Definitions for the Core Area

Operational

Achieving specific higher ed HR skills from experience or learning.

Each competency within the Core area can aid in achieving:

professional and personal bests
stakeholder buy-in, acceptance and value
team, institution and community results

At any given time, proficiency for each competency will fall at some point along the outer ring of the framework: Awareness, Application, Influence.

The following competency definitions are offered as a guide and are to be used in conjunction with your institution’s interpretation of how these competencies can be applied on your campus.

Competency Definitions

AI and Technology

Definition

Knowledge of and experience with using publicly available generative AI technology, and a general understanding of generative AI best practices such as prompt writing, fact checking, and data security.

In Action

Using AI to create first drafts of job descriptions, policies, and presentations
Using AI to create first drafts of e-mails, newsletters and employee communications
Using AI to record and organize notes
Using AI to quickly organize and / or analyze data
Using AI to quickly research and understand new topics
Understanding what data should and shouldn’t be entered into generative AI
Ability to create and edit prompts for generative AI
Fact checking and editing AI created materials
Adherence to state and federal AI regulations and institutional AI policies

Assessment Questions

What AI tools and technology are you familiar with?
What AI tools and technologies are you using in your work now?
How do you incorporate AI tools and technology into your work?
How do you guard institutional and private data when using AI?
How comfortable are you crafting prompts for generative AI tools?
How do you personally ensure accuracy and relevance of AI generated content?

Benefits

Definition

Knowledge of key concepts, regulations and practices related to the administration of employment benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, injury compensation, wellness programs, paid leave and other employee benefit programs.

In Action

Ensuring benefit programs and procedures meet organizational needs
Maintaining program compliance with both federal and state regulations including (but not limited to):
- Social Security
- Medicare
- Workers’ Compensation
- Unemployment Compensation
- COBRA
- Family and Medical Leave
Determining employee eligibility for all applicable company benefit programs
Using best practices to maintain accurate and secure records
Providing education and information to employees regarding company benefit programs

Assessment Questions

What experience do you have with benefits administration?
How familiar are you with federal and state laws related to employment benefits?
How comfortable are you communicating information related to your company’s benefit programs to employees?
How comfortable are you addressing employee questions and solving employee problems regarding company benefit programs?
Are you able to determine an employee’s eligibility for certain programs or benefits, such as FMLA, company health insurance, workers’ compensation, etc.?
How comfortable are you communicating with benefit program providers?

Budget and Finance

Definition

Knowledge of the organization’s financial processes and practices, as well as the ability to accurately forecast and track adjustments to available funds.

In Action

Maintaining financial records and reports
Conducting financial information reviews or audits
Creating and delivering budget proposals and funding requests

Assessment Questions

How familiar are you with your department’s or organization’s financial model?
What financial information do you typically interact with in your position?
How comfortable are you managing financial records and reports?
How do you or how would you ensure balance between the organization’s available funds, recruiting initiatives and pay equity concerns?

Communications

Definition

The ability to present and receive information, both written and verbal, in an effective and understandable manner.

In Action

Conducting presentations on trainings, proposals, reports and other information
Reaching out to peers via e-mails, phone calls or in person discussions
Authoring and distributing regular newsletters or other updates
Creating flyers, handouts, posters or other collateral to communicate specific information or initiatives
Maintaining institutional websites, web pages, intranet pages or announcement boards
Writing reports, proposals, messaging for stakeholders or other copy
Practicing active and attentive listening
Having familiarity with using AI tools for creating copy

Leadership Lens

Creating and managing communications strategy by providing clarity, reinforcing priorities, and guiding organizational action
Aligning communications to relevant branding standards

Assessment Questions

How confident are you in both your written and verbal communication ability?
How often do you share your ideas, feedback and thoughts?
What do you feel differentiates effective from ineffective communication?
How and how often does communication play a key role in your responsibilities?
What communication methods or styles are you most familiar with (ex: reports, marketing, public speaking)?
What communication methods or styles would you like to improve upon (ex: reports, marketing, public speaking)?
How do you or how would you navigate a miscommunication or misunderstanding?
How do you or how would you guide others in effective communication practices?

Compensation

Definition

Knowledge of strategies, practices and regulations related to the creation and administration of an organization’s pay and reward structures.

