Competency frameworks

Our approach to competency framework design

The purpose of competency frameworks is to clearly define the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for effective performance in a specific role or across various roles within an organisation.

At People Business, we help small and medium-sized organisations unlock their potential through the development of bespoke competency frameworks. These frameworks form the foundation of high performance by clearly defining the skills, behaviours and attributes needed to succeed across roles and levels.

We know that every organisation is different—your culture, your goals, and the way your teams operate are unique. That’s why we work closely with you at every stage to design a framework that is fully tailored to your business and delivers tangible, lasting value.

What are competency frameworks?

A competency framework is a structured model that outlines the core skills, behaviours and attitudes required for success within your organisation. It acts as a guide for recruitment, performance management, learning and development, succession planning, and more. But a truly effective framework goes beyond buzzwords. It needs to be relevant, easy to use, and aligned with your business strategy. That’s where we come in.

A collaborative and practical approach

We partner with you from the ground up—conducting in-depth consultations, engaging with key stakeholders and analysing your current structure and challenges. Together, we identify what great performance looks like in your context and design a framework that reflects the real needs of your organisation.

Whether you’re a growing start-up or an established SME, our approach ensures your competency framework is practical, easy to embed and fit for the future.

Benefits of a competency framework

Ultimately, a competency framework gives your people clarity—and your business a stronger, more agile foundation to grow. A well-crafted competency framework offers a wide range of benefits, helping to:

  • Align performance with organisational goals: Everyone knows what’s expected and how their work contributes to the bigger picture. How do they tell this story in a way that is engaging and exciting to create a ‘pull’ for their people?

  • Enhance performance management: Managers can have more meaningful conversations, grounded in consistent and objective criteria. people tell them how it is, not what they think they want to hear.

  • Improve recruitment and onboarding: Clearly defined competencies help attract the right talent and set them up for success from day one.

  • Drive employee engagement and retention: When people understand how to grow and what’s expected, they’re more motivated and more likely to stay.

  • Support learning and development: Targeted training plans can be built around real gaps and aspirations, not guesswork.

Competency frameworks tailored for you, supported by us

We don’t believe in off-the-shelf solutions. Your framework will be shaped by your values, your goals, and your people. We’ll guide you through every step—from initial scoping and design, to roll-out, training, and review—ensuring the framework is fully integrated into your HR processes and supports meaningful change. Whether you’re looking to define leadership behaviours, develop technical competencies, or build a company-wide model, we’re here to help you build something that works—and lasts.

Are you ready to strengthen your organisation from the inside out? Let’s talk about how we can create a competency framework that brings structure, clarity, and performance to your business. Get in touch today and learn more about how we can help.

Case study: Competency frameworks

Helixr engaged with People Business on a change programme involving a number of HR workstreams, one of which was to build competency frameworks.

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