The process of performance communication is intended to ensure that employees have a clear understanding of the organization’s expectations of them in their role, and an opportunity to receive feedback on how well they meet those expectations. This conversation is also one of the more formal opportunities for a manager and a staff-member to discuss learning and development. Many factors play into employee development, including a supportive learning environment, time to learn, encouragement, and budget. Perhaps the most impactful factor, however, is the focused conversation with the manager about personal growth and development priorities.
Organizations now realize that there is clear value to be realized in strengthening communication between staff and managers around competency requirements for the role and opportunities for the staff-member to develop their capability. Building employee capability requires taking a deliberate and sustained approach to enhancing the individual’s knowledge, understanding or skill. By increasing the focus on staff development organizations ultimately strengthen their performance overall and increase retention because staff needs for career development are being met.
Where an organization has a competency framework the competency descriptions have a vital role in outlining the qualifications and training necessary for the role. By identifying and mapping the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to create and sustain an effective AM program, organizations can be sure that their staff are adequately qualified, suitably trained and have enough experience to perform their AM responsibilities to the desired standard. Staff understand what is expected of them, what their areas of strength and deficiency are, and the steps they may need to take to improve their performance.
Competency evaluation, using the standard scale, is not a performance evaluation, but rather focuses on the individual’s degree of proficiency, ability, or expertise. As described above, there is a relationship between capability and performance, however proficiency at specific competencies is only one of many factors that weigh into a performance evaluation. Competencies underpin performance, but performance is about achieving an outcome, not just the ability to do so.
Below is a table of example activities that you can use in your Competency Management Program implementation planning and/or competency development planning. Each activity description includes one or more examples of the activity that can be used in relation to the competency noted. The table also notes the suitability of the activity to the scale of the organization.
Performance Communication Activity Examples
Activity | Description | Example(s) | Scale Suitability | ||
 |  |  | |||
| Communicate job requirements | In addition to outlining the role and key accountabilities, some job descriptions include the required competencies. | When onboarding a new employee or orienting someone to a new role, a manager will start by explaining key areas of responsibility. However, based on the requirements of the job, the discussion will turn to the expectations of knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to achieve the organizational objectives. Competencies can support this discussion.
The AM Competencies can provide a clear explanation of the key competencies and expected proficiencies required for each AM Role. Furthermore, each competency lists expected behaviours that can be used to guide the new employee’s on-the-job performance. | X | X | X |
| Communicate performance expectations | Every staff-member deserves to have clear expectations set with their manager that provide focus for their day-to-day efforts and a foundation for ongoing feedback. As managers and staff discuss performance expectations and set goals, part of the conversation is about the skills and capabilities required to achieve the outlined results. | Managers can utilize the AM Competencies as a framework for a common understanding of expectations and as a standard for discussing any desired development. Managers can leverage the material in a variety of situations (e.g., when new hires are onboarding, or new initiatives, processes or systems are being implemented). | X | X | X |
| Assess staff competency | (See The Competency Management Program Implementation Process, Step 4: Execute (b) – Conduct a Competencies Gap Analysis)
Assess individual competence relative to the profile assigned to the role, for the purposes of identifying capability, strengths and gaps. You can use the AM Competency Development Planning Tool to assist you in this process. | In preparation for feedback sessions, staff are encouraged to use the AM Competencies to self-assess.
A self-assessment is a great opportunity for staff to honestly and objectively consider and document their perspective on their competencies.
[All AM Competencies]
Managers will use the same standard scale to assess each person’s proficiency level in each competency required for their role. This information results in a gap analysis which is used to support development conversations for the individual, the team, and for organizational competency management.
[All AM Competencies] | X | X | X |
| Coach staff on behaviours | The purpose of positive or constructive feedback is to help a person understand their behaviour and its impact, with the intention to help them learn. Competencies provide a common language to discuss work challenges and opportunities, and to talk about the behaviours that will achieve the best results. | Using the AMCF, with its well-defined competencies and a competency profile for the role, the manager and staff-member have a foundation from which to build a shared understanding of the behaviours that will achieve the best results and ensure the coaching conversations are positive, reinforcing and developmental. [All AM Competencies for staff, Leading Others for managers] | X | X | X |
| Annual performance review | The performance review is an opportunity for managers to discuss the individual’s achievement of results compared to the objectives and priorities of the position. Underpinning the entire process are the ongoing, candid conversations between staff and managers. | Often these discussions include a component of competency assessment and a discussion of skill requirements. The AMCF can be especially useful when determining next steps for setting development priorities for a current role or an upcoming role. | X | X | X |
| Career development discussions | Individuals can discuss and reach agreement on development needs, targeted development goals, and action steps, with the full support of their managers. | As part of performance communication, a good manager will ask staff about their career aspirations. Staff and managers using a common competency model, with competency profiles as guidance, can understand and consistently interpret the expectations for future roles. Managers can provide information about available tools and resources. In this way, staff can be highly engaged in the continued development of their skills and capabilities. | X | X | X |
