Hr Competency Model Hr Future.pdf 4o5c3r

National HR Competency model addressing the need for HR to operate as strategic business and social partners

Marius Meyer, CEO: SABPP

Today is an historic moment in the history and evolution of HR in South Africa. The HR Solutions Fest is a platform for HR in South Africa to elevate HR from a business partner to a social partner in addressing the top HR challenges in the country. On 10 May, the HR professional body of South Africa, the SA Board for People Practices (SABPP), launched a national HR Competency Model at the HR Excellence in Gauteng Provincial Summit of SABPP. SABPP is not only an HR professional body, but also an Education, Training and Quality Assurance (ETQA) Body for HR learning provision mandated by SAQA. In addition, SABPP also accredits higher education curriculum in HR management and industrial psychology.

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za

The HR Solutions Fest is another milestone in the history of HR in South Africa. The six challenges present us with an opportunity to have national impact:      

Skills Talent HR Business Partners Performance and Productivity Leadership Development Legislation

A competency model is an important component for any profession as it clearly expresses what professionals in that field should be able to deliver. An HR Competency Model provides a foundation for the continuous professional development (D) of HR professionals. As Jonathan Jansen asserts: “Competence is the quality of being adequately or well qualified physically and intellectually. I have not for a long time heard that word used to describe a politician – or any public servant, for that matter. Make competence a respectable word again.” The competency model builds on the previous SABPP model published in 1990. Over the last three decades a multitude of HR competency models evolved, mainly in the US and Europe. However, the national HR Survey 2011 conducted by Knowledge Resources and SABPP showed that only 20% of South African companies have an HR competency model in place. Of those companies that do use a model, most simply used these overseas models as their HR competency models without taking cognisance of the unique South African context. The SABPP is of the view that the local context is of such importance that the competency model must speak to it. The figure on the next page depicts the 2012 South African HR competency model.

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za

The competency model consists of three broad competence areas: 1. The four pillars of professionalism form the square shape of the “house” as the foundation for professional HR practice. 2. Five core competencies needed by HR professionals to do high quality HR work constitute the building blocks. 3. Five HR capabilities required to ensure strategic HR impact form the roof.

PRINCIPLES The HR competency model is based on the following design principles:   

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The competency model emerged from an overarching HR profession map covering all functions, elements and components of the HR profession. While there was a clear intention to learn from previous models, the overall approach used was to integrate the best elements of other models based on leading HR competencies world-wide. Having said that, we decided not to duplicate from global models, given the fact that despite global benchmarking, HR in South Africa is unique according to a very specific context and environment that is totally different than the rest of the world. Hence, the model had to be relevant to South Africa with a unique local focus. The model achieves a balance between personal, business and HR competencies.

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za

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While we can learn from HR competency models over the past 25 years, a clear focus on the needs and requirements of the present and future HR operating environment guided the developers in creating the HR competency model. The model must be general enough to be internalised by all HR professionals, irrespective of their level in the organisation, or area of specialisation.

PROCESS A systematic process was used to develop the competency model: 1. In-depth content analysis of all global and local HR competency models and studies; 2. Learning from leading companies that have developed their own HR competency models; 3. Inputs from various thought leaders and specialists on HR competencies such as Lydia CillieSchmidt, Terry Meyer, Theo Veldsman and Otto Pretorius.

PILLARS OF HR PROFESSIONALISM The four pillars of HR professionalism form the foundation of the HR Competency Model:    

Duty to society: HR professionals have a duty to society in delivering high quality HR work that has an impact on society. Ethics: HR professionalism should contribute to ethics in organisations and drive ethics in accordance with the SABPP HR Guide on Ethics. Professionalism: HR professionals should manage themselves professionally in acting and behaving like true professionals in the standard of HR work they deliver. HR and Business knowledge: HR professionals must have good HR and sound business knowledge if they want to be successful as professionals and strategic partners.

Considering these pillars, one could also say that our duty to society forms the foundation of the HR competency house. Ethics and professionalism are the walls. If the foundation and walls are not strong, the house will fall down. Furthermore, HR and business knowledge is the ceiling of the house, thus acquiring sound HR and business knowledge opens up opportunities for HR professionals to move to the strategic level of the HR house, i.e. the roof.

CORE COMPETENCIES The five core competencies constitute the different layers of bricks or building blocks of the house. These competencies are the basic competencies all HR professionals need to be effective in the workplace:

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za

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Leadership and Personal Credibility: All HR professionals should possess leadership skills to drive the HR profession. Likewise, HR professionals should have personal credibility in organisations, irrespective of level in the organisation, but this can only be achieved if they display a high level of competence in executing professional HR work. Organisational capability: Understanding the organisational context and needs of the business is critical in the process of planning and delivering HR practices. Solution Creation and Implementation: HR professionals create, plan and implement HR solutions, including interventions and practices according to the needs of the organisation. Interpersonal and communication skills: All HR work depends on successful relationships, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills are of utmost importance. Citizenship for the future: Over and above the HR strategic partner role, the new business environment requires HR professionals who can drive innovation, optimise technology and contribute to sustainability. Thus, HR professionals become citizens for the future in ensuring sustainability of organisations and the environment.

HR CAPABILITIES Applying five capabilities in driving business excellence, HR professionals are rising to the roof of the HR house. Once they can apply the basics of HR professionalism, they are ready to do high level strategic HR work. Typically, the five HR capabilities are as follows: 

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Strategy: HR professionals contribute to business strategy by drafting HR strategies aligned to the overall strategy of the organisation. However, this is more than just alignment, it requires the ability and influence to create people-driven business strategy in partnership with other executives. Talent management: Once business and HR strategy are clear, HR professionals should work with line management in implementing a talent management plan for an organisation. HR governance, risk and compliance: Governing the HR function to make effective people decisions for the business, including managing HR risks and ensuring compliance to employment laws, rules, codes and HR standards elevate HR from business partners to HR governors. Analytics and measurement: Another core capability is to be able to generate a systematic and integrated approach to HR analytics and measures in demonstrating HR impact on the business. HR service delivery: Ultimately HR professionals should be able to deliver high quality HR products and services for the organisation and meeting or exceeding the needs of management, employees and other key stakeholders.

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za

VALUE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN HR COMPETENCY MODEL While the South African HR competency model is indeed based on international best practice, it has been contextualised in our local environment. Moreover, the model exceeds the requirements of global models, and leads the world in four very important competence areas for South African HR professionals:  

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It is the first model globally to recognise HR Risk Management as a competency. While global models do not acknowledge governance and compliance as competencies, our model regards this as essential competencies in the new governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) framework already used in general management and director frameworks. Ethics has been positioned as a key HR competency. Duty to society, and the focus on being citizens for the future is a competence area where South Africa has already been positioned to lead the world.

THE WAY FORWARD Although the SABPP board is satisfied with the competency model, we have identified some key steps in taking the process forward: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Further consultation with key stakeholders and comments received from market; The development of a competency grid with a full list of HR competencies; Follow-up research and development; Final sign-off on the model; Design of an assessment instrument; Redesign of D system and professional registration alignment; Creation of tools, including case studies; Roll-out of workshops to build HR competence nationally; Continuous research and development to keep the model current and relevant.

RECOMMENDATION SABPP would like to encourage HR Directors to develop their HR practitioners according to the new competency model. Furthermore, the model can be used by HR professionals to focus their own personal growth and development. Likewise, learning providers and universities are requested to consider the competency model as part of their HR curriculum development processes.

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za

CONCLUSION The new SABPP HR Competency model sets the benchmark for HR professionalism in the modern South African work environment. The three areas of the HR Competency House are the pillars as the foundation of HR professionalism, the five core HR competencies, and the five HR capabilities to leverage the strategic contribution of HR. Under this comprehensive framework for HR competence in South Africa, the further development of the HR competency model will include a competency grid with a full list of HR competencies under each one of the broader HR competencies outlined in the model, a mapping to the SABPP levels of professional registration and an assessment tool. SABPP will continue to engage with the HR professional market to refine the model and to build HR competence nationally. I thank you all for attending the HR Solutions Fest, this is an historic event in the evolution of the HR profession in South Africa. We are here to discuss challenges and find solutions. This should become an annual event. Thank you to Alan Hosking and HR Future for their leadership in taking the HR profession forward. Enjoy the day and become HR change leaders, not only in our companies, but also our industries and the country at large.

This paper was delivered at the opening of the HR Solutions Fest organised by HR Future on 8 August 2012. More information about HR Future is available on hrfuture.net. The new national HR Competency Model was published in HR Future and HR Future Business Guide 2012. SABPP can be reached on www.sabpp.co.za and Marius on twitter @MariusSABPP

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SA Board for People Practices

www.sabpp.co.za