Competency Demonstration

This section provides guidance on how to demonstrate your HR competencies for the IHRP Certification Experience Assessment. It includes tips and examples for each competency area, including functional competencies, foundational competencies, and mindsets and behaviours.

Competency Demonstration
This section forms a key component of the experience assessment. Upon completion of this section, you will have completed
your submission for the IHRP Certification Experience Assessment.
As this is an evidence-based assessment of your HR experience across IHRP’s Body of Competencies (BOC), you will need to
reflect and share examples of your work and describe your experiences across the following areas:
 Functional Competencies
 Foundational Competencies
 Mindsets and Behaviours
Tips for sharing examples of your competencies:
1. Share a few succinct examples reflecting:
 What's the context (i.e. situation, stakeholder)?
 What action did you take?
 What's the outcome achieved?
2. Provide succinct examples as short paragraphs or bulleted lists.
3. Maintain confidentiality of the scenario by masking names and organisation.
4. Indicate clearly which competencies each example covers.
5. Select examples that demonstrate your ability to meet the performance expectations of the level applied.
6. Use the same example/scenario if it can cover multiple competency areas.
7. Enter N/A if you do not have relevant examples for any of the competencies. While we require the demonstration of
competencies across the breadth of Functional, Foundational and Mindsets & Behaviours, we will conduct a holistic
assessment of your application to consider your case.
Refer to the following samples to give you a sense of what is required:
Example 1:
I was involved in a retrenchment exercise affecting a group of bargainable staff due to the economic downturn. In planning for
this difficult exercise, I had to carefully review the past performance of staff to be retrenched and design the communication
strategy and plan for the affected staff, as well as the union. Additionally, I also developed the wider communication plan for the
company staff and the press. Together with a team of HR specialists; I was involved in putting together the redundancy
package to be paid according to Labour Laws and Collective Agreement. We provided assistance to affected retrenched staff to
find suitable jobs with alternative employers. While retrenchment of staff was not easy, I believe we managed to deliver a good
outcome for the affected staff and all stakeholders involved. I am also pleased to have worked collaboratively with the union to
find alternative jobs for the displaced staff within a short period of time after their retrenchment.
Competencies addressed:
 Functional: Separation, Engage.
 Foundational: Relationship & Communications; Labour Policies & Legislation.
 Mindsets & Behaviours: Uphold Professional Conduct
Example 2:
 I created a self-service electronic platform for employee to access and get answer to their routine HR-related queries.
 To drive up the take up rate, I designed and implemented a Change Programme. I persuaded the respective Department
Heads of business benefits (improved productivity higher staff engagement, and improved response time of staff HR-
related queries).
 I worked with the Department Heads to conduct 5 lunch time road shows for their department staff.
 The take up rate has since doubled.
Competencies addressed:
 Foundational: Technology & Operational Excellence
 Mindsets & Behaviours: Demonstrate Change Leadership
HR Functional Competencies

I provide clarity including less obvious perspectives or considerations to support decision
making.
Cite one example of how you have applied the above competency to lead the development and
execution of each the following HR functional activities:
We recommend that you include:
 situation encountered
 stakeholders involved or impacted
 your actions taken to address the situation
 results achieved
Plan
This refers to HR-related activities undertaken by an organisation during the annual business planning
cycle involving manpower/resource planning, financial budgeting, as well as long range strategic
workforce planning. It also encompasses organisation development interventions to prepare the
organisation for change.
I had participated in a financial budgeting of an organization, where I collaborated with the financial
managers of the organization for creating a successful budget planning that will include all the
financial regarding the raw material purchasing, product pricing along with the transportation cost
(Biswas, Cascio and Boudreau 2013). In the process of planning, I summarized all the past budget
information and planned the current budget keeping the increasing profitability and revenue in
mind. I had to provide great effort to the particular planning as it would directly affect all the
suppliers, employees as well as the entire organization. The future outcome of it will result in
increasing the annual revenue.
Attract
It involves sourcing, selecting, securing and onboarding of suitably qualified people into an
organisation to enable the delivery of organisational strategies and business plans.
I conducted a recruitment process for an organization in order to select suitable people for the
organization to increase the productivity of it. In the first stage, an advertising of the particular
process had carried out in order to attract the sanguine individuals. After that, I had I conducted the
selection process carefully, considering all the requirements that would best suit for the position.
The outcome of this process was a bunch of suitable candidates who had chosen to enlarge the
productivity of the organization.
Develop
This is about the on-going investment by an organisation in developing the capability of its workforce
required to deliver its organisational strategies and business plans. It encompasses learning and
development, career development, performance management, talent management, and succession
planning.
I had performed an effective succession planning for a company, where the company had asked
me to identify the new leaders within it. In this entire process, I collaborated with the other
managers of the company and analysed the past records of all the capable and experienced
employees, who are supposed to replace the old leaders. The planning comprised with a
systematic integrated approach and finally the suitable candidates had selected for playing the role
of efficient leaders, who will show right and productive direction to the organization.
Engage
This relates to keeping the workforce of an organisation motivated to deliver organisational strategies
and business plans. The functional activities span across core HR domains such as compensation
and benefits management, people engagement, cross cultural management, as well as managing
labour relations.
I was involved in the activity of providing promotions to the employees of an organization. In the
planning process of this particular activity, I collected the organizational data of those employees
who had nominated for getting the promotion. The work efficiency, attendance, productivity as well

