Driving Quality Excellence Through Competency Based Training
Turn skill gaps into a competitive edge with our scientific approach to competency based training and ISO 9001 compliance.
In the modern corporate area, competition has never been fiercer. The demand for qualified personnel has moved beyond simple recruitment; it is now about sustainable competency management.
What you will find here
ISO 9000 defines competence as the “ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results.” or in simple words – ability to perform.
For any forward-thinking organisation, ensuring that employees are not just “qualified on paper” but truly competent is the key to driving efficiency and innovation.
ISO 9001:2015 specifically addresses this through Clause 7.2 (Competence). This clause is the bedrock of a Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring that the right people with the right competence and skills are in the right roles at the right time.
Understanding ISO 9001 Clause 7.2 Requirements
The requirements for training and competency under ISO 9001 are straightforward yet profound. Regardless of your industry or size, your organisation must follow four critical steps:
- Determine the necessary competence for personnel.
- Ensure individuals are competent based on education, training, or experience.
- Acquire the necessary competence where gaps exist.
- Retain documented evidence (records) of this competence.
By following these steps, you move from an ad-hoc approach to a structured competency based training model that guarantees customer satisfaction.
Step 1: Determining the Necessary Competence
The first step in compliance is competence mapping. This is where you define the specific “blueprints” for every role that affects your QMS performance. These requirements must be job-specific and aligned with your broader organisational objectives.
The Role of Competence Mapping Consultants
Many organisations find it difficult to translate abstract goals into concrete requirements. This is where competence mapping consultants provide immense value. They help you distinguish between:
- Core Competencies: The universal values and skills that create an organisation-wide culture.
- Technical Competencies: The specific functional skills required to increase productivity and service efficiency.
Using tools like a competency register, database, or a detailed human resources plan ensures that your human resource management report is backed by data rather than guesswork.
Step 2: Ensuring and Assessing Individual Competence
Once you have defined what is needed, you must verify if your current or prospective employees actually possess those traits. This involves a rigorous competency assessment.
Beyond the Resume
While resumes and diplomas provide a starting point, ISO 9001 encourages a deeper competence assessment. For high-stakes roles—such as safety officers or technical engineers—a practical assessment of skills is often required.
Professional competency assessment consulting can help you design evaluation processes that include:
- Structured Interviews: Targeted questions to probe behavioural traits.
- Observations: Real-time monitoring of task performance.
- Psychometric Testing: Identifying the underlying potential for future leadership roles.
Using objective data in this stage also supports diversity and inclusion in the workplace by removing subjective bias from the hiring and promotion process.
Step 3: Bridging the Gap with Competency Based Training
What happens when an employee no longer meets the required standards? ISO 9001 requires organisations to take “actions” to acquire the necessary competence. The most effective action is competency based training.
Identifying Training Needs
To ensure a high ROI, training must be surgical. Instead of “blanket training,” a competency mapping and assessment exercise identifies exactly where the gaps are. This allows HR to:
- Align training with the human resource report goals.
- Consider prerequisites like time, cost, and intended results.
- Use innovative methods like coaching, mentoring, or digital learning modules.
Maintaining Excellence
Once an employee is qualified, you must ensure they stay competent. This is achieved through continuous competency management and performance monitoring. Regular HR auditing acts as a health check, ensuring that your training and competency levels don’t slide over time.
Step 4: Retaining Evidence and Documented Information
“If it isn’t documented, it didn’t happen.” This is the mantra of ISO 9001. You must retain valid records as evidence of competence. These include:
- Training certificates and licenses.
- Evaluation feedback and assessment scores.
- Updated CVs and performance review records.
While these can be stored physically, digital storage through a platform like ESG Slate facilitates a much smoother human resources reporting process. It allows auditors to see a clear “trail” of development for every employee.
Strategic Benefits of a Competency-Driven QMS
Adopting a scientific approach to competency based training offers benefits far beyond simple compliance:
1. Enhanced Customer Satisfaction
Customers expect consistent quality. When your personnel are competent, your products and services meet requirements every time. Competence is the driver behind the “Quality” in Quality Management.
2. Alignment with Global Standards
A robust competency framework prepares you for more advanced standards like ISO 30414 for human capital reporting. It ensures that your HR reporting is transparent and meets international benchmarks.
3. Ethical and Sustainable HR
Integrating competency mapping with business and human rights (BHR) principles ensures that employees are developed fairly. It also complements other HR pillars, such as a robust grievance management system, where managers need specific competence and skills to resolve workplace conflicts.
How Consultivo Transforms Your Compliance Journey
Free yourself from a mountain of spreadsheets. Consultivo offers a structured approach to training and competency that scales with your business.
Streamlining Compliance with ESG Slate
Our platform simplifies the ISO 9001 clause 7.2 journey by:
- Gap Matrix: Automatically generating a competency gap matrix to identify training needs.
- Document Management: Securely storing training records and certifications in one place.
- Audit Readiness: Providing comprehensive reports that prove your ongoing commitment to HR statutory compliance.
Expert Advisory and Training
Beyond technology, we provide the “human intelligence” needed for success. Whether you need competency assessment consulting to design your framework or grievance management training to upskill your leaders, our team is ready to support you.
Building a Resilient Workforce
In a dynamic business landscape, your QMS must be agile. Regularly reviewing and updating your competency mapping ensures that your organisation can adapt to new industry trends and technological shifts.
By investing in competency based training, you are not just ticking a box for an ISO auditor; you are fostering a culture of continuous improvement, D&I, and excellence.
Are you ready to elevate your Quality Management System? Explore how Consultivo can help you manage your personnel’s competence and skills effectively. Contact us today for a personalised roadmap to ISO 9001 excellence.
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Category: Blog
Tags: HR Audit, Management Systems
About the author
Director – Sustainable solutions at Consultivo
Madhabi Guha specialises in the domains of ESG, Social Compliance, Business and Human Rights, Development Projects and focuses on supporting go-to-market teams along with customer and partner relationships. Madhabi has been working in the sustainability & business excellence advisory business for over 14 years.
Madhabi has been developing individuals, teams, and organisations in the areas of leadership, excellence and Human Factors in the field of sustainability, people and community.
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