In 1997, Vybhav hired Han Associates (HA) to design and help implement a Competency Framework across its verticals globally. It turned out to be a very comprehensive 22 month project from start to finish. One vertical at a time, a cross-functional Competency Framework Task Force (CTF) was constituted including one nominee from each of the operational and support teams. The key phases of the competency framework can be summarised as follows:

1. Phase I: CTF formulation and orientation on basic competency fundamentals.

2. Phase II: Data compilation and analysis.

3. Phase III: Job reviews using Focus Group discussion, behavioural events interview (BEI) with job incumbents and their managers and observation.

4. Phase IV: Share draft Competency Framework and review with all stakeholders.

5. Phase V: Final Competency Framework frozen.

6. Review all HR functions like staffing, performance management, compensation, training and development and career planning activities.

7. Communication plan.

8. Review plan for a six month duration.

Shyam Sunder, head of the Retail Division, joined from a leading global retail giant just a year back and was familiar with the philosophy and the multifold benefits of adopting the competency based approach to managing human resources. Given the total support of the senior management, HA started working on the task with a competency mapping exercise for the Retail Division. Quickly, a Retail CFT was put in place by Shyam and his GM. Ramesh Ram, the HR Manager, was involved too. We will walk you through the set of activities that are carried out to a map a single role-that of the Sales Assistants-in the retail outlets. HA took Ramesh’s help to set up interviews with—

• A sample of Sales Supervisors (to whom the Sales Assistants Report) to understand the Supervisors’ expectations from the Sales Assistants.

What are the responsibilities for a Sales Assistant? What behaviours constitute a successful Sales Assistant different form mediocres? What careers can Sales Assistants expect to grow into? What skills will they need? HA also collects the names of the top performing Sales Assistants across the various outlets.

• A 20 to 25% random sample of Sales Assistants was interviewed to asses their understanding of the roles, skills needed for the job and behaviours that make them perform will in the roles.

• HA then met with the listed “Super/top" performers to ascertain what all they did so differently that made them super performers.

• The BEI was followed up with the observation phase wherein the team from HA watched the Sales Assistants as they go about their job.

• HA then prepared a draft of the competencies (they can be normally in between five to twelve for a job depending on the complexity of the skills needed) with descriptions. This draft of six competencies was debated in Focus Group discussions with a sample of the Sales Supervisors, Sales Manager, Sales Head, and Centre Head along with the CTF team to screen the competencies as well as their descriptions.

• The outcome of the Focus Group discussions was:

The number of competencies for the Sales Assistant’s job was finalised. There were seven core competencies signed off.

Each competency was associated with a set of desirable behaviours that demonstrated the best competency

• The competencies once frozen are calibrated to enable the assessment of an individual as exhibiting level 1 through level 5 of proficiency. Each of these level descriptions is made up of key behavioural descriptions that demonstrate the competency.

• There is then a pilot application of the competencies. A sample of Sales Supervisors at different locations is now asked to assess their Sales Assistants using the competency table. They are then interviewed to ascertain the effectiveness of the assessment process. Questions like—

Do you think that the competencies are appropriate? Was it easy to assess the Sales Assistants using the instrument? and the like would be used.

• Based on the feedback, final edits are made to the competency framework for Sales Assistants.

EXERCISE
Break up into pairs. Each team of two needs to identify a particular job in an entity. Preferably you must be able to have access to the individual doing this job. Now research the job incumbent’s roles and responsibilities. Submit an assignment, covering—

• What methods could be adopted to best understand this job?
• Write a job description for the role.
• How would you carry out a job evaluation for the job as an external consultant?
• Discuss and research the web/literature to draw up a set of at least eight competencies required to do this job.
• In your opinion what can be the jobs that this incumbent can aspire to climb up?