and Terri Gallagher, the organizations that will thrive in the future aren’t just hiring — they’re designing their workforce with intention. To do this, I recommend using a Build, Buy, Borrow, Bridge model for workforce planning: 🔹 Build – Upskill and reskill existing talent 🔹 Buy – Hire externally for niche expertise or leadership gaps 🔹 Borrow – Use freelancers, contractors, or gig workers for agility 🔹 Bridge – Enable lateral moves or project-based work to develop internal capacity This framework isn’t about headcount. It’s about capability. And it’s not about reacting to attrition — it’s about enabling movement and growth. Here’s the shift in approach that I believe HR must lead: * Stop waiting for a requisition. Start modeling what your workforce should look like. Now. * Shift the focus from "How fast can we hire?" to "How effectively can we build the capability we need for the future?" * Make workforce planning a continuous, strategic process, not a once-a-year activity. ❇️ HR, you're not a business partner anymore. You're workforce architects. If you'd like to listen to the HCI webcast - Future-Proofing Talent Pipelines: Redefining Succession Planning in a Dynamic Workforce - I'll share a link in the comments below. Also, if you want to contribute to a timely study on how orgs are shifting their workforce strategies, Kyle Lagunas and Erika O. at Aptitude Research are currently fielding a survey. I’ll drop the link to participate in the survey in the comments as well.

Competency Framework & 9 Box Every organization talks about competencies—but very few implement them effectively. As HR professionals, we know that a competency framework is the backbone of performance, potential, succession, and development. Yet, the journey from design to adoption is full of challenges: 🔹 Lack of leadership alignment – When leaders see competencies as an HR tool and not a business enabler, adoption suffers. 🔹 Generic frameworks – Copy-paste models fail to reflect the organization’s culture, strategy, and future skills. 🔹 Difficulty in defining observable behaviors – Competencies sound good on paper but are hard to assess without clear behavioral indicators. 🔹 Manager capability gaps – Many managers are not trained to assess, coach, and develop competencies objectively. 🔹 Employee resistance – “Another HR initiative” syndrome kicks in when the why is not clearly communicated. 🔹 Poor integration with systems – Competency frameworks often remain standalone instead of being integrated with PMS, 9-Box, L&D, and succession planning. 🔹 Inconsistent assessment – Bias, subjectivity, and lack of calibration reduce credibility. 🔹 No linkage to business outcomes – If competencies don’t drive performance and growth, they lose relevance. 💡 The real challenge is not creating a framework — it’s embedding it into the organization’s DNA. When done right, competencies become a common language for performance, potential, and future readiness. Curious to know: 👉 What has been your biggest challenge while implementing a competency framework? Let’s learn from each other. 👇 #HRTransformation #CompetencyFramework #TalentManagement #LeadershipDevelopment #HRChallenges