In Action

Understanding of organization’s compensation philosophy and structure
Developing or interpreting policies that guide compensation practices including;
- Hours of work
- Flexible work
- Overtime
- Shift work
- Bonus pay
- Merit pay
- Hazard pay
Regularly assessing organizational pay structures to ensure equity
Maintaining compliance with federal and state compensation regulations, such as FLSA
Analyzing market data to construct competitive compensation packages that attract, retain and reward talent
Evaluating and assigning positions to appropriate salary range
Negotiating salaries and wage schedules under collective bargaining agreements

Assessment Questions

What experience do you have with developing total compensation packages?
Are you familiar with the non-salary-based compensation your organization offers?
How familiar are you with FLSA regulations?
What experience do you have with communicating total compensation packages to potential candidates?
What experience do you have in performing internal or market pay equity analysis?
What experience do you have managing the compensation plans of a public institution?
What experience do you have managing the compensation plans of a private or corporate organization?

Compliance, Risk Management and Public Policy

Definition

Awareness of current public policy issues and regulations that impact the institution, as well as the capacity to assist the institution in proactively navigating issues of liability and compliance.

In Action

Maintaining comprehensive knowledge of critical regulatory requirements including (but not limited to):
- Anti-discrimination and harassment
- Equal opportunity
- FMLA protections
- Anti-retaliation
- FLSA requirements
Anticipating elements of risk and creating contingency measures
Communicating liability concerns and recommending mitigating action
Conducting periodic review of programs, policies and practices to ensure compliance
Collaborating with the institution’s general counsel to reduce legal risk

Assessment Questions

In what areas are you comfortable assessing risk (ex: business, safety, liability)?
What tools, methods, models or approaches do you use when assessing risk?
How comfortable are you in your knowledge of the institution’s policies and practices?
How comfortable are you in your knowledge of local, state and federal regulations?
What activities do you or can you engage in to keep your regulatory knowledge current?
What experience do you have navigating unexpected or sudden situations?

Resources

Boot Camp E-Learning Course
Legislative and Regulatory News

Employee Development

Definition

The ability to identify the knowledge, skills and opportunities necessary for employee career growth, as well the ability to create and implement supporting programs, trainings and activities.

In Action

Overseeing required training programs, such as anti-harassment and safety training
Working collaboratively with employees to identify and support career goals and retention
Coaching supervisors on employee development practices and strategies
Communicating information on available training and development resources
Identifying opportunities for cross-training, specialization, mentoring or other development activities
Developing training courses, programs or materials

Leadership Lens

Actively championing developmental opportunities for others by advocating for growth, removing cultural and systemic barriers to learning, and intentionally connecting employees to experiences that build skills, readiness and confidence

Assessment Questions

What experience do you have in training others?
What experience do you have in creating or enhancing training programs?
How comfortable are you delivering training or coaching to managers and leadership?
How comfortable are you guiding employees to identify their own opportunities, goals or expectations for growth?
Have you participated in an individual development plan for yourself?
How do you motivate or encourage employees who are less engaged in training and development efforts?

Employee/Labor Relations

Definition

The function of maintaining and mediating the relationship between employee and employer, with a particular focus on problem solving, conflict resolution and compliance.

In Action

Assisting both employees and management in policy interpretation and application
Working collaboratively with employees to address workplace concerns
Advising management on employee conduct or performance issues
Conducting confidential workplace investigations
Administering and monitoring disciplinary action and improvement plans
Administering and communicating employee recognition and awards programs

Assessment Questions

How comfortable are you with explaining your institution’s policies to others?
How familiar are you with managing conflict between employees?
How familiar are you with managing conflict between an employee and a supervisor?
What experience do you have in managing performance activities?
What experience do you have conducting or overseeing confidential investigations?
How current is your knowledge of major regulations (ex: ADA, FMLA, Title VII)?
What professional experience do you have with collective bargaining agreements, organizations or unionization?

HR Data, Systems and Analytics

Definition

The ability to select, analyze and summarize data to support decision making and institutional goals.

