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Welcome to the Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management E-Learning Module website!

Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management is intended to support the learning and development activities of individuals in public health.

This module will guide you through a step-by-step approach to Competency Based Performance Management for public health and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to use competencies to support Performance Management and other human resources (HR) activities.

Module outline

This e-learning module is divided into eight sections:

• Section 1.0. : Overview
• Section 2.0. : The Performance Management Cycle
• Section 3.0. : Stage 1 – Performance Planning
• Section 4.0. : Stage 2 – Ongoing Review & Feedback
• Section 5.0. : Stage 3 – Performance Evaluation
• Section 6.0. : Module Resources
• Section 7.0. : Additional Support
• Section 8.0. : Acknowledgements

About this website

This e-learning module is built with Wordpress, a publishing platform. Both the technical and aesthetic design is aimed at providing a usable web experience, with accessible content, and simple navigation. Web standards and W3C accessibility recommendations (WAI) have been integrated into the design and development of this site.

This site is best viewed in modern, standards-compliant browsers including Firefox, Safari, Chrome. Internet Explorer 6 and 7 are supported.

Navigating: Use the left-hand navigation menu to click through the content hierarchy. Additionally, use the “Previous” and “Next” links at the bottom of every post/article/web page to click forward and backward through the contents.

Searching: Search the site by keyword using the search area above the left-hand navigation. Search results are displayed in truncated/excerpted form. Click on the page heading or “continue reading” link to access the full content of the post/article/web page.

About multimedia: audio & video

This e-learning module contains multimedia files (audio, video clips) designed to enhance the learning experience for the user beyond reading text.

Audio: The audio narratives accompany the text on the page, in some cases, expanding on the text with additional illustrative content. Audio clips are found in Section 1.0. through Section 5.0.

Video: The video clips show actors demonstrating various scenarios, and are designed to compliment the text on the page. Video clips are found throughout Section 3.0. and Section 5.0.

Use of Photos
All photo images are used with permission and courtesy of OPHA. See full Acknowledgements.

Community Health Officer

The purpose of this module is to describe and explain competency based employee performance management through a public health lens. A competency based management approach focuses on the competencies, or observable knowledge, skills and abilities described in behavioural terms, and required for successful job performance.

This module will present:

• A step by step approach to Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management
• How implementing competencies supports performance management and other HR activities
• An explanation of how competency based performance management is different from any other performance management process
• An overview of the new Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management Toolkit, produced by the Ontario Public Health Association and Partners (2009 and revised, 2010)

Competency based management is important to the public health workforce because it:

• Improves organizational performance by linking job requirements to organizational goals
• Empowers employees by allowing them to build their competencies
• Supports HR management practices by assisting in the recruitment of the right people and identifying learning gaps in the organization

Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management:

• Provides a consistent process to assess performance of public health employees across the organization
• Integrates the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Core Competencies for Public Health into the performance management process
• Builds capacity of individuals and organizations
• Demonstrates best practices in performance management
• Can be used with discipline, organizational and/or program standards

Nurse in Communicable Disease Control

Public health managers are the primary audience for this module.

Employees and human resource professionals may also benefit from learning about Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management (Employee Performance Management).

This module is for:

• Public Health Managers
• Human Resource Professionals
• Employees

How to Use this Module:

• Self directed learning
• Group training

Approaches:

• Step by step use
• Focus on areas of interest
• In conjunction with the toolkit

• Explain the benefits of Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management
• List and describe the three stages of the employee performance management cycle
• Identify and describe the activities and tools for each stage
• Demonstrate integration of the eight Public Health Employee Performance Management Competencies into the employee performance management cycle

What is Competency Based Employee Performance Management?

Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management is typically a 12 month cycle of managing employee performance for success where objectives are developed, competencies are incorporated and constructive feedback is provided for continuous improvement.

What are Performance Objectives?

