Agile way to manage competencies in a digital operating environment

The implementation of competence management, development and administration processes is a complex theme. The guidelines for competence development are based on the organisation’s strategy and action plan. On the other hand, as we obviously consider the present situation, we must also anticipate the future. In addition to the organizational level, a team and individual level is needed to review and develop skills and competences. 

The importance of identifying skills and competencies is emphasized in order to move forward. Key issues include:

• What are the core competencies of the organization?
• What are the required competencies and competency levels at the job level, in teams, and throughout the organization?
• What is being pursued and what skills are required for the goals?
• What is the knowledge and skills?
• What competency surveys are needed?

Learning and competence paths

Once the current situation and goals are known, a learning or competence path can be formed to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. At this point, it becomes important to consider how to motivate and enOnce the current situation and goals are recogniced, a learning or competence path can be formed to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.

At this point, it becomes important to consider how to motivate and engage the organization, teams and individuals in continuous learning, to develop competencies according to objectives? There is no one-size-fits-all answer or solution to this, but the keys are found in the knowledge of the organization and individuals, as well as in the implementation of learning content and learning and competence pathways. Alternative ways to motivate and engage and acquire skills are often needed. In this whole, the Priima learning environment can be the home base for learning and competence development, the starting point for learning and competence paths.

Competencies and the career path ahead

The competence development process maintains and develops the organisation’s knowledge capital, but on the other hand enables the promotion of career paths within the organization: at best, an employee can use new competencies to pursue new jobs and advance on his or her own career path. Competence surveys can be really important for an individual anyway: one’s own competence is not always perceived as a clear whole, when adults in particular accumulate a lot of competence outside the actual work and training. At its best, moments of noticing one’s own competence are really motivating and inspiring points on the learning and competence path – for an example take a look at Sitra’s ten comics about moments of noticing one’s own competence.

Learning and training need support and guidance, even if it is, for example, independent online learning. Guidance can be integrated and built into learning materials, other content and, of course, the methods used to be accompanied by a sense of presence. The adaptability of learning and competence paths supports different needs and approaches: for example, broader and more supported forms of learning or a bypass can be provided directly to more demanding content. On the other hand, many learners may benefit from community learning in certain situations. Can the same thing be learned smoothly in different ways in different situations?

Continuous learning and well-being

Continuous learning is linked to well-being at work in many ways. Development and change sometimes require rapid learning, which can also be stressful. Learning should also be sustainable and support well-being. This challenges the ways and methods of learning, ie they must also develop and shape according to need.

Enabling learning starts with leadership and supervision: Is there time for learning and reflection? How to enable learning and competence development? Is the manager genuinely interested in his or hers team’s skills and how to develop them? The supervisor also needs support for his or her own work, ie he or she should have easy access to monitor the development of his or her own team’s skills and, on the other hand, guide it when necessary.

We would be happy tocontinue the discussion on this theme. How can we help with learning and competence development? You can contact us by email or via the contact form or directly to our team.