In Action

Collaborating with IT to evaluate data needs, systems and security
Creating dashboards, reports or presentations to communicate key metrics
Facilitating the collection of data through surveys, interviews, records or other means
Entering, updating and maintaining HRIS files and information

Leadership Lens

Synthesizing and presenting data with clear insights and actionable recommendations
Using data insights to guide priorities, shape processes, and lead teams effectively

Assessment Questions

How comfortable are you working digitally with confidential or sensitive information?
What HRIS systems, programs or methods do you have experience with?
What experience do you have with collecting, organizing and maintaining data?
How comfortable are you tracking and analyzing employee metrics?
How comfortable are you summarizing and presenting your findings?
What experience do you have communicating technical information to non-technical audiences?
How have you or how might you use data to influence organizational strategy and decision making?

Resources

Data User Group in CUPA-HR Connect
CUPA-HR Research Skills Labs

Leadership

Definition

The ability to guide others to achieve outcomes through collaborative relationships.

In Action

Knowing how to practice leadership regardless of position.
Modeling leadership ethics and best-practice leadership behaviors
Connecting daily priorities to departmental and institutional goals
Practicing active listening and acknowledging other people’s strengths and contributions
Communicating transparently and following through on commitments
Using self-awareness of leadership strengths and challenges to recognize how behaviors influence others and outcomes.
Making difficult decisions, taking risks, and adapting while navigating uncertainty
Fostering creativity, continuous improvement, and openness

Assessment Questions

How are you practicing leadership in your current position?
What style of leadership do you prefer?
How do you align the work of HR with institutional goals and priorities?
In what ways do you build environments where people feel valued, supported and inspired?

Organizational Development

Definition

The ability to assess current realities and design sustainable approaches that strengthen how people, processes, systems, structures and strategy work together to advance the institution’s mission in increasingly effective ways.

In Action

Streamlining processes to improve efficiency
Participating in a task force or working group to address a specific concern or goal
Analyzing relevant data and metrics in order to guide decision making
Communicating with stakeholder groups to understand objectives and limitations
Identifying and implementing essential actions needed to achieve desired outcomes

Leadership Lens

Using a systems-thinking perspective to understand how organizational elements interact and influence one another
Engaging diverse stakeholders and perspectives to better understand challenges and co-create sustainable solutions
Connecting improvement efforts to mission, priorities and long-term outcomes for institutional strategic alignment
Guiding people through transitions to achieve sustainable results
Focusing on designing environments, systems and structures that enable people and teams to thrive
Using feedback, assessment and reflection to continuously adapt systems, processes and approaches in response to evolving organizational needs

Assessment Questions

Have you had the opportunity to participate in either formal or in-formal organizational planning activities?
Have you had the opportunity to participate in, lead or organize a working group, task force or committee?
How comfortable are you with giving and receiving constructive feedback?
What initial steps do you or would you take to propose change?
How do you or would you secure buy-in from hesitant stakeholders?

Project Management

Definition

The ability to lead and execute projects by applying relevant knowledge, skills and tools to drive results, navigate complexity and meet organizational priorities, expectations and timelines.

In Action

The process of authoring new processes or policies
The process of proposing and implementing programs or events
The process of managing open enrollment communications and activities
The process of identifying and filling an open position

Assessment Questions

Have you had the opportunity to individually manage a project, from start to finish?
Have you had the opportunity to lead others through a project, from start to finish?
How comfortable are you collaborating with others outside of your department in support of project goals or deliverables?
What methods do you use to plan and evaluate a project’s process?
How do you or how would you communicate and utilize post-project feedback?

Recruitment

Definition

Knowledge of the concepts, strategies, practices and regulations utilized in the identification and selection of talent.

In Action

Ensuring all parts of the recruitment process are compliant with all state and federal regulations including (but not limited to):
- Title VII (of the Civil Rights Act)
- Title IX (of the Education Amendments)
- ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
- ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act)
- USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act)
Creating and leading outreach strategies to source talent
Conducting interviews with potential candidates to assess candidate fit
Participating in or guiding search/selection committees
Extending offers of employment to selected candidates
Leveraging technology and digital tools in the recruitment process
Applying a consistent applicant screening process to ensure fairness, compliance and sound hiring decisions

Assessment Questions

What strategies have you utilized to source external talent?
What strategies have you utilized to source internal talent?
What experience do you have interviewing candidates?
What experience do you have with search/selection committees?
How comfortable are you advising supervisors on hiring practices and decisions?
How comfortable are you negotiating with candidates?