SkillsDB Blog

Competency Based Assessments: Critical for Success

Written by Steve Lieberman | Aug 20, 2021 6:00:00 AM
 

The benefits of competency-based assessments

With every passing second, the world around us is changing and evolving. The business world is no different! The pursuit of success in any field needs capable people at its core. A competency based assessment is thus the foundation for success in the business world.

Before we can start developing the skills and competencies of our workforce, we need to have an accurate understanding of where each and every individual stands. Once we know what the actual competencies are, we can develop effective learning plans to develop them further as per our needs. Competency based assessments are pivotal in getting the true picture of the organization.

Finally, competency based assessments help in improving employee morale. Employees will have a better understanding of where they stand and where they need to improve. Further, employees will feel like they have more control over their future in the organization. This will eventually lead to more satisfied employees who will stay longer and develop even more competencies.

 

Types of competency based assessments

Competency based assessments are a part of different stages of employee onboarding with varied complexities.

  • Tests: During recruitment, written tests are often the easiest way to filter candidates. It is a reliable way to assess the competencies of the applicants. We can include people with certifications in this type of assessment.
  • Interviews: The next stage in recruitment is the interviews. Interviews assess applicants based on their practical understanding of a skill/concept. It is an opportunity for applicants to share their past experiences. Finally, the applicant’s approach to a hypothetical challenge details the competency of the individual.
  • Skill-Gap assessment: Once recruited, a candidate usually undergoes a training phase. Organizations usually educate fresh recruits on skills and competency requirements. Further assessments lead to a better understanding of their current competency level. Finally, the skill gaps identification and additional training are imparted before they join the team they were recruited for.
  • Self Assessment: Now that the recruit has joined their respective team and spent a good amount of time in their job role (ideally 6-12 months) they have to do their self-assessments. Here, employees will get to analyze what their competency is and where they need to work on it.
  • Feedback: Finally, the managers will review the self-assessments and assess the employee on their end. The feedback/assessments hence received has to be analyzed with self-assessments and job competency requirements. Therefore, skill gaps need to be identified again(Point 3). Ideally, the process of Points 3-5 will be repeated every 6-12 months to keep up with the changing times and requirements of the organization.

How can SkillsDB help?

SkillsDB helps in this process of self-assessment to feedback to skill-gap analysis. We also offer learning plan solutions as well as integrating existing LMS of organizations with our system. Organizations can easily train employees to use our system to quickly and efficiently implement competency based assessments.

Also Read: Skills & Competencies, Similar but Different

Also Read: How to best Implement a Competency-Based Training Program

Further Read: Good people will leave you! How can a good succession plan help?