EUKN - United Kingdom - Competency Framework for the Housing Sector

Competency Framework for the Housing Sector

Introduction

This competency framework has been developed for use by all organisations in the Housing Sector. It allows for use by all levels of staff in a variety of roles across sector.

It can be used to:

aid recruitment of the right staff,
assist in performance management and use in employee development planning.

Description

The competency framework is the work of a group of people who gave their time to research existing frameworks and to establish the current needs of their own and other organisations. It is therefore a composite of experiences and input from Housing and other organisations across England and Wales.

The approach taken has been to identify 8 key competency areas and develop a framework building up to 4 levels of competence for each area. The framework has a holistic approach and therefore there are many competencies – eg Equality and Diversity – where the theme will run throughout all other competency areas.

Background information

When using this framework to develop competencies as a performance management tool, it is important that they can be turned into reality for employees. Each competency may mean something different for each specific role, so the use of practical examples of behaviour will help make it clearer.

Positive and negative indicators of behaviour are used within the framework. These are intended as practical guidance to make it easier for individuals to understand where they fit in the framework.

Methodology

There are 8 competencies:

Commitment to the Organisation,
Communicating and Influencing,
Customer focus,
Embracing Change,
Equalities and Diversity,
Leadership,
Team Working,
Working Efficiently and Effectively.

The framework includes:

a definition of each competency,
why it is important,
competency levels (showing greater depth or levels of complexity, positive indicators and warning signs (examples of positive and negative behaviours)
and indicators which show examples of specific behaviour at each level.

This approach will also assist managers in 1 to 1s, to articulate where behaviour can be improved.

Conclusions

The framework is not intended to be prescriptive. It should be adapted to fit the style, language and needs of particular organisations. When using this framework to develop competencies as a performance management tool, its important that they can be turned into reality for employees in terms of the job they do.

Each competency may mean something different for each specific role, so the use of practical examples of behaviour will give clarity. Positive and negative indicators of behaviour are used, these are intended as practical guidance to make it easier for individuals to understand where they fit.

Contact info

Asset Skills
enquiries@assetskills.org

Publication date

Project finished

//2006

Researcher

Christine Amyes, Amanda Livermore, Kate Radovanovic, Sharon Steele, Darrell Foster, Richard Burke, Emma Walker, Alison Culpan, Rose Smith, Anisha Waka

Links

Visit the Asset Skills website

Download the 'Competency Framework for the Housing Sector' Report (DOC, Eng, 184 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Specific sectors