There’s a difference between what an employee knows and what an employee can do. Competency-based training bridges that gap. When your training goals are focused on competencies in addition to knowledge, you’ll have a more effective and efficient team. Take a look at some common questions and answers to see if this training approach is right for you.
What is Competency-based Training?
Competency-based training is a goal-oriented approach to employee development focused on achieving specific behavioral outcomes. Competency does not equate to an employee’s skills to successfully complete a task – it’s bigger than that. For example, consider the broad topic of customer service. With a training program focused on competency, employees would need to master a variety of individual skills in order to achieve the overall goal of the training program.
What are the Benefits of Competency-based Training?
A strong employee training program reduces turnover. With competency-based training, your business benefits in other ways as well:
- Employees who meet their training goals have more confidence in their abilities to be successful, improving teamwork and customer interactions.
- When employees see how training has a positive impact on their own performance, they’ll be more engaged in future training courses.
- Training focused on reaching competency goals will help managers better match employees in mentoring programs.
- Employees who prove their competencies through training are more likely to be successful when they have tasks delegated to them.
- Trainers and managers get a look at an employee’s hidden strengths based on how effectively they meet their competency goals.
Can Competency-based Training Be Accomplished Online?
Yes! With the right learning management system, the foundation for competency-based training can be effectively built with online learning. Online learning streamlines training in many ways, giving training administrators easy access to assigning courses and assessing comprehension. These are critical components of a competency-based training program. First, trainers must connect employees to the online training courses that address their specific competency gaps. Then, they must assess how well employees both comprehend and implement the training.
When combined with effective on-the-job follow-up and refresher courses, training programs that focus on competencies give your business an edge in staffing, service, and productivity.
