Wyoming Competencies Frequently Asked Questions
A: [Competencies are a critical tool in workforce and succession planning. At a minimum, they are a means to:
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Identify capabilities, attitudes, and attributes needed to meet current and future staffing needs as organizational priorities and strategies shift, and
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Focus employee development efforts to eliminate the gap between capabilities needed and those available.
With looming retirements, a shifting workforce and increasing demands, effective development and utilization of employee skill sets is just as critical to State agencies' successful delivery of services as state-of-the-art technology. We need the right people with the right competencies at the right time, in conjunction with having the right systems and technology. A process is need to be more systematic in training and developing employees. This will ensure that development efforts are better targeted to meeting agency needs, can be directly linked to results, and make more efficient use of training resources. Over the next 5 to 7 years, resources will be invested to help produce a new workforce with desired or expected results. In building competency models, we increase our ability to help identify and track competencies that will improve results, making it worth investing in their development and use.]
A: [Although there are many ways to define competencies, the following is the official definition used in Wyoming's competency model:
"Competencies are identified behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities that are required to be successful in a particular organization and job function. Competencies directly and positively impact the success of employees and the organization and can be objectively measured, enhanced, and improved through a myriad of learning and development opportunities."]
Q: [How are competencies used?]
A: [Competencies are used to assist improving individual performance by modeling behaviors of highly successful past and present employees. Competencies also provide opportunities to determine what it takes to be successful in an employee’s career. Career success is both applying technical knowledge, skills and ability and consistent professional behavior demonstrated while interacting and communicating with others.]
Q: [How do you build or define a competency?]
A: [Competencies are drawn from the essential functions found in the Position Description Questionnaire (PDQ). Subject Matter Experts / Specialist, supervisors, HR managers and employees can link essential functions to a competency family member in Wyoming's Competency Dictionary.]
Q: [What is the difference between a Technical/Functional competency and a Professional competency?]
A: [Professional Competencies provide supervisors and employees examples of qualitative behavioral measures, while Technical and Functional Competencies provide supervisor and employees quantitative behavioral measures.]
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