HR COMPETENCIES

“The hardest challenge being an HR is that sometimes you have to be the LAWYER, the JUDGE and the
HANGMAN.”
― Hassan Choughari
Definition of
Competency

Knowledge

Skills Abilities

Competency
Competency

Reflects knowledge-based
requirement for specific job
More general, looks at level of
categories ( HR Assistant, HR
experience and expertise
Officer, HRM, HRBP, Head of HR
etc.)

Technical Competency Behavioral Competency

THE IMPORTANCE

Plays a role in the selection, training and appraisal of

HR and other professionals

Is used for career management and development

choice of jobs or assignments you select

Used for succession planning as well

Generic Key HR Competencies

Critical Evaluation Communication

HR Knowledge

Ethical Practise Leadership & Navigation

Consultation
Business Acumen
Relationship Management

Global & Cultural Effectiveness

HR PROFESSIONAL CAREER LEVEL
HR Professional
Career Level
 Executive
Senior Level Level

Mid-Level

Entry Level
 HR Knowledge
Expertise
CLUSTER : TECHNICAL

Sub-competencies

• Strategic Business management • HR Technologies

• Workforce planning • Global & International HR Capabilities
• HR Development • Talent Management
• Compensation & Benefits • Change Management
• Employees and Labour Relation
• Remains current and relevant to the law – labour practise

• Up to date knowledge of general HR practices, strategy and technology

• Demonstrates working knowledge of critical HR function

• Delivers customised HR solutions for Organisations challenges

• Seeks HR professional development

• Seeks process improvement across

Ethical Practice

CLUSTER:
LEADERSHIP

Sub-competencies

• Rapport Building
• Trust Building
• Personal, Professional and Behavioural Integrity
• Professionalism
• Credibility
• Personal and Professional Courage
• Maintains Confidentiality
• Acts with personal, professional and behavioural integrity
• Responds to reports on conflict of interest
• Empowers employees to report unethical cases
• Acknowledges mistakes
Leadership & Navigation

Cluster: Leadership

Sub-competencies

• Transformational and Function • Mission Driven

Leadership
• Change Management
• Results and Goals oriented
• Politically Savvy
• Resource Management
• Influence
• Succession Planning
• Consensus Builder
• Project Management
• Fosters collaborations
• Sets the HR vision, build buy-in from stakeholders
• Serves as a transformation leader – leading change
• Leads the organisation through adversity with resilience and tenacity
• Promotes consensus among organisation stakeholders when
proposing new initiative
Business Acumen

Cluster: Business

Sub-competencies
• Knowledge of Technology
• Strategic Agility • Knowledge of Labour Market
• Business Knowledge • Knowledge of Business
• Systems Thinking Operations/Logistics
• Economic Awareness • Knowledge of Government &
Regulatory Guidelines
• Effective Administration
• HR & Organisation
• Knowledge of Finance & Accounting
Metrics/Analytics/Business Indicators
• Knowledge of Sales ad Marketing
• Demonstrates an understanding of the strategic relationship
between effective HR management and core business
functions
• Demonstrate capacity of understanding the business
operations & functions
• Understands the business environments
• Makes business case for HR management (ROI)
• Understands the organisational metrics and their correlation
to business success
• Leverages technology to solve business problems
Consultation
Consulting is the ability to
Cluster: Business
provide guidance to
organisational stakeholders

Coaching
Flexibility
Problem Solving
Problem Solving
Creativity
Inquisitiveness
• Demonstrates an understanding of the strategic relationship
between effective HR management and core business
functions
• Demonstrate capacity of understanding the business
operations & functions
• Understands the business environments
• Makes business case for HR management (ROI)
• Understands the organisational metrics and their correlation
to business success
• Leverages technology to solve business problems
Critical Evaluation

The Ability To Interpret Information To Make Business

Decisions And Recommendations

Cluster: Business
Sub- competencies

Objectivity Auditing Skills Critical Thinking

Problem Solving Decision-making Measurement and

Assessment Skills
• Makes sound decision based on evaluation of available
information
• Assesses the impact of changes to law on organisational HR
management function
• Transfers knowledge and best practises from one situation to
the next
• Applies critical thinking to information received and evaluates
the impact on organisation success
• Analyses date with a keen sense for what is useful
Communication

It is the ability to effectively exchange

information with stakeholders

Cluster: Interpersonal Skills

Sub-competencies of Communication
Behaviours

• P ro v i d e s c l e a r , co n c i s e i n fo r m ati o n to o t h e rs
• L i ste n s a c ti ve l y a n d e m p at h e ti c a l l y to v i e ws o f
o t h e rs
• D e l i ve rs c r i ti ca l i nfo r m ati o n to a l l sta ke h o l d e rs
• S e e ks f u r t h e r i n fo r m ati o n to c l a r i f y a m b i g u i t y
• P ro v i d e s co n st r u c ti ve fe e d b a c k eff e c ti ve l y
Global & Cultural
Effectiveness

The ability to value and consider the

perspectives and backgrounds of all parties

Cluster: Interpersonal Skills

 Sub-competencies
• Global Perspective
• Diversity Perspective
• Openness to various perspectives
• Empathy
• Openness to Experience
• To l e r a n c e f o r A m b i g u i t y
• Adaptability
• C u l t u r a l Aw a re n e s s a n d R e s p e c t
• Adapts perspective and behaviour to meet the cultural
context
• Navigates the difference between commonly acceptable
practice and law when conducting business with other nations
• Operates with a global, open mind-set while being sensitive to
local cultural issues and needs
• Operates with a fundamental truth in others human beings
Relationship
Management

The ability to manage interactions to

provide services
and to support organisations

Cluster: Interpersonal
Sub-competencies Transparency

Trust

Credibility
Mentorship

Team work
Advocacy Mutual Respect
• Established credibility in all interactions

• Treats stakeholders with respect and dignity

• Builds engaging relationships through trust, teamwork, direct communications

• Demonstrates approachability and openness

• Ensures alignment within HR when delivering services and information to organisatio

• Provides customer service to organisational stakeholders

• Promotes successful relationships with stakeholders

 Certified Human Resource Professionals in
Kenya
Introduction to Human Resource Management
Business Communication
Human Resource Research Project
Strategic Human Resource Management
Management Information Systems
Human Resource Administration
Organizational Theory and Behaviour
Business Law
Entrepreneurship and Human Resources Consultancy
Human Resource Accounting
Certified Human Resource Professionals in
Kenya
Introduction to Economics
Counselling and Coaching
Office Administration & Practice
Leadership and Corporate Governance
Principles and Practice in management
Introduction to Financial accounting
Organization Change and Development
Employee Resourcing
Reward Management
Employee Relations
Labour Laws
Can you cluster the units now? The Clusters are:

Technical Business

Leadership Interpersonal