Centrica uses skills management from John Matchett Limited

This article outlines how Centrica, with a workforce of 40,000 people, approached a project to build a technical competence framework for the managers of Centrica’s group financial operation in 2001. Development took six months and 600 employees were involved. As well as John Matchett Limited which provided the system, consultants Moloney and Gealy were used in the later stage of development to refine the competence headings, descriptors and language into its present form. At first there were problems with the online systems but Centrica’s IT systems were modified and the problems were overcome. The system is constantly being improved, particularly in the links to learning and development opportunities, and the use of technical competences will be strengthened in initial recruitment to group finance vacancies. The whole competency concept has taken off at Centrica and, taking their lead from group finance, the marketing, legal and HR functions are all putting their own frameworks in place.