The Situation

A growing organisation identified declining employee motivation linked to unclear development expectations and perceived lack of progression opportunities. Engagement feedback showed employees were uncertain about what they needed to develop to progress and lacked confidence in how advancement decisions were made. Managers also struggled to provide consistent guidance on development and readiness for progression.

The client sought a practical solution to improve clarity, motivation, and trust in career progression processes.

The Task

Introduce a competency framework that would:

• Clearly articulate development expectations and progression pathways
• Help employees identify and take ownership of their development needs
• Improve motivation by increasing transparency around progression
• Enable consistent, high-quality development conversations

The Action

A collaborative design process was used to ensure relevance and buy-in:

• Engagement with leaders to align competencies to strategy and values
• Workshops with managers and employees to define observable, role-relevant behaviours
• Design of a development-focused framework with clear progression indicators

The framework emphasised growth and capability-building rather than assessment alone.

The Result

The competency framework included:

• Core competencies applicable to all staff employees
• Role-level competencies aligned to different career stages
• Clear behavioural indicators describing expectations at each level
• Practical guidance for self-assessment and development planning

The competency framework provided a clear, transparent foundation for development and progression. By strengthening clarity and consistency, the organisation improved motivation, engagement, and confidence in career growth opportunities.