Competency Framework Template

The five components of a competency are skills, knowledge, behaviors, attributes, and experience: 

• Skills: Practical or technical abilities required to perform a job
• Knowledge: Understanding or awareness needed to perform a job effectively
• Behaviors: How someone conducts themselves in a professional context
• Attributes: Intrinsic qualities or personal characteristics
• Experience: The level and type of experience required for a particular role

A competency framework has the following structure: 

• Core competencies: Skills and behaviors required by all employees regardless of role or department
• Leadership competencies: Competencies for those in managerial or leadership roles
• Functional and technical competencies: Specific to a particular job or department
• Behavioral indicators: Examples of how employees can demonstrate proficiency in each competency
• Proficiency levels: Levels indicating the degree of mastery (e.g., basic, advanced, expert)

A competency framework template typically includes the following sections:

• Competency title: e.g., Teamwork, Leadership, Customer focus
• Definition: A brief description of what each competency means
• Behavioral indicators: Specific, observable behaviors at various levels (e.g., beginner, intermediate, advanced)
• Role-specific requirements: Tailored competencies for different roles or levels within the organization

For a more in-depth guides, consult our articles:

1. How to Create a Comprehensive Competency Framework From Scratch
2. 14 Industry-Specific Competency Model Examples to Clarify Expectations

Creating a competency framework is integral to strategic human resource management. Here are the steps for developing a competency framework and its structure, including the key components.

• Identify organizational goals: Understand your organization's strategic objectives and values to ensure the competencies align with the corporate vision and direction
• Perform a job analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis of the roles within your organization—you can use job shadowing, interviews, and surveys to understand the key tasks, responsibilities, and skill sets showcased by your workers
• Determine core competencies: Identify the essential competencies across all organizational roles—some examples include teamwork, communication, and problem-solving
• Identify role-specific competencies: Determine competencies that are specific to each role or department—these should reflect the specific skills and behaviors necessary to succeed in those areas
• Develop behavioral indicators: For each competency, define specific behaviors that demonstrate the competency at various levels—these indicators help in assessing and measuring the competencies in action
• Involve stakeholders: Engage with team members, managers, and leaders to ensure the framework is relevant and accepted across the organization
• Review and update regularly: As the organization evolves, so should the competency framework—as a result, conduct regular reviews to keep the framework relevant and aligned with the business's changing needs

A good competency framework will showcase the following key characteristics:

• Clarity: Competencies have clear definitions with specific behavioral indicators that are easy to understand and apply
• Relevance: Competencies directly relate to job roles and aligned with organizational goals
• Specificity: Detailed descriptions that include behavioral indicators for each competency
• Scalability: The framework is flexible enough to be applicable across different levels and functions within the organization
• Measurability: Competencies include criteria that allow for objective assessment and measurement of performance
• Consistency:  Uniform application across the organization ensures fairness and equity in evaluations
• Adaptability: There is a review system that brings regular updates to the framework to reflect changes in the industry, technology, and organizational strategy
• Integration: Various HR processes incorporate competencies, such as recruitment, performance management, learning and development, and workforce planning

Embedding a competency framework involves integrating it into various HR processes and organizational practices:

• Recruitment: Use competencies to create job descriptions and interview questions
• Performance management: Align appraisal systems with competencies
• Learning and development: Design training initiatives based on competency gaps
• Career development: Use competencies for succession planning and career paths

A competency chart visually represents the competencies required for different organizational roles. It typically includes:

1. Role names: Columns or rows listing various job roles
2. Competency names: Columns or rows listing the required competencies
3. Proficiency levels: Symbols or color codes that indicate the required proficiency level for each competency per role
4. Assessment data: Optional inclusion of current proficiency levels of employees for comparison

A competency chart helps quickly identify competency requirements, discover skill gaps, and plan development activities.

A capability framework focuses on the broader skills, abilities, and resources needed at an organizational level to achieve strategic objectives. It emphasizes what needs to be accomplished and encompasses processes, systems, and organizational resources.

In contrast, a competency framework targets individual skills, behaviors, and attributes necessary for specific roles within the organization. It describes how employees should perform tasks and includes behavioral indicators to assess proficiency.

While a capability framework addresses the organization's overall capacity to perform, a competency framework hones in on individual performance and development within their roles.