Competency Model

The most fundamental requirement for recognition of competence is to define the level(s) or targets that must be met. The level of detail involved can vary between organisations and their specific requirements. For example, some organisations may choose a very simple grading scheme like the one below:

Alternatively, some organisations utilize a more sophisticated model that provides greater detail:

In addition to defining the levels of competence for a skill or function, a description of the function itself should be included. This is useful for new staff, and also for auditors, who may require further clarity on the meanings behind competency levels.

Generic & Specialised Competency Models

The above competency level descriptions make a generic competency model that could be used for many different skills within an organisation. In special cases however, specific contextual descriptions are required to specify exactly how competence is measured. This may occur for specialised skills that are not generic across the workplace, and require a high degree of ability to perform to a required level. The owner or specialist in that particular skill may wish to decide on which competency model is most suitable.

For example, a generic competency model may be used for all generic skills that apply to everybody within the organisation (such as basic Health & Safety subjects such as Fire Awareness, or for business-intelligence skills such as Company Awareness).

Competency Model Example

The following table shows an example competency model for a skill called Fire Awareness.

Skill (or Function/Task)

Fire Awareness

Description

Familiarity with the organisation’s fire awareness and evacuation procedure

Aims & Objectives

To enable a staff member to be able to evacuate the premises safely in the event of fire

Competency Model for Fire Awareness