as loyalty for the organization are the major factors that need to be considered before conducting
such responsible activity (Sushil 2013). Therefore, along with the HR specialist team, I conducted a
research, keeping an eye to the employment policy of the organization. The stockholders that are
affected by this process are the employees and the organization. The particular process will help to
motivate the employees in return, increase the organizational productivity.
Separate
This is the stage that signifies the ending of an employment relationship through voluntary exits,
involuntary exits and retirement. Voluntary exits and retirement happen when an employee chooses to
resign or elect to retire from work respectively, whereas involuntary exits refer to dismissal,
redundancy and termination due to performance or business needs and conditions.
The company had asked me to conduct a retrenchment exercise, which directed the involuntary
exist of a bunch of employees within it. While performing this complex exercise, I had to thoroughly
review all the performance records of each employee. Consulting with the team leaders and other
HR specialists, I gather the data about some employees who had involved in less productivity.
Those employees had handover with the employment termination letter. I personally believe that
though it was necessary, yet it will affect the stakeholders along with the other staffs of the
company.

HR Foundational Competencies
For more details of the competencies, please refer to the IHRP Body of Competencies (BOC).
We recommend that you include:
 situation encountered
 stakeholders involved or impacted
 your actions taken to address the situation
 results achieved
Analytics and Insights
The need and use of data and analytics are increasingly prevalent across a range of HR activities to
create insights for business intelligence and foresights for forward planning purposes. This is a core
HR foundational competency that sets the standards for a future-oriented HR professional.
I apply insights from data analysis to shape HR programmes and initiatives.
I apply the insights from an effective data analysis that was related to the business intelligence in
order to enhance the HR programs and initiatives. I carefully analysed all the organizational raw
data including the business reporting, analytical processing and data mining for determining the
required changes that was applicable for the business. This particular process will surely affect
positively to the productivity of the company and the stakeholders associated to it.
Relationship and Communication
As HR professionals deal with people across different levels within the organisation, as well as
candidates, regulators, governing authorities, and third-party service providers, relationship
management and communication skills become particularly critical for a competent HR professional to
build trust, credibility and confidence. Competent HR professionals must be able to demonstrate
strong communication capabilities, both written and verbal, when transmitting messages, giving
advice, negotiating, and managing conflict.
I manage professional relationships with and provide advice to top management and business
leaders on HR policies and results.
Effective communication in the organization is one of the vital ingredients to the fruitful production
of the organization. Keeping an eye to this fact, I conducted a meeting along with other HR
specialists, which intended to develop a professional but friendly working environment inside the
organizational workplace. I had advised the top-level managers of the company to manage the
work place conflicts and built a trustworthy, friendly and professional relationship with the
employees without harming the organizational regulations. I personally believe and try to manage
professional relationships with the business professionals, managers and the employees to
enhance the organizational culture.
Technology and Operational Excellence
As organisations evolve in nature, size and complexity, conventional HR service delivery operating
models need to also evolve. This is especially relevant given the advancement of HR technology and
operational solutions and the ever-increasing demands on the HR function from stakeholders. This
foundational competency is a core enabler for HR professionals to add value through alternative ways
of achieving HR service excellence, enhancing the HR function effectiveness, and optimising the HR
service delivery model.
I lead and/or provide direction on HR projects to achieve HR technology, service and
operational excellence.
In today’s technological era, it is necessary to develop the HR policies in order to gain technical
advantages for the company. I was involved in a program of providing proper direction to the HR
projects in order to achieve the HR technologies and operational excellence for the company. In
this entire process, I thoroughly reviewed all the parameters, which include the talent acquisition,
workforce analysis and employee payroll and provide directions to the project that will affect the
market position if the organization.

