Managing Attributes

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to discuss attributes and performance details.

Differences between Skills, Competencies and Behaviors

The following table summarizes each of the concepts, with descriptions, examples and some additional notes that will be helpful to understand where they fit within SAP SuccessFactors Performance and Goals.

Additionally, how are they different from goals? Goals are specific, measurable objectives that people set for themselves or are set by others to achieve within a certain time frame. Goals describe what is to be accomplished, and typically include metrics and targets.

Competencies describe what is expected to perform the job, such as skills and attributes. Competencies are how someone performs the job.

Differences between Skills, Competencies and Behaviors

Concept	Description	Examples	Notes
Skills	Skills are specific, learned abilities that enable a person to perform a particular task effectively.	C++ Programming HRIS Systems Payroll Management	Skills can only be mapped to Job Roles with Job Profile Builder. With Talent Intelligence Hub, skills can be rated in Performance/360 Reviews forms just like the competencies/behaviors. SAP SuccessFactors supports AI and machine learning capabilities to recommend skills to employees based on their activities or extract skills from job descriptions.
Competencies	Competencies are the combination of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and abilities that are required to successfully perform a job or task. They are broader and more encompassing than skills alone. Competencies describe what is expected to perform the job, such as skills and attributes. Competencies are how someone performs the job.	Solving Complex Problems Team Leadership Communication	Competencies are mapped to Job Roles to be job-specific, but also Core Values of the company, which are not dependant on any role, can be evaluated in Performance/360 Reviews forms.
Behaviors	Behaviors are the actions and responses exhibited by individuals that are observable and can be influenced by one's environment, experiences, and attitudes.	Regularly arrives on time for meetings and appointments. Works effectively with others, shares information, and supports team objectives. Acts honestly and ethically in all situations, even when no one is watching.	Behaviors can be associated to competencies. In Performance/360 Reviews Forms, competencies can be rated at the behavior level.

Other important differences, as it relates to Skills vs Competencies:

Skills vs Competencies

Skills	Competencies
People either know or don’t know skills.	People are either effective or not effective at competencies.
Over 1000 skills are needed to describe the jobs in most large organizations.	Fewer than 100 competencies can describe the jobs in most large organizations.
Skills change significantly as new ones are created and others become outdated.	Competencies are primarily developed as a result of on-the-job-learning.
Skills are developed through a mix of formal training, education, and experience.	Most people struggle to assess their own effectiveness with regard to competencies.

Options to manage Competencies, Skills, and Custom Attributes content

SAP SuccessFactors offers you three frameworks to manage competencies:

Job Description Manager (JDM): You manage competencies in the Manage Competencies admin tool.
Center of Capabilities (CoC): You manage competencies in the Manage Center of Capabilities admin tool.
Talent Intelligence Hub (TIH): You manage competencies in the Manage Talent Intelligence Hub admin tool.

There are two possible ways to manage skills:

Job Profile Builder (JPB): Skills can be managed in Manage Job Profile Content.
Job Profile Builder (JPB) + Talent Intelligence Hub (TIH): Skills are managed in Manage Talent Intelligence Hub.

To map competencies, skills, and custom attributes, the following options are possible:

Job Description Manager (JDM): Only competencies can be mapped, using Manage Job Roles , or Import Job Roles. Skills are not supported.
Job Profile Builder (JPB): Competencies, skills, and custom attributes can be mapped, using Manage Job Profile Content or Manage Job Profile Content Import/Export.

Manage Job Profile Content and Attributes permissions

Performance Management reviews are frequently done around the Goals that are to be achieved within the year, but additionally, Competencies and Skills can be assessed as part of the evaluation. Therefore, attribute sections to include job-specific competencies and/or skills are common. Some of the permissions that should be granted to an administrator to manage this type of content will be shown below.

To view the required Permissions, navigate to Manage Permission Roles, locate the System Admin role, and choose Edit.

Navigate to Administrator Permissions→Manage Job Profile Builder, and make sure the following permissions are granted:

Manage Job Profile Content Import/Export
Manage Job Profile Content
- Can View Content
- Can Edit Content

With these permissions, administrators can set up Families and Roles, as well as map competencies and skills to the Job Roles that would be then populated in a Performance Management form if using Job-Specific Attribute sections.

Furthermore, it will be necessary to grant access to the administrator to manage Talent Intelligence Hub content, which will include the library of competencies and skills, behaviors, tags and growth portfolio enablement for end users.

Scroll down to the Administrator Permissions→Manage Talent Intelligence Hub Settings section, and Select All permissions.

Permissions to view and manage TIH settings, including Competencies and skills, are set in this category.

Performance Details

Performance details are short, specific statements that describe actions, attitudes, or skills that demonstrate proficiency in the competency at a specific performance level. This tab allows you to customize competencies with text that assists the performance form rater from the Writing Assistant. The term Performance Details is only visible to system administrators. End users know this as the Writing Assistant.

Writing Assistant

The Writing Assistant pulls information directly from Performance Details within each individual competency. This area is comprised of sections called Teaser Levels to identify the spectrum of performance. The migrated SAP SuccessFactors 2.1 Competency Library has three teaser levels preconfigured for each competency by default, and this is possible to review and manage from the tool Manage Writing Assistant and Coaching Advisor. Depending on the rating scale that is being used for a form, three teaser levels may not be enough, and you may want to add additional levels, or use the Swap button to move levels around.

The Performance Details tab is displayed and the Add Teaser Level and Swap buttons are highlighted.

Teaser Level information is provided to end users who choose to use the Writing Assistant to help them provide feedback in the comment areas of the competency sections of forms. For example, after a manager quantitatively rates a candidate using the rating scale, they may select the tab for Writing Assistant, and samples of qualitative feedback based on the competency will be available.

In the screenshot, the Writing Assistant button is highlighted.

To edit a teaser within the larger teaser level, choose the title. Here, we chose supports others and edited the performance descriptions for a more positive performance in the second person.

You may also edit the coaching advice that is provided through the Writing Assistant.

End users can access the Writing Assistant in a performance form to comment on competencies using these teasers with a preconfigured statement and provide additional context to the rating provided.

The end user can select from the teaser levels configured in the competency library and change the narrative between second and third person. As the end user, select the feedback to place, click Place Quote, and close out of the window. You may always edit the comments after they are placed into the comment box of the form.

A comment on competency is displayed in the screenshot.

Explore Performance Details

Business Example

In this exercise, you explore the Performance Details of a competency.

ExerciseStart Exercise

Steps

Navigate to Manage Writing Assistant and Coaching Advisor from the Action Search or the Admin Center.
Select the SAP SuccessFactors 2.1 Competency Library, which has 86 competencies, already with Writing Assistant and Coaching Advisor content.
Select any competency from the list. It shows 10 Items per page by default, but you can navigate through the different pages, or change the Items per page to 100 to show all the library.
From the Meets level, select any hyperlink statement.
Review the pop-up window.
Choose Cancel.
Select the checkbox to the left of the statement you selected from the Meets level in step 5.
Choose Move Selected To..., and select Exceeds.
Choose Add Teaser Level.
Enter a new Teaser Group name.
From your newly created level, choose Take Action.
Select Remove Level.
To exit without making changes, choose Cancel.

Summary

Goals describe what is to be accomplished and typically include metrics and targets.
Competencies describe what is expected to perform the job, such as skills and attributes.
Skills are specific, learned abilities that enable a person to perform a particular task effectively.
Competencies and skills can be assessed as part of the Performance evaluation in an Attribute section.
SAP SuccessFactors offers multiple frameworks for managing competencies and skills. Administrators must be granted permissions to manage this type of content.

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