Public Health Dental Assistant

Performance objectives are an indicator of effective work performance. They identify the specific tasks or activities the employee should accomplish over the course of a performance management cycle. Performance objectives denote “WHAT” work will be done.

What are Competencies?

Competencies are observable knowledge, skills and abilities, or traits that are required for successful job performance. Competencies denote “HOW” the work will be done.

Food Safety Inspector

While performance objectives describe WHAT must be accomplished, competencies are behaviours to be displayed in successful accomplishment of the work objectives.

The competencies written as behavioural statements, have been developed to give specific examples of HOW an employee can demonstrate the behaviours associated with each of the Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada Release 1.0 for the purpose of performance management.

Public Health Employee Performance Management Competencies

The eight Public Health Employee Performance Management Competencies are:

1. Public Health Sciences
2. Assessment and Analysis
3. Policy and Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation
4. Partnerships, Collaboration and Advocacy
5. Diversity and Inclusiveness
6. Communication
7. Leadership
8. Ethics and Professionalism

These competencies build on the seven Core Competencies for Public Health Release 1.0 plus an additional competency area called Ethics and Professionalism. To learn more about these competencies and how they are further defined, please continue reading.

Competencies include the following information:

• A Competency Name – The same as the Core Competencies for Public Health Release 1.0 with the exception of an additional competency, Ethics and Professionalism
• A Definition – Provides a general understanding of the type of behaviour addressed using the Public Health Agency of Canada’s definitions
• A Proficiency scale – A set of descriptions of what can be done at each stage of development of competence, including a range of behaviours that illustrate an increase in complexity and scope. Proficiency levels are incremental and cumulative
• A Behavioural Statement – Expresses the conditions under which a behaviour or overt act will be expected to occur and describe the level of expertise of performance (good examples only, not exhaustive list)

Look at the Public Health Employee Performance Management Competency Summary Chart for more details on the definitions and proficiency levels of the eight competencies.

Health Hazard Inspector

The Public Health Employee Performance Management Competency Profiles were adapted from the Public Health Agency of Canada Core Competencies for Public Health in Canada (Release 1.0).

The three main roles to which the competencies apply are:

• Front Line Provider
• Consultant/Specialist
• Manager/Supervisor

What are the competency profiles for each role?

Public Health Nutritionist

Profiles identify the competency proficiency level for each main role in public health. The profiles have been created as guidelines for use within a competency based employee performance management process.

For each of the employee performance management competencies, the proficiency levels identified in the competency profiles have been validated by subject matter experts.

It is recognized that there may be variance in job descriptions within each role. This explains why some competencies have a range of proficiency levels, rather than just one.

Tools are listed by their full (long) name on the left; the corresponding short-form name is on the right.

Jump to:

• Guides & Checklists
• About Competencies
• Forms For Use
• HR Specific

Please Note: Throughout Sections 2.0. – 5.0. of the website, the short-form tool names will be used.

Table: Public Health Competency Based Employee Performance Management Tools

See Module Resources > Toolkit Downloads for more information and to download as .PDF

Community Nutrition Assistant

The profiles for the three main roles and their competencies are considered throughout the employee performance management process. The employee performance management process generally includes the following three stages, undertaken over a 12 month cycle:

1. Performance Planning: Where objectives are jointly developed with individual employees
2. Review: Where the manager monitors performance, provides ongoing feedback to ensure that the individual is on track and plans are adjusted as required
3. Performance Evaluation: Where the individual is assessed relative to their objectives and expected competencies

During the first stage of the employee performance management cycle, Performance Planning, managers and employees meet to:

• Identify and discuss performance objectives and/or competencies for the current employee performance management cycle
• Develop a learning plan that will address developmental objectives to meet both performance objectives and competencies objectives

The planning stage offers an opportunity for a manager and employee to:

• Set performance objectives that are aligned with organizational goals and based on individual action plans
• Identify personal learning and development objectives, plans and activities
• Foster ongoing and open communication concerning employee expectations and needs