Labour Policies and Legislation
This refers to foundational knowledge that encompasses the various laws, regulations and
government policies specific to HR professionals that allow them to be effective in their HR work
functions, especially in the Singapore context. This foundational competency is required for HR
professionals to navigate and apply the relevant employment laws and regulations, and national
labour and HR policies, so as to safeguard the well-being of employees, promote the adoption of good
HR practices and to ensure legal and regulatory compliance obligations are met by organisations.
I provide guidance to comply with relevant regulations and offer suggestions in ambiguous
situations.
In order to ensure the well-being of employees and motivate them largely, I conducted a meeting
with the managers and directors of the organization. In that meeting, I conveyed all the employment
regulations and policies such as age discrimination, workplace safety, overtime, minimum wage
and others, which will affect the major stakeholders such as the employees and the entire
organization.

HR Mindsets & Behaviours
For more details of the competencies, please refer to the IHRP Body of Competencies (BOC).
We recommend that you include:
 situation encountered
 stakeholders involved or impacted
 your actions taken to address the situation
 results achieved
Display Business and Financial Acumen
As the HR function gains greater prominence as a valued business partner, there is an ever-
increasing demand for HR professionals to demonstrate business and financial acumen as they go
about their HR duties, relating what they do to a business purpose, impact or outcome. Those
mindsets apply equally to HR professionals in the public sector and non-profit organisations, albeit in
different organisational context and objectives.
I am responsible for developing HR programmes and initiatives to improve my organisation’s
business and/or financial needs (e.g. new product or business line launch, organisation-wide
restructuring, etc
In order to enhance the profitability of my organization, I suggested the managers to launch a new
product, which will add more value to the business. I analyse the customer requirement along with
the target market and adoption rate of that particular product. I took the responsibilities of
developing appropriate HR program to improve my organizational business. The future outcome
will gain tremendous profit and competitive advantage for the company.
Demonstrate Change Leadership
HR professionals are uniquely positioned to influence and to create organisational change by
providing effective leadership. Leadership for HR professionals is about demonstrating leadership
behaviours and does not imply a need for a formal role or to be in a management position.
I provide change leadership guidance to HR team members and business leaders (e.g. in
context of HR transformation programmes, organisational culture change, organisational-wide
restructuring, etc.).
I suggested the idea of creating a self-service portal to provide self-help functions comprising with
the facilities of self-login, password reset along with first line support to the customers. The IT
engineers of the organization had executed the entire plan according to my guidance. It positively
affect the stakeholders by adding value to the business.
Adopt a Future Orientation
To be a valued business partner, HR professionals should exhibit traits of a forward-thinker with the
ability to deal with current issues with an eye for the future. Adopting a future orientation also implies
having a forward-looking perspective of HR-related activities, demonstrating the aspirations to be part
of a leading HR function by continuously improving on HR effectiveness, keeping abreast of emerging
trends to develop foresights, and leveraging on predictive analytics to provide forecasts and
projections to plan for the future.
I incorporate current issues and emerging trends across a range of HR initiatives.
My idea of creating a self-service portal was effective in addressing several issues of the customer.
Apart from this, it will help the organization in outreaching to the new customers by gaining more
profit. This inactive of mine will affect the employees, managers and the suppliers, who are the
active stakeholders to the company.
Uphold Professional Conduct
HR professionals are in a privileged position, dealing with sensitive and confidential information both
at an individual person’s level as well as at the organisational level. Accordingly, HR professionals
need to conduct themselves with integrity and remain objective and professional at all times. HR
professionals should also take personal ownership in developing and maintaining competencies that

are expected of credible and competent HR professionals through continuous professional learning
while supporting the development of people’s potential with empathy and compassion.
I handle confidential and sensitive organisation information with integrity and objectivity.
Being a loyal HR, it is my responsibility to handle the sensitive and confidential organizational data
carefully. There are some organizational information that needs authorized access of the heads,
contrast to the employee. I ensure this process with integrity.

Declaration:
As part of IHRP's Code of Professional Conduct,
I declare and confirm that all information in this application is complete and accurate. I also agree
to comply fully with the random application audit to verify the accuracy of the information or
documentation submitted.documentation submitted. is required.
I have read and understood the IHRP Code of Conduct (Code). By signing this declaration, I
declare that I am not in breach with the mandates of all applicable laws and regulations where I
practice, and have acted in an ethical and professionally responsible manner in my practice, as set
out in this Code. Further, I undertake that upon certification by IHRP, I will comply with the Code; act
in an ethical and professionally responsible manner as set out in the Code; and continue to comply
with the mandates of all applicable laws and regulations where I practice. In the case where there is a
complaint raised against me for possible violation or breach of the Code, I will provide my response in
a timely manner in accordance to IHRP’s request. If I omit to do so, I understand that IHRP may
proceed to consider and decide on the complaint in the absence of my response.

References
Biswas, B.D., Cascio, W. and Boudreau, J., 2013. How to Apply HR Financial Strategies (Collection).
FT Press.
Sushil, S., 2013. Motivation and retention: HR strategies in achieving quality of work life. Global
Journal of Management and Business Studies, 3(7), pp.763-768.