What is a Competency?
A competency, in the NRC, is defined as: "An observable and measurable knowledge, skill, ability or personal characteristic required by NRC employees to achieve the superior performance output / outcome needs of the organization of excellence."
The key concepts to highlight in this definition are that competencies are observable and measurable, that they are related to excellent performance, and that they emphasize behaviour.
Competencies themselves are not a new or radical construct. In fact, they have been used within NRC for quite some time, and elsewhere, generally under the label of skills, abilities and knowledge. What is new is the increased application of competencies across talent management processes, and at a much finer level of detail in describing work-related performance and behaviour.
What is the Purpose of Competency-Based Management?
In the past two decades, the use of competencies has become a common practice in many organizations. Competency profiling, gap analysis, development, competency-based assessment and selection based on competencies have been gaining international recognition.
The most basic objective of Competency Based Management (CBM) is to provide the tools that will enable NRC to be more proactive in planning and responding to new, strategic job requirements and improve day-to-day operations. CBM provides the road map to accomplish this objective by acting as a common language for all human resources activities.
The focus of CBM is on employee qualifications and the identification of knowledge, skills, abilities and personal characteristics (competencies) necessary for success in a specific job. Competency-based HR management is integral to the NRC vision. It builds the foundation for a flexible workforce based on the diverse job requirements across the organization. It supports the development of NRC's talent management framework that includes career management and development, resourcing and employment, and performance management strategies by recognizing the competencies required to support NRC's strategic imperatives and related outputs and results.
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