HUNEETY RESOURCES
A Learning & Development Glossary for the modern workforce
Combined utilization of abilities, skills and knowledge to effectively solve a business problem. Competencies form the basis for measuring the workforce capabilities in the organization. The competency“Objection handling” may include a set of skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and communication.
A Skill is the capacity that an individual must have to perform a job, role, function, task, or duty.Because they are fine-grained and granular, skills are topic based and can be validated by assessment and professional certifications.
Example : The skill“Photoshop” is the capacity someone may have at using the software Photoshop.Such skill can be validated by a professional certification provided byAdobe.
Huneety Competencies are flagged in blue, whereas Skills are flagged in red color.
A capability is the ability to perform a job. A capability is often unique and custom to the organization. Capabilities are often a mix of technical, social and behavioral skills. For example, companies may define their own conception of what is “Leadership” which can be a mix empowering, collaboration, accountability, Employee engagement.
Capabilities are :
- Unique to organizations and connected to company corevalues.
- Defined around job activities.
- Assessed through performance on the job.
A taxonomy is a classification system that allows the hierarchization of several levels of information. A skill taxonomy supports organizations to organize and strategize the required Competencies and Skills to run certain functions or the entire business. The requirements may be focused on operational skills, or may include soft skills and behaviors. The depth and level of details of skill taxonomies vary greatly from one organization to another.
Such classification system provides a methodology for measuring the degree to which a workforce is able to meet the objectives of the organization.
Similar concepts: Skills inventory, Skills library, Competency framework, competency model, skills architecture
Perdoo did a good job at defining what is an OKR.
OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. An OKR consists of three components: an Objective, Key Results, and Initiatives.
Simply put, an Objective tells you where you’re going, a Key Result lets you know if you’ve arrived, and Initiatives outline what you need to do to reach your destination. While Initiatives are often confused with Key Results, it’s important to note that they are not the same thing.
Here’s an examples of how all the components of an OKR come together:
· Objective: Improve our customer experience.
· Key Result: Increase our NPS from 70 to 80.
· Initiative: Implement in-app live chat.
A Job architecture is the infrastructure and hierarchy of jobs within an organization. A job architecture organizes job levels, job titles, career pathing and skills proficiency levels for each jobs of the organization. It serves as the foundation to deploy skills to individuals, compensation and benefits programs, career pathing, learning opportunities, succession planning and workforce planning.
When company grow, job models quickly becomes messy. Job descriptions are quickly piling up, resulting in more job titles, more job levels, more complexity to manage. There might be 30 different ways to name an HR Manager job title.
Job architecture must be:
- Connected to the job market needs and evolutions.
- Relevant to individual needs and career expectations.
- Connected to the organization’s skills taxonomy.
Similar concepts : Job structure, job catalogue, Job levels, job models
A stretch assignment is a challenging project or task given to an employee that pushes them beyond their current skill set or comfort zone. The purpose is to develop new capabilities, enhance problem-solving skills, and prepare employees for greater responsibilities. Stretch assignments are often part of on-the-job learning, offering real-world experience that fosters growth and adaptability.
Example : A finance analyst is tasked with leading a cross-department budgeting project, challenging them to develop project management and leadership skills beyond their usual analytical work.
Social learning is the process of learning through observing, interacting, and collaborating with others. This type of learning is based on the idea that people learn best in a social context, whether through informal conversations, mentoring, coaching, or peer collaboration. It emphasizes the value of sharing knowledge and experiences within a community to enhance understanding and skill development.
Example : A new hire shadows a senior team member during client meetings, observing and asking questions to learn effective communication techniques.
Active learning involves engaging directly with the material through discussion, practice, and problem-solving, rather than passively receiving information. It encourages learners to participate actively in their own learning process by analyzing, questioning, and applying knowledge. Techniques like case studies, role-playing, group discussions, and hands-on projects promote active engagement, making the learning experience more effective and memorable.
Example: Following an e-learning course on how to craft Individual development plans
KPI stands for Key PerformanceIndicator. A KPI is a quantifiable measure that help understand if you are achieving your results.
Example:
- Number of clients visits realized within the period.
- Emailing opening rate.
KPIs and Goals are often used interchangeably. But KPIs are not the same as goals.
A goal is the objective you or your organization is trying to achieve. For example, improve turnover, or reduce customer complaints. In order to make sense for the business and for individuals who work towards them, goals must be SMART and include realistic targets.
