EFC-Malaysian institute work on competency mapping systems
View(s):Organisations today want to have healthier HR practices besides just having laws and by- laws to govern them. As part of healthy HR practices, many organizations have embarked on retaining talent and developing it with the understanding that human resource is the greatest asset of a company, according to Sri Vahlsan, Consultant Trainer from the MEF Academy, affiliated to the Malaysian Employers’ Federation (MEF) who was here on a 2-day training programme on ‘Developing and Implementing Competency Systems’ at the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC).
In a media release issued by the EFC, Mr. Vahlsan, who counts more than 15 years of experience as a Certified NLP Coach (approved by Coaching Division of The American Board of NLP, USA) and a Certified Trainer in human resource management, noted that ‘Competency Mapping’ and ‘Developing Competency’ models are highly relevant to a company if its employees are to move to the ‘next level’ from where they are right now.
“A company needs a person who not only fits the job description but also a person who could grow in it, equipped with inter-personal skills, communication skills and correct attitude as well, for which Competency Mapping and Developing Competency models are required,” he noted.
The workshop conducted at the EFC auditorium for EFC staff and representatives of EFC member organizations covered the areas of ‘Introduction to competencies’, ‘The concept of competency mapping’, ‘Developing competency models’ and ‘Competency based career planning’.
Mr. Vahlsan said that the interest in developing and implementing competency systems is increasingly gaining momentum in diverse settings. “These models should be able to influence people within an organization by becoming integral elements of the cornerstones of an organization,” he stated, adding that merely having a framework of competency mapping and developing per se will not suffice unless the executioners of such a framework are updated with relevant know-how.
Competency development is also about more than achieving results, he said adding that it is also about ‘how’ such results are achieved. “Results per se will not do, unless they are fused with ethical practices and norms of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as well,” he said.
Ayomi Fernando, Head of Training at the EFC, pointed out that the immediate outcome of the workshop is to train the EFC staff to facilitate competency mapping of EFC’s internal units. “However, the training is to be an ongoing one where, in the long run, we hope to share the knowledge and expertise with our member companies as well.”
She also noted that an MOU between the EFC and MEF is to be signed shortly which will pave the way to several mutually beneficial initiatives. “We are looking at a collaboration where resources for training could be shared. The proposed MOU also aspires to link the two employer organizations for mutual benefit in other ways. Joint research on subjects of common interest and enabling potential investors from Malaysia and Sri Lanka to seek advice on labour laws from the counterpart employer organization are some areas being mooted